Can the Panthers Claw Back After a Setback at Bernard Johnson Coliseum?
In a conference game that saw the Florida International Panthers fall to the Sam Houston Bearkats with a final score of 56-70, both teams demonstrated their competitive spirit on the court. The Panthers now hold a record of 0-1, while the Bearkats advance with a record of 1-0.
The Florida International Panthers faced an uphill battle at Bernard Johnson Coliseum against their opponents. Despite showing promise in the first half by scoring 29 points to Sam Houston's 39, they couldn't maintain momentum and added only 27 more in the second half. Their shooting was less effective than desired; they made only 22 out of their total 62 field goal attempts, resulting in a field goal percentage of just 36 percent. From beyond the arc, they struggled as well, sinking only seven out of thirty-two three-point attempts which translates to an accuracy rate of just twenty-two percent.
The defensive efforts from Florida International were notable with eight blocks and twelve steals during gameplay. However, these efforts did not translate into control over rebounds as they gathered twenty-nine compared to Sam Houston's forty-six. On offense, FIU managed fifty percent success from two-point range but faltered at free throws with just five successful shots from nine attempts – yielding fifty-six percent accuracy.
FIU showed some strength inside by scoring thirty points in paint and capitalized on turnovers by adding twenty-five points off them. They also had fast break contributions totaling sixteen points but were hindered by fourteen turnovers themselves.
On the other side of the ball, Sam Houston displayed strong teamwork with seventeen assists and better shooting efficiency – forty-four percent from field goals overall including an impressive fifty percent from three-point land. They also excelled at free throw line making eighty-five percent of their shots there.
Looking ahead for Florida International Panthers fans: The team is scheduled to face off against Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Thomas Assembly Center located in Ruston on February 17th at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. This game will be available for viewing on ESPN+ for those who wish to follow along as FIU aims to bounce back after this setback.