Florida International Panthers Outpaced by UTEP Miners in High-Scoring Duel

The Florida International Panthers faced a challenging contest against the UTEP Miners, culminating in a 76-83 defeat. The Panthers now hold a record of 0-1, while the Miners improve to 1-0. Despite a spirited effort, the Panthers fell short in their season opener at Don Haskins Center.

The game was marked by an intense offensive display from both teams. The Florida International Panthers put up an impressive performance in the second half, scoring 50 points compared to their first-half tally of 26. However, it wasn't enough to overcome the consistent scoring of the UTEP Miners who posted 40 and 43 points across both halves respectively.

The Panthers showcased their agility on fast breaks with a total of 17 fast break points and capitalized on turnovers by adding another 26 points to their scoreline. Their defensive efforts were notable as well with an impressive count of 14 steals and four blocks during the game. Despite these efforts, they struggled from beyond the arc with only seven three-point shots made out of twenty-seven attempts resulting in a three-point shooting percentage of just twenty-six percent.

On offense, Florida International's two-point attempts were more successful; they made eighteen out of thirty shots which translates into sixty percent shooting from that range. From free throws line they shot seventy percent making nineteen out of twenty-seven attempts.

In contrast, the UTEP Miners demonstrated superior accuracy overall with fifty-four percent field goal shooting including an outstanding sixty percent from three-point range where they made nine out of fifteen attempts. They also dominated inside scoring thirty-six points in paint compared to Florida International's thirty.

One area where Florida International excelled was capitalizing on opponent turnovers; they scored twenty-six points off turnovers while committing eighteen themselves leading to an assist-turnover ratio for them at zero point six-three.

Looking ahead for Florida International Panthers fans, their team will be taking on New Mexico State Aggies at Pan American Center located in Las Cruces NM on March ninth scheduled for four o'clock PM Eastern Time zone broadcasted over ESPN+. This upcoming match presents another opportunity for Panther supporters to rally behind their team as they seek redemption following this hard-fought battle against UTEP Miners.