Panthers Claw Their Way to Victory Over Bearkats at Bernard Johnson Coliseum
The Florida International Panthers improved their season record with a hard-fought 71-65 victory over the Sam Houston Bearkats. The Panthers, who displayed resilience and determination, now boast an enhanced record. The Bearkats, despite a valiant effort on their home court at Bernard Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville, Texas, fell short and must regroup after this loss.
The game started off strong for the Florida International Panthers as they took an early lead with 21 points in the first quarter compared to the Sam Houston Bearkats' 16. Maintaining momentum into the second quarter, the Panthers added another 20 points to their tally while holding the Bearkats to just 13 points. However, in a dramatic shift of events during the third quarter, Florida International's scoring plummeted as they managed only seven points against Sam Houston's impressive 19-point comeback attempt.
Despite this setback, it was in the final quarter that Florida International truly shined by racking up an impressive 23 points while limiting their opponents to just 17. This surge secured them a six-point margin of victory and showcased their ability to close out games under pressure.
Throughout this intense matchup, key statistics painted a picture of how Florida International achieved success. They finished with a solid field goal percentage of forty-three percent on sixty-one attempts and were particularly dominant inside with forty-four points in paint contributions. From beyond the arc though, they struggled somewhat with only twenty-two percent accuracy from three-point range.
On defense and rebounding fronts too, Florida International showed superiority by collecting forty total rebounds—ten offensive—and executing four steals along with two blocks which helped disrupt Sam Houston's rhythm. Despite committing eighteen turnovers themselves—a figure matched by player turnovers—they capitalized on those made by Sam Houston for nineteen crucial points off turnovers.
Sam Houston's performance was notable for its free throw efficiency; hitting eighty-two percent from the line but ultimately falling short due primarily to lower field goal percentages overall—thirty-four percent—and especially from three-point land where they managed only ten percent accuracy.
Looking ahead after this competitive encounter between conference rivals—the next challenge awaits for The Florida International Panthers as they prepare to face off against Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Murphy Athletic Center in Murfreesboro on February 10th at 2:00 PM Eastern Time (ET). Fans eager not to miss any action can tune into broadcasts scheduled for that date and time.