| | | Schedule/Results | | | Coaching Staff | | | Roster | | | Statistics | | | Media Guide | | | Game Notes | | | Live Stats | | | Camps and Clinics | | |
|
|
|
|
|
And in the end, it was the veteran Massimino getting the best of the younger Thomas in his very first taste of coaching at the intercollegiate level.
Lester Hunte led all scorers with 18 points and teammate Patrick Horstmann added 13 in Northwood's 71-61 win, a game that was close for 35 minutes before the Seehawks went on a 15-6 run over the final 4:01, to pull away.
Junior college transfers Phil Gary and Marvin Roberts contributed 15 points each, but when it was all said and done, it was Northwood's superior shooting from the field that spelled the difference. The Seahawks shot a consistent 54-percent from the floor, despite turning the ball over 24 times to the FIU defense.
FIU, on the other hand, shot just 34.6-percent (18-of-52) from the field and converted 21-of-32 from the foul line-stats not lost to Coach Thomas during his post-game press conference.
"I am pretty encouraged about some of the things I saw from us tonight," he said. "We forced 24 turnovers, and that was a good thing. But when you get a turnover, you have to capitalize on it. We've got to get better doing the little things. That means converting on turnovers and making our free throws. If we did that tonight, this was a game we win, even though we didn't shoot the ball exceptionally well."
After forcing the 11th tie of the game at 46 on a Tremayne Russell layup, Northwood got up by seven, 56-49, on a pair of Horstmann free throws with 6:53 to play. But FIU battled back, scoring the next six points to close within 56-55 on a Stephon Weaver tip-in moments later.
That would be the Panthers last hurrah of the evening, however, as 3-pointers by Thierno Agne, Jay Duncan and Horstmann led to Northwood's largest lead of the night, 69-56, with just 53 seconds remaining.
FIU and Coach Thomas will now focus on the start of the regular season in five days when the team travels to Chapel Hill, N.C., and a date with defending national champion and No. 6-ranked North Carolina in the nationally-televised opener (ESPNU) of the 2K Sports Classic Benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer.
