Box Score MIAMI - Graduate Jarvis Walker scored a game-high 24 points off the bench and Paul Zilinskas added 15 but IU Indianapolis was unable to hold off a scrappy FIU squad on Saturday night (Dec. 21) inside Ocean Bank Convocation Center in a 75-69 defeat. 

Dashon Gittens and Asim Jones led FIU with 15 points apiece. 

FIU (5-7) shot 50 percent from the floor, including 5-of-7 from three-point range, to erase an 18-point second half deficit in the win. The Jaguars (5-9) led 46-28 after Alec Millender rattled in a three on the opening possession of the second half, but the Panthers were the superior team from there. They scored the game's next 14 points to cut the lead back to four with more than 15 minutes remaining. 

The Jaguars counterpunched and maintained the lead until FIU's Jones tied the score on a tough drive with 9:10 to play. Walker drilled a pair of threes to keep IU Indy in front until FIU finally went ahead at the free throw line with 4:54 to play. The outcome wasn't decided until the closing seconds as breaks seemingly went in favor of the hosts down the stretch. Needing a defensive stop, Gittens banked in a long three with 1:41 to play to give FIU a 67-62 lead. Ashton Williams essentially sunk the Jags when he banked in a runner with 19 seconds left to make it a two-possession game. 

IU Indy finished the game at 39.7 percent from the floor and 13-of-32 (40.6 percent) from three. The Jags made 8-of-16 in the opening half, but cooled to make just 5-of-16 after intermission. 

The Jaguars blasted out to a 10-0 lead to start the game with neither Zilinskas or Walker contributing to the total. DeSean Goode and Sean Craig made consecutive threes after Millender and Keenan Garner has opened the game's scoring. 

The Jags led by as many as 17 in the opening half before settling in with a 43-28 halftime advantage. The Jags won the glass 21-10 in the first half and forced 10 FIU turnovers in the opening 20 minutes. 

The second half saw FIU win the glass 21-15 and commit just two turnovers as IU Indy finished the game with 18 miscues. Millender finished with 11 points and four assists while Goode came off the bench to tally 11 points. Craig closed with six points, 12 rebounds and four assists and Garner grabbed five rebounds. 

The Jaguars will return to action on Sunday, Dec. 29 when they travel to Milwaukee for a 2:00 p.m. CT tipoff on ESPN+.