MIAMI (AP) -Calvin O'Neil scored 19 points to lead Middle Tennessee to a 74-71 victory over Florida International, which finished Thursday night's game without coach Isiah Thomas, who was ejected.
Thomas, the Hall of Famer and former NBA coach and executive, was ejected after he ran onto the court to complain to an official.
With 7:51 left and FIU trailing 57-53, Tremayne Russell was hit while attempting a putback, but there was no call. Thomas high-stepped onto the court in anger to confront the official closest to him.
It was the first ejection for Thomas in his first year as coach at FIU (7-23, 4-13 Sun Belt Conference).
Middle Tennessee (18-12, 12-5) led 68-60 with 1:33 left before FIU came back.
Down 74-71, JC Otero missed a game-tying 3-pointer, but the ball went out of bounds off the Blue Raiders with 1.5 seconds left. O'Neil stole the inbounds to clinch the victory.
