MIAMI (AP) - Tymell Murphy had 20 points and 10 rebounds to help Florida International hold off Bethune-Cookman 74-72 after letting most of a double-digit lead slip away Monday.
Bethune-Cookman trimmed what once had been a 12-point deficit to two on Ricky Johnson's layup with 17 seconds remaining. The Wildcats (5-10) had a chance to win it after forcing an FIU turnover, however Kevin Dukes' 3-pointer bounced off the rim.
Malik Smith scored 17 and Jerome Frink had 11 points and 11 rebounds for FIU (7-7), which led 58-46 with just over 10 minutes to go.
Bethune-Cookman closed to within one point on three occasions, the last at 69-68 on a pair of free throws by Javoris Bryant. Each time, FIU answered with a basket of its own.
Adrien Coleman led Bethune-Cookman with 20 points.
| Scoreboard | |||
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
| Bethune-Cookman (5-11) | 32 | 40 | 72 |
| Florida International (7-7) « | 35 | 39 | 74 |
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| Bethune-Cookman Wildcats | |||||||
| STARTERS | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| A. Coleman, F | 38 | 8-16 | 4-7 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 20 |
| A. Smith, F | 23 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| R. Johnson, G | 30 | 2-3 | 3-6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| M. Jackson, G | 13 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| B. Stewart, G | 9 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BENCH | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| K. Dukes | 33 | 5-12 | 1-2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| J. Bryant | 25 | 4-7 | 6-6 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 14 |
| P. Scotland | 19 | 1-9 | 4-4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| M. Mack | 10 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Totals | 24-62 | 18-25 | 36 | 15 | 18 | 72 | |
| 38.7% | 72% | ||||||
| Florida International Golden Panthers | |||||||
| STARTERS | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| T. Murphy, F | 32 | 9-13 | 2-3 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 20 |
| J. Frink, F | 31 | 5-13 | 1-3 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 11 |
| T. Akomolafe, F | 28 | 2-5 | 1-2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| M. Smith, G | 28 | 4-10 | 4-4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| G. Belardo, G | 14 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| BENCH | M | FG | FT | TR | A | PF | PTS |
| D. Hill | 25 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| M. Porcher Jimenez | 15 | 1-4 | 5-6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| J. Ferrales | 14 | 3-6 | 1-2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
| C. Bell | 9 | 2-4 | 3-4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| I. Jurkovic | 4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 26-57 | 17-24 | 42 | 15 | 19 | 74 | |
| 45.6% | 70.8% | ||||||
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