MIAMI (AP) Belco Bamba scored a career-high 23 points and had nine rebounds, helping Florida International rally from a six-point halftime deficit and defeat Division II Florida Gulf Coast 77-70 on Thursday to snap a 10-game losing streak.
Bamba entered the game averaging only 2.5 points per game this season. His previous career best was 10, set in January 2003 at Louisiana-Lafayette.
Raphael daSilva had 13 points for the Golden Panthers (4-17), who trailed 36-30 at halftime but rallied by shooting 58.3 percent in the second half.
Leighton Bowie had game-highs of 26 points and 13 rebounds for Florida Gulf Coast (18-3), the nation's 14th-ranked Division II team. Bryan Crislip had 18 points and eight assists, while Juan Cedeno grabbed 11 rebounds for Florida Gulf Coast.
Marcus Robinson had 12 points and Gabriel Lazo scored 10 for Florida International, which used only seven players in the game. The Golden Panthers are 2-0 against Division II schools this season, having beaten North Florida in November - but just 2-17 against Division I competition.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
