Jan. 14, 2005

Box Score

BOCA RATON, FL - Florida Atlantic University saw yet another game go down to the final possession as the Owls dropped an Atlantic Sun Conference showdown with UCF, 73-70, Thursday night at FAU Gymnasium. Mike Bell led FAU with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Kahleaf Watson added 14 as FAU fell to 3-11 overall and 3-4 in the A-Sun. UCF improved to 11-4 and 4-3, respectively.

FAU took an early eight-point lead after a 7-0 run made it 20-12 with 11:11 left in the half. UCF used a 13-3 run to lead 25-23 with 5:30 left in the half. With FAU leading 29-28, UCF closed the half on an 8-1 run and a 36-30 lead.

UCF increased its lead in the first six minutes of the second half. Troy Lindbeck's three-pointer at the 13:38 mark gave the Golden Knights a 51-38 lead. That's when the Owls began to creep back into the game. An 11-2 run over the next 2:27, capped off by a Bell jumper, made it 53-49 UCF.

Edwards hit a pair of free throws at the 4:27 mark to make it 64-59 UCF. FAU's Quinton Young then made two free throws of his own and followed with a three-pointer to tie the game at 64-64. A Watson dunk at the 2:32 mark gave FAU the lead back at 67-66. The lead changed hands three more times before UCF took it back for good with 41 seconds left on a Joshua Peppers' three-point play that made it 71-69. Two free throws by Kingsley Edwards with 11 seconds left gave the Golden Knights a 73-70 lead. A long three-pointer by Bell missed as time expired.

Edwards led UCF with 20 points. Marcus Avant scored 18 while Joshua Peppers had 13. FAU shot 40 percent compared to UCF's 48 percent. UCF outrebounded FAU 40-32. The Owls committed a season-low six turnovers and forced the Golden Knights into 15. FAU's previous low was 13 December 4 against Gardner-Webb.

The game was the fourth in the last five that came down to the final possession. FAU lost an 82-81 heartbreaker to Jacksonville on Tuesday after an overtime win against Stetson on Sunday. FAU's two games last week at Mercer and Georgia State were decided by a total of five points.

Florida Atlantic concludes its four-game homestand January 18 against Troy.