NEW YORK (AP) — Nick Honor scored 28 points on 9-of-16 shooting, Jesse Bunting added18 points and 11 rebounds and Fordham shot 12 free throws down the stretch to beat Florida International 83-77 in the first game of the Johnny Bach Classic on Friday night.
FIU led 49-43 after a 13-2 second-half run capped by Brian Beard Jr.’s driving layup with 16:21 to play, but Fordham (2-1) tied it at 64 on Antwon Portley’s free throw with 6:16 left. Trejon Jacob’s runner in the lane put FIU up 69-64 with 3:37 to go, but the Rams rallied and scored 18 of the final 26 points for the win.
Fordham led 39-36 at halftime after shooting 43.8 percent from the floor to FIU’s 34.4 percent.
Beard scored 22 points with eight rebounds, seven assists and six steals and Devon Andrews added a career-high 14 points for the Golden Panthers (3-1), who shot 39.7 percent to the Rams’ 43.8 percent.
The tournament is named for former Fordham head coach Johnny Bach.
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