MIAMI, Fla.?Yual Banks scored a career-high 23 points to help Arkansas State overcome a 14 point deficit to defeat Florida International, 81-71.
On a night when another shooter was needed due to several injuries, Banks stepped into the shooter's role and connected on 8-of-11 from the field and 5-of-7 from 3-point range. Banks, along with 23 points from Isaac Wells, carried the Indians to their first road win of the season.
A back-and-forth game was knotted at 61 with 7:41 left when Wells connected on a deep 3-pointer to pull ASU (6-10, 1-1) into the tie. A layup by Jim Jones at the 5:56 mark gave the Indians the lead for good, but FIU (3-11, 0-2) didn't go down without a fight.
Including that 3 ASU went on a 12-1 run to build an eight-point cushion over FIU. Walkon Marlon Bright connected on a 3 from the top of the key to halt the run with 3:25 left to play, and after a Dereke Tipler free thow, Ivan Almonte connected on a layup to cut the ASU lead to four points.
But Banks answered the call, hitting a 3 from the right side to push the lead back to seven. From there, ASU hit free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Wells tied Banks for game-high honors with a career-high 23 points and hauled down a team-high six rebounds.
Tipler scored 15 for the Indians, 13 in the second half, and Jones added 10 points and five assists. FIU was paced by 15 from Bright along with 13 from Elvis Lora, 12 from Johwen Villegas and a double-double 10 points and 10 rebounds from Kenny Simms.
Midway through the first half the Indians were keeping within a bucket until, with 5:36 left until halftime, FIU went on an11-0 run, highlighted by a pair of 3's from Villegas, making the score 34-20. But Wells canned a jumper just outside the lane to snap the run and then followed with a 22-foot 3-pointer 19 second later to slice the deficit to nine at 34-25.
With 25 seconds left in the half, Banks again found the distance from long range, connecting on a 3 from the right wing off a nice penetration pass from Jones. With six second left, Jones stepped in front of an errant pass by Alan Guyton and found Tipler underneath the basket for short jumper. That bucket brought ASU to within four at the break.
Banks scored 11 first-half points to surpass his previous career best of nine, set earlier this season against Missouri State. Wells' previous best of 22 came earlier this season against Lamar.
The win by ASU snapped a streak where they lost six of seven contests while running the FIU losing streak to nine. The Indians leave from Miami and travel to Little Rock to face the Trojans of Arkansas-Little Rock.
