Frink, FIU hold off Louisiana-Lafayette 80-75

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) -- Jerome Frink scored 20 points and Tymell Murphy added 16 points and 16 rebounds as Florida International held off Louisiana-Lafayette 80-75 Thursday night in Sun Belt Conference action to win its third straight game.

The Panthers, who also defeated the Ragin' Cajuns 75-70 on Jan. 5, won back-to-back games in the series for the first time since 1998-99.

Tied at 72, Frink scored on a layup with 1:43 left, then Cameron Bell and Frink each made a pair of free throws to give the Panthers (11-8, 6-4) a 78-72 lead with 19 seconds remaining.

After Alan-Michael Thompson knocked down a trey with 11 seconds to go, Deric Hill answered with two FIU foul shots and Thompson missed a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left.

Thompson and Elfrid Payton scored 22 points apiece for Louisiana-Lafayette, which has lost six of its past seven games. Shawn Long added 21 points and 14 rebounds.

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