BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) -- Dennis Mavin scored 23 points and Florida International used a second-half rally to slip by Florida Atlantic 74-70 Thursday in the final regular season game for both teams.
Rakeem Buckles added 18 points and Tymell Murphy 13 for Florida International (15-16, 7-9 Conference USA). The Golden Panthers trailed by 16 in the first half before a second-half comeback that included an 10-0 run to take a 54-50 lead with 8:46 left.
Marquan Botley hit three free throws to tie the game at 68 with 1:05 remaining before Murphy responded with a basket. Murphy then had a key steal with 18 seconds left, his sixth of the night, and Buckles scored to make it 72-68.
Justin Raffington's alley-oop dunk cut the lead to 72-70, but Mavin iced the game with a pair of free throws.
Botley scored a career-high 27 to lead FAU (10-21, 5-11) and Raffington added 19.
