WESTCHESTER, Fla. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive struggles and a critical late-game sequence, the Florida International women’s basketball team edged Sam Houston 66-60 in a Conference USA matchup on Thursday night at Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

The contest saw both teams fall to 11-6 overall, locked in a mid-conference standings tie, after a defensive battle where neither side shot above 42 percent from the floor. The most decisive factor proved to be the three-point line, where Florida International connected on 5 of 10 attempts while Sam Houston suffered through an unprecedented 0-for-14 performance from beyond the arc.

The Golden Panthers built an early lead, closing the first quarter up 17-8, but the Bearkats responded with a dominant 23-point second quarter to take a 31-28 advantage into halftime. Sam Houston’s surge was fueled by its defense, which generated 10 steals, and the playmaking of guard Fanta Kone, who finished with eight assists.

Florida International reclaimed the lead in the third quarter and entered the final period ahead 44-42. The game remained a one-possession affair deep into the fourth quarter, setting the stage for the decisive stretch.

With just over a minute remaining and Florida International clinging to a 60-58 lead, Sam Houston’s Deborah Ogayemi turned the ball over, leading to a driving layup by Parris Atkins to extend the Golden Panthers’ lead to four. On the ensuing possession, Sam Houston’s Nyla Inmon committed another turnover, which Atkins again stole. That led to a foul on Ogayemi, sending Rhema Collins to the line where she sank two free throws to put Florida International up 64-58 with 39 seconds left.

Sam Houston’s Inmon scored inside to cut the deficit to four, but Florida International’s Denika Lightbourne was fouled and made two more free throws with 10 seconds left to effectively seal the outcome. Grecia Ferrer Leal added two final free throws for the Golden Panthers in the closing seconds.

Atkins and Lightbourne led Florida International with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Lightbourne added five assists and a crucial block. Collins contributed nine points and nine rebounds.

For Sam Houston, Ogayemi scored 14 points, while Inmon added 13 points and Aysia Ward-Strong finished with 12. Kone’s eight assists were a game-high, but the Bearkats’ 17 turnovers and complete absence of three-point shooting ultimately proved too much to overcome.

Florida International was more efficient offensively, scoring 66 points on 74 possessions for a rating of 89.7, compared to Sam Houston’s 60 points on 77 possessions for a rating of 78.2. The Golden Panthers also capitalized at the free-throw line, making 15 of 18 attempts, while Sam Houston was 8 of 10.

The game was played before an announced crowd of 127.

Sam Houston looks to rebound on the road at Missouri State on Saturday. Florida International remains at home to host Louisiana Tech, also on Saturday.