MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men's basketball team got a game-tying tip-in with 5.8 seconds left and senior Georgi Boyanov (Lovech, Bulgaria) hit two key 3-pointers in overtime in a 69-64 victory over Florida International Friday night in the Red Diamond Roundball Classic at the Mitchell Center.

The Jaguars move to 3-0 for the first time since 1996-97, while the Panthers drop to 1-2.

"I thought that that was an unbelievable win for us," USA head coach Matthew Graves said. "Our guys played with tremendous heart, they fought and fought. We weren't scoring well offensively early, and I think that affected some of our guys. We were able to get the ball inside to Josh (Ajayi), and Don (MuepoKelly) was 4 for 5 and Georgi (Boyanov) had a big night scoring. That is where our advantage was. Once we were able to get settled in, we were able to get back in the basketball game. I'm really proud of our execution from that standpoint."

Jaguar freshman Josh Ajayi (El Monte, Calif.) recorded the first double-double in his young career with 27 points and 10 rebounds. He shot 9 for 16 from the floor – including the game-tying tip-in – and 8 for 10 from the free-throw line.

"You look at 27 (points) and 10 (rebounds), for a redshirt freshman," Graves stated. "He came in and did an absolutely wonderful job. The more he understands that his bread is buttered at 10-feet and in, he is a tough matchup at 255-pounds. He can move his feet, he can get angles and he can score the basketball. It was great to see him step up and go 8 for 10 from the free-throw line. I'm really proud and it shows the hard work he's put in in his year off."

Boyanov scored six of his 12 points in overtime, all from behind the 3-point line. The first trey came at the 3:18 mark to give the Jags a 60-59 lead, then after junior Shaq Calhoun (Rome, Ga.) converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 1:49 left, Boyanov drained another triple on USA's next trip down the floor for a 66-59 advantage, its largest of the game.

"He was very good," Graves said of Boyanov. "He almost got a double-double, 12 (points) and seven (rebounds). He's made big shots for us tonight and against UNLV. Georgi is a great weapon to have off the bench. Whether it stays like that all year or not, he doesn't care – he just wants to win. That's the beautiful thing about coaching a guy like Georgi."

FIU's Eric Nottage, who scored a team-high 18 points, hit a free throw, then a layup with 33.4 seconds left to pull the Panthers within 66-62, but Calhoun answered with a pair of points at the charity stripe.

Nottage came back with another layup with 22.6 seconds left, but that would be FIU's final points of the contest as the Jags held on despite going 1 for 4 at the free-throw line in the last 20.5 seconds.

"The biggest thing we talked about, and I think it's funny how you remember different experiences, they were talking about the summer when they were carrying the telephone pole and running laps in the Mitchell Center," Graves said. "They did not want to lose in the Mitchell Center and that is a tremendous mindset to have. They want to protect the home court. They really encouraged each other and I thought we got great contributions from guys who came off the bench. Again, it's just a mindset. The energy was contagious and you didn't see much bad body language. We just kept fighting and fighting.

"A win like this can really carry you a long ways to show examples of how staying the course, staying tough and staying positive can really help down the road."

The Panthers held an eight-point advantage with 7:28 left in the contest after a bucket from Michael Kessens, who finished with 12 points and a game-best 17 rebounds. The Jaguars came back with an 11-4 run, with Calhoun and Ajayi providing the first five. Senior Don MuepoKelly (Fontana, Calif.) scored on back-to-back trips down the floor, and freshman Herb McGee (Reserve, La.) hit a layup with 2:51 on the clock to get the Jags to 55-54.

Kessens went 2 for 2 at the line to pad Florida International's lead to 57-54. MuepoKelly converted once in two attempts at the 1:54 mark to trim the deficit, then Ajayi tied the game in the waning moments.

FIU shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half but just 26.9 percent in the first and 28.6 in overtime for 36.8 percent overall. The Panthers made just two of their final 10 attempts from the field, including all six 3-point shots.

"I thought we had a huge advantage," Graves commented. "We played a couple more guys than they did and I think we wore them down being really active and getting 19 turnovers. You have to give a lot of credit to FIU, they kept us off-balance all night with their man/zone. We got a little bit stagnant.

"I can't say enough about our defense and how tough we were and just staying the course. I'm really proud of these guys tonight."

South Alabama placed four in double-digit scoring. After Ajayi (27) and Boyanov (12), Calhoun and MuepoKelly had 11 points apiece.

Elmo Stephen and Kimar Williams both had 11 points for FIU.

The Jaguars will take on Youngstown State Saturday at 2:05 p.m.

NOTES: USA's three-game win streak is the second under Graves, and first since the end of the 2014-15 campaign… The 27 points by Ajayi are the most ever by a South Alabama freshman in the Mitchell Center… The Jags shot 61.3 percent (19-31) from the free-throw line tonight after converting 44.7 percent in the first two games of the year… Calhoun has scored 11 points in each of the first three games of the season… Senior Ken Williams (Houston, Texas) was held to one point on 0-for-6 shooting from the floor, his lowest output since being held scoreless on Jan. 18, 2014 vs. Louisiana-Monroe… Williams is one point shy of a tie for 10th in school history with 1,308, and two 3-pointers from a tie for second (206)… UNLV and FIU both shot 21 for 57 from the floor… The Jags' first three opponents are shooting 31.7 percent from the floor and 17.3 percent from 3-point land.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

—USA—