CHARLESTON, S.C. – Ante Brzovic drained a three pointer as time expired in double overtime to lead the Cougars to a 119-116 victory over Florida Atlantic to open the Field of 68 Tip-Off on Friday night in TD Arena.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Owls started the contest by going 7-8 from the field to take a 17-9 advantage. A 7-2 Charleston run featuring buckets from Jaxon Prunty and Brzovic forced an Owls timeout with thirteen minutes to play before Derrin Boyd drained a triple to make it a three-point game at 23-20.
• A 7-0 Charleston run tied the contest with nine minutes to play in the half, igniting TD Arena. The Cougars flipped the script, causing five Florida Atlantic turnovers in two minutes while going on a 14-0 run to take a ten-point edge with two minutes to play. The Owls finished the half on a 10-2 run to cut the Charleston lead to 49-47 entering the locker room. Brzovic led the Cougars in the frame with 17 points.
• The teams traded points to start the second half before a CJ Fulton three with 11 minutes to play gave Cougars 70-63 lead, with Charleston going 5-7 from the field during the stretch.
• Charleston took a thirteen-point lead with seven minutes to play before the Owls heated up from the field and went on a 6-0 run to end regulation, tying the game with 28 seconds to play and send the game to overtime.
• With nothing decided in the first overtime frame, the teams went to double overtime tied at 105-105.
• Now in double overtime, FAU took a four-point lead with two minutes to play, the largest lead for either team in overtime. From there, Brzovic took over with a made three, jumper, free throw and ultimately the game winning shot as time expired to complete the instant classic at TD Arena.  

KEY COUGARS

• Brzovic had a career-high 39 points with 13 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. The senior leads the nation in scoring, averaging 33.3 points per game through three contests.
• Boyd (18), Deywillk Taverez (17), AJ Smith (13), Prunty (11), and Lazar Djokovic (10) all scored in double figures for the Cougars.
• Fulton and Boyd each dished out six assists, while Boyd added seven rebounds in his first game as a Cougar.

GAME NOTES

• Charleston went 50% from behind the arc while causing 20 FAU turnovers.
• The Cougars 119 points are the most scored in school history in the Division I era, and their 42 made field goals are also the most in school history in the Division I era.
• Brzovic's 39 points tie Andrew Goudelock for the fourth most points scored in a game in school history.

UP NEXT

• Charleston will have a quick turnaround as they face Liberty on Sunday to conclude the Field of 68 Tip-Off.
• Action is set for 4:00 p.m. from TD Arena.