Nov. 29, 2000

Box Score

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Maris Laksa, 6-foot-9 freshman guard from Latvia, scored a career high 17 points Wednesday night to lead Providence past Florida International 74-55 in the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

Abdul Mills added 16 for the Friars, who evened their record to 3-3. Florida International's Carlos Arroyo was game's high scorer with 20 points for the Golden Panthers, who fell to 2-4.

Laksa scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half to stake the Friars to a 33-24 lead. Florida center Karel Rosario cut the Friars' lead to 33-27 on a 3-point play to start off the second half.

Then Providence, with scoring from eight players, went on a 23-8 tear in the next 10 minutes. Erron Maxey's free throw extended Providence's lead to 56-35 with 8:50 left. Arroyo scored 7 points in a brief Florida run, cutting the deficit to 60-46 with 5:17 left.

Providence dominated, however, with a 51 percent shooting percentage from the floor compared to 33 percent by the Golden Panthers. Providence also made 9 of 19 3-point attempts versus only 5 of 20 for Florida International.

Providence's Marcus Douthit added 8 points and four block shots - a game-high for the 6-foot-10 freshman center.