Boca Raton, FL -- (Sports Network) - Carderro Nwoji scored a game-high 20 points to lead the seventh-seeded Florida Atlantic Owls to a 91-64 win over the 10th- seeded Florida International Golden Panthers in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at FAU Arena.

Carlos Monroe also had a strong outing for FAU (15-17), scoring 16 points and pulling down 14 rebounds. Reserves Jeff Parmer and Paul Graham III each scored 12 points, while Sanchez Hughley finished with 11.

Russell Hicks paced FIU (9-20) with 18 points. Alex Galindo scored 15, and Nikola Gacesa finished with 11.

The Owls took control right from the opening tip, as they shot 59.4 percent from the floor and knocked down 7-of-11 from three-point range in the first half, taking a commanding, 50-33 lead into the break.

They held the Golden Panthers to 34.6-percent shooting in the second stanza, while adding another 18 points from the foul line to advance to the next round.

The Owls controlled the game with a 40-23 edge on the boards. FAU moves on to face second-seeded Arkansas-Little Rock in the Quarterfinal Round Sunday at 7:30 p.m.