FIU Panthers (4-5) vs Sam Houston State (5-3)

Teams - FIU Panthers (4-5 overall, 4-1 home); Sam Houston State Bearkats (5-3 overall, 1-1 away)
Date - Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010
Time - 7:00 PM ET
Location - Miami, Fla.
Arena - U.S. Century Bank Arena (5,000)
Television - None
Radio - None
Live Streaming - Panther Pass (www.fiusports.com)
Live Stats - www.fiusports.com.com
Records - FIU enters Saturday's contests with a 4-5 record following a 76-67 loss at Bowling Green on Sunday, Dec. 12. Sam Houston State comes into Saturday's game with a 5-3 record following a 74-62 loss to Cleveland State on Saturday, Dec. 11.
Rankings - Neither FIU nor Sam Houston State are ranked in this week's national polls.  
FIU Head Coach Isiah Thomas - Coach Thomas (Indiana '87) enters Saturday's contest with a career record of 11-30 (.268 - second season). Coach Thomas is 0-1 all-time versus the Bearkats.
SHSU Head Coach Jason Hooten - Coach Hooten (Tarleton State '93) enters Saturday's contest with a career record of 5-3 (.625 - first season). Saturday will mark Coach Hooten's first meeting with FIU.
Series History - Saturday will mark the third meeting all-time between the two teams. SHSU holds a 1-0 advantage in the series history (1-1 actual on-court record - one game vacated by FIU due to NCAA sanctions. Last season the Bearkats defeated FIU, 93-63, at Johnson Arena on Dec. 22, 2009.
Tickets - 1-305-FIU-GAME (348-4263)
Officials - Announced on Game Day

FIU Hosts Sam Houston State  
The FIU Panthers return home this week after a four-game road trip. The Panthers have lost four-straight and will be looking to return to the "win" column this Saturday, Dec. 18, versus Sam Houston State.

FIU enters this week, averaging 69.1 points-per-game on 43.9 percent shooting from the floor. The team's opposition is scoring 72.7 points-per-contest and is shooting 43.5 percent from the field. The Panthers are averaging 9.2 steals-per-game (No. 34 in the nation) and are forcing 16.7 turnovers-per-game.

The Panthers are led by Eric Frederick, who is recording 17.0 points-per-game and 7.2 rebounds-per-contest. The Oklahoma City, Okla., native scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the team's last game (76-67 loss at Bowling Green - Dec. 12), marking the junior's sixth-straight game of scoring in double-figures. Junior DeJuan Wright is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.7 points-per-game. Wright leads the team in rebounding (7.6 rpg), recording a game-high nine boards versus the Falcons on Sunday. Senior Marvin Roberts registered his first 20-point game of the season on Sunday, scoring 24 points, while going a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line. Roberts is averaging 10.8 points-per-game and 5.0 rebounds-per-contest.

This will mark the third meeting all-time between FIU and SHSU (1-1 actual on-court record). Sam Houston State won the last meeting between the two schools on Dec. 22, 2009.
 
Head Coach Isiah Thomas comes into the contest with an 11-30 record (8-10 on the road) and will be looking for his first-ever victory over the Bearkats.

A Look at Sam Houston State
Sam Houston State begins a five-game holiday road swing with Saturday's game at U.S. Century Bank Arena. The Bearkats (5-3) are coming off a 74-62 loss to Cleveland State on Dec. 11 and are 2-2 in the team's last four games.

The Bearkats own Division I victories over Colorado State and North Texas and lost in overtime to Conference USA tournament champion Houston. The Kats lost on the road to No. 21 Texas and opened the year with wins over Mary Hardin-Baylor, 72-47, and Northwestern Oklahoma State, 90-68.

The Bearkats are being led by their three senior captains. Gilberto Clavell is averaging 19.8 points-per-game and 8.1 rebounds-per-game, Josten Crow 12.8 points-per-game and 6.1 rebounds-per-game and Lance Pevehouse 7.6 points-per-game and 3.8 rebounds-per-game.

Clavell, the Southland Conference "Newcomer of the Year" in 2009-10, is a First-Team Preseason All-Southland selection while Crow was named to the preseason second team.

Transfer guard Marcus Williams averages 9.0 points-per-contest. Junior center Antuan Bootle adds a 6.3 scoring average and is pulling down 6.5 rebounds-per-game. Junior point guard Drae Murray owns a 5.8 scoring average and adds 5.0 assists-per-contest.

Last year's championship team relied on outstanding three-point shooting that included a .378 percentage from behind the line. This year, however, the Kats been hot and cold from outside, hitting .315 from three-point range in their victories but only .260 in their three losses.

The Bearkats are coached by Jason Hooten (Tarleton State '93), who enters this week with a career record of 5-3 (.625 - first season). Saturday will be Hooten's first meeting with the Panthers.

FIU - Sam Houston State Series History
Saturday's game between FIU and SHSU will mark the third meeting all-time between the two schools.
 -  SHSU leads the series, 1-0* (actual on-court record 1-1). FIU vacated one victory due
 to NCAA Sanctions
 -  The last meeting between the two teams resulted in a 93-63 win for SHSU on Dec. 22,
 2009
 -  This will mark the second meeting all-time between the two teams at U.S. Century Bank
 Arena
 -  FIU defeated SHSU, 70-51, in the last meeting between the two schools in Miami. FIU
 later vacated the win due to NCAA Sanctions.
 -  Marvin Roberts posted 14 points versus the Bearkats last season
 -  Head Coach Isiah Thomas is looking for his first-career win over Sam Houston State

An FIU Victory Would....
 -  Improve FIU's record to 5-5
 -  Improve the Panthers' record to 2-1 all-time versus Sam Houston State
 -  Give FIU its fifth home victory of the season
 -  Snap a current four-game losing skid
 -  Give FIU 191 all-time victories at U.S. Century Bank Arena
 -  Give FIU is third-straight home victory
 -  Give Head Coach Isiah Thomas his 12th-career win
 -  Give FIU its 344th win (actual on-court record)
 -  Give FIU its 259th Division I win (actual on-court record)

FIU - The Numbers Game
 -  FIU is shooting 43.9 percent - second in the Sun Belt Conference
 -  The Panthers are averaging 69.4 points-per-game
 -  DeJuan Wright has scored 20-or-more points in 2 games while Eric Frederick scored 20-or-more points in 3 games this season
 -  Marvin Roberts scored 23 points on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Jackson State
 -  Frederick posted his 3rd-career double-double at Jackson State (12/4)
 -  FIU shot a season-best 81.8 percent from the free-throw line at Bowling Green (12/12)
 -  The 2010-2011 season marks the 30th year of FIU basketball
 -  The Panthers have hit at least one 3-pointer in 63-consecutive games
 -  The Panthers have forced 150 turnovers this season
 -  FIU is second in the Sun Belt in steals-per-game (9.2)
 -  Senior Marvin Roberts and freshman Richaud Pack have each converted 10-straight free-throw attempts

Last Time Out
Shooting just 36.0 percent in the second half, the FIU men's basketball team (4-5) suffered a 76-67 loss at Bowling Green (2-8) on Sunday, Dec.12.

The Panthers converted 9-fo-25 shots in the final 20 minutes to record this team's fourth-straight loss. With the score tied 35-all at halftime, the Falcons came out and went on a 9-2 run to start the second half. BGSU held onto its lead for the remainder of the contest to record the team's second home victory of the season.

The Panthers finished the contest shooting 43.1 percent (22-of-51) from the field. The team knocked down a season-high 81.8 percent of its free-throw attempts, going 18-of-22 from the charity stripe. Senior Marvin Roberts sank a career-best 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, en route to a season-best 24 points. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native also grabbed four rebounds and registered three assists. Roberts also accounted for the Panthers final 16 points of the contest. 

Also scoring in double-figures were juniors Eric Frederick (19 points) and DeJuan Wright (12 points). Frederick, who posted 17 of his 19 total points in the first half, shot 7-of-16 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds. Wright was 3-of-6 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, while grabbing a game-high nine rebounds.

Bowling Green was led by Dee Brown, who posted 24 points. Danny McElroy (15 points) and A'uston Calhoun (12 points) rounded out the Falcons' leading scorers.

Bowling Green shot 50.9 percent (27-of-53) in the contest and out-rebounded the Panthers, 35-30. BGSU forced 17 FIU turnovers, resulting in 23 points.

The contest marked the fourth-straight road game for FIU.

Legion to Join Team on Saturday
Senior Alex Legion will be making his Panther debut of Saturday. The 6-foot-5 guard transferred to FIU from Illinois last winter and was forced to sit out due to NCAA regulations. Legion played in 33 games for the Illini from 2008-2010. The Detroit, Mich., native spent his freshman campaign as a member of the Kentucky Wildcats. 

Converting from the Charity Stripe
Freshman Richaud Pack set a career-mark in free-throws, going 8-of-8 from the line at Louisville on Wednesday, Dec. 1. A native of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Pack has converted 10-straight attempts from the line, dating back to the team's 65-62 win over Utah Valley (11/20). Also converting 10-straight free-throw attempts is senior Marvin Roberts, who posted a career-best 10-of-10 outing from the charity stripe at Bowling Green (12/12). The FIU record for consecutive free-throw attempts made was set by current teammate Stephon Weaver, who hit 19-straight during the 2009-2010 season.

Returning Home
The Panthers return home after four-straight road games, looking to get back in the "win" column. FIU has found success at home this season, registering a 4-1 record at U.S. Century Bank Arena, out-scoring its opponents, 73.8-67.4 points-per-game. Leading the way for the Panthers at home is junior DeJuan Wright, who is averaging 14.8 points-per-game and 8.6 rebounds-per-contests this season.

Scoring Machine
Junior Eric Frederick comes into Saturday's game as the team's leading scorer, averaging 17.0 points-per-game. The Oklahoma City, Okla., native has scored in double-figures in six-straight games, including a career-high 26 points at Marshall (11/29). At 17.0 points-per-contest, Frederick ranks No. 2 in the conference and has scored in double-figures in eight of the team's nine games this season.

Raining Treys
Entering Saturday's game, the FIU Panthers have converted at least one 3-point basket in 63-straight games, dating back to Dec. 20, 2008.

Defending "The Bank"
FIU has called U.S. Century Bank Arena its home since Feb. 1, 1986. During that time, the Panthers have recorded 166 victories (190 actual on-court) and has a winning record at home to finish a season 15 times. FIU owns a .520 winning percentage at U.S. Century Bank Arena, including a 13-0 record during the 1997-1998 year.

U.S. Century Bank Arena
 -  Opened Feb. 1, 1986
 -  Seating - 5,000
 -  First game - vs. Nova Southeastern  (W, 75-60)
 -  Record - 166-153 (.520)* - 24 games vacated due to NCAA Sanctions
 -  Actual On-Court Record - 190-153 (.554)
 -  Total FIU games played - 343
 -  Best record - 13-0 (1997-1998)