Photo Credit: Sam Lewis (pictured - senior Ivan Jurkovic)

FIU Game Notes (PDF)

Tournament Central

FIU (1-2) vs Warren Wilson (2-3)

Teams - FIU Panthers (1-2 overall, 0-2 neutral); Warren Wilson Owls (2-3 overall, 1-1 neutral)
Tournament - KSU Tournament (Nov. 8-12)
Date - Friday, Nov. 8, 2013
Location - Kennesaw, Ga.
Arena - KSU Convocation Center (4,600)
Tickets - 770-423-6957  
Television - N/A
Twitter - @FIUMensBBall
Facebook - FIUMensBBall
Live Video Streaming - N/A
Live Stats - www.KSUOwls.com
Records - FIU enters Tuesday's game with an overall record of 1-2 following a 66-58 win over Kennesaw State on Sunday, Nov. 10. Warren Wilson enters Tuesday's game with a 2-3 record following a 92-48 to Kennesaw State on Monday, Nov. 11.
Rankings - FIU is not ranked in either poll.
FIU Head Coach Anthony Evans - Coach Evans (St. Thomas Aquinas '94) enters Tuesday's contest with a career record of 100-96 (.510 - seventh season overall) and 1-2 at FIU (.333 - first season).
Warren Wilson Head Coach William Monts - Coach Monts (Clemson) enters Tuesday's contest with a career record at Warren Wilson of 2-3 (.400 - first season).
Series History - Tuesday's game between the Panthers and Owls will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
Officials - Announced on game day

Panthers Wrap Up KSU Tournament with Warren Wilson
The FIU men's basketball team will be looking to earn its second-straight victory as the Panthers take on the Warren Wilson Owls on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Tipoff is slated for 12:00 p.m. ET.

This will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams and the final game for FIU in the 2013 KSU Men's Basketball Tournament.

FIU is coming off a 66-58 win over Kennesaw State on Sunday, Nov. 10. The win was the first of the season for the Panthers and was win No. 1 for Head Coach Anthony Evans as FIU's head coach. It also marked the 100th-career win for Coach Evans.  Redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles notched his second-straight 20-point game, while grabbing 11 rebounds to help lead FIU to the eight-point road win.

The Panthers enter Tuesday's game averaging 66.3 points-per-game on 38.9 percent shooting from the floor. FIU is converting 31.9 percent of its shots from 3-point range and 60.8 percent of its attempts from the free-throw line. The Panthers are allowing 71.7 points-per-game as the opposition is shooting 43.6 percent from the floor. FIU holds a 124-109 edge in the rebounding category, averaging 41.3 boards-per-game.

Buckles leads all Panthers in scoring and rebounding. The current Conference USA Co-Player of the Week is averaging 17.7 points-per-game and 12.0 rebounds-per-contest. Buckles has notched three-straight double-doubles. Redshirt senior Raymond Taylor comes into Tuesday's game averaging 13.3 points-per-game and leads the team in assists with 15. Taylor has scored in double-figures in all three of FIU's games this season. Senior Tymell Murphy is coming off a 12-point performance versus KSU. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native is averaging 11.3 points-per-game and reached the 500-point plateau on Sunday.
 
FIU – Warren Wilson Series History
Tuesday's game between FIU and Warren Wilson will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

    - First-ever meeting between FIU and Warren Wilson.
    - As a member of the USCAA, Warren Wilson is the first of two schools from the same conference (Florida College on Nov. 14).
    - The game will mark the second-straight game versus a team called the Owls.
    - Head Coach Anthony Evans has never faced Warren Wilson.  

 
An FIU Victory Would....

    - Improve FIU's record to 2-2.
    - Improve FIU's non-conference record to 2-2.
    - Improve FIU's record versus Warren Wilson, 1-0.
    - Give FIU a 1-2 record in neutral site games in '13-'14.
    - Give FIU a record of 2-2 in the month of November.
    - Improve Head Coach Anthony Evans' career record to 101-96.
    - Improve Coach Evans' record at FIU to 2-2.
    - Give FIU its 378th win (actual on-court record).
    - Give FIU its 294th Division I win (actual on-court record).
    - Improve FIU's record to 2-2 outside of the state of Florida this season.

Player of the Week
Redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles was named Conference USA Co-Player of the Week, for the week ending Nov. 10.

The Miami native shares this week's honor with Marshall's Elijah Pittman.

Buckles averaged 17.7 points-per-game and 12.0 rebounds-per-game through the Panthers first three games this season and recorded three-straight double-doubles and scored back-to-back 20-point games – tying his career best.  Buckles shot 43.6 percent from the floor and is 72.7 percent from the free-throw line this past weekend as the 6-foot-7 power forward made his first appearance in an NCAA contest since Jan. 16, 2011 during Friday's season opener versus Eastern Kentucky, scoring 13 points and grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds. He followed it up the next day with a 20-point, 13-board performance versus Youngstown State. Buckles continued his dominating play in the team's third game in as many days, scoring 20 points again and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds to help FIU pick up its first win of the season.

The conference award is the first of the season for Buckles.

500 and counting
On Sunday, Nov. 10, senior Tymell Murphy scored his 500th point as a member of the FIU men's basketball team. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native enters Tuesday's contest with 502-career points.

1=100
Head Coach Anthony Evans picked up his first win as the head coach of the FIU men's basketball program with a 66-58 victory over Kennesaw State on Sunday, Nov. 10. The win also marked the 100th-career victory for Evans, who is in his seventh season as a head coach.  

Now That's Impressive
In back-to-back games, senior Rakeem Buckles has notched 20 points (tying his career best set during his freshman year at Louisville). The Miami native is the only player reach 20 points this season. Last year, the 20-point plateau was hit 14 times.

Cleaning the Glass
Through the first three games this season, FIU has held a decisive advantage on the boards, out-rebounding the opposition, 124-109. Leading the way for FIU is redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles, who is averaging 12.0 rebounds-per-contest. Following Buckles is senior Tymell Murphy, who is grabbing 6.7 boards-per-game.

The Gauntlet
The FIU men's basketball team has played three games in three days to open up the 2013-2014 season. The Panthers are scheduled to play five games in seven days and seven games in 11 days. Following Tuesday's game with Warren Wilson, FIU will head home and host Florida College on Thursday, Nov. 14.

Raining Threes
Entering Tuesday's game versus Warren Wilson, the FIU Panthers have converted at least one 3-point basket in 148-straight games, dating back to Dec. 20, 2008.