Photo Credit: Sam Lewis (pictured - freshman Dominique Williams)

FIU Game Notes (PDF)

FIU (4-2) vs Stetson (0-3)

Teams - FIU Panthers (4-2 overall, 2-0 home); Stetson Hatters (0-3 overall, 0-3 away)
Date - Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013
Location - Miami, Fla.
Arena - U.S. Century Bank Arena (5,000)
Tickets - 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263)
Television - N/A
Twitter - @FIUMensBBall
Facebook - FIUMensBBall
Live Video Streaming - www.FIUSports.com
Live Stats - www.FIUSports.com
Records - FIU enters Monday's game with an overall record of 4-2 following a 70-68 win over Texas Southern on Saturday, Nov. 16. Stetson enters Monday's game with an 0-3 record following a 63-60 loss at Florida A&M on Thursday, Nov. 14.
Rankings - FIU is not ranked in either poll. SU is not ranked in either poll.
FIU Head Coach Anthony Evans - Coach Evans (St. Thomas Aquinas '94) enters Monday's contest with a career record of 103-96 (.518 - seventh season overall) and 4-2 at FIU (.667 - first season).
SU Head Coach Corey Williams - Coach Williams (Oklahoma State '02) enters Monday's contest with a career record at Stetson of 0-3 (.000 - first season). Williams has never faced the Panthers
Series History - Monday's game between the Panthers and Hatters will mark the 19th meeting all-time between the two teams with FIU holding a 12-6 edge in the series history. The last meeting between the two squads resulted in an 82-79 win for the Panthers on Dec. 9, 2012 in DeLand, Fla.
Officials - Announced on game day

Panthers Look it to Make it Five-Straight; Host Stetson
The FIU men's basketball team (4-2) looks to make it five-straight wins as its hosts the Stetson Hatters on Monday, Nov. 18. Tipoff from Lime Court at U.S. Century Bank Arena is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.

The Panthers are coming off a 70-68 win over Texas Southern on Saturday, Nov. 16. Led by senior Tymell Murphy's 22 points and 12 rebounds, FIU has won four-straight games – tying the longest streak from last season. It also marked the team's sixth-straight home victory, dating back to Feb. 7, 2012. Murphy recorded his 34th-career double-figure scoring performance and his 12th-career double-double. The Brooklyn, N.Y. native finished with 22 points, going 10-of-14 from the floor. The 22-point performance marks the ninth time the 6-foot-5 forward had score 20-or-more points during his FIU career. Sophomore Jerome Frink posted 16 points, extending his streak to four-straight games scoring in double-figures. The streak also ties his career-best for consecutive double-digit scoring games. Redshirt junior Dennis Mavin tallied 11 for his third game this season with at least 10 points.

FIU shot 45.2 percent for the night, going 28-of-62 from the floor. A strong Panther defensive corps held the Tigers to well under its season average of 92.3 points-per-game. In a game that saw five lead changes and four tied scores, FIU's largest lead of the night was seven points.

The Panthers enter Monday's game averaging 74.5 points-per-game on 46.2 percent shooting from the floor and 35.8 percent shooting from 3-point range. FIU is converting 60.3 percent of its attempts from the free-throw line. Defensively, the Panthers are allowing 63.0 points-per-game as the opposition is shooting 37.8 percent from the field. FIU holds a +6.8 margin on the boards, out-rebounding it opponents, 252-211.

Leading the way offensively for the Panthers is redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles, who comes into Monday's game averaging 17.2 points-per-game. The Miami native ranks second on the team in rebounding (8.8 rpg) to Murphy, who is averaging 9.3 boards-per-contest. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native is averaging 13.7 points-per-game and has tallied three-straight double-doubles.  Frink (11.3 ppg) and redshirt senior Raymond Taylor (11.0 ppg) round out the team's leading scorers.

Monday's game will also mark the 200th contest for Head Coach Anthony Evans, who enters the game with Stetson with a 103-96 career record in seven years of coaching.  

FIU – Stetson Series History
Monday's game between FIU and Stetson will mark the 19th meeting all-time between the two teams.

    - FIU holds a 12-6 edge in the series history.
    - The last meeting between FIU and Stetson resulted in an 82-79 win for the Panthers on Dec. 9, 2012, in DeLand, Fla.
    - FIU is 28-17 all-time versus teams from the Atlantic Sun Conference (A-Sun).
    - Monday's game will mark the second contest for the Panthers versus a team from the A-Sun this season (defeated Kennesaw State - 66-58 on Nov. 10).
    - FIU owns a 5-3 record all-time versus the Hatters at U.S. Century Bank Arena.
    - The Panthers have won five-straight over the Hatters.
    - Head Coach Anthony Evans has never faced Stetson.    

An FIU Victory Would....

    - Improve FIU's record to 5-2.
        - Improve FIU's non-conference record to 5-2.
    - Give FIU its fifth-straight victory.
    - Give FIU its seventh-straight home victory.
        - Improve FIU's record versus Stetson to 13-6.
         - Give FIU a 3-0 record in home games in '13-'14.
        - Give FIU a record of 5-2 in the month of November.
        - Improve Head Coach Anthony Evans' career record to 104-96.
        - Improve Coach Evans' record at FIU to 5-2.
        - Give FIU its 381st win (actual on-court record).
        - Give FIU its 297th Division I win (actual on-court record).
    - Give FIU its 208th win all-time at U.S. Century Bank Arena.
    - Give FIU its 252nd win at home all-time.

Cleaning the Glass
Through the first six games this season, FIU has held a decisive advantage on the boards, out-rebounding the opposition, 252-211. Leading the way for FIU is senior Tymell Murphy, who is averaging 9.3 rebounds-per-contest. Following Murphy is redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles, who is grabbing 8.8 boards-per-game.

No. 200
Monday's game versus Stetson will mark the 200th-career game for Head Coach Anthony Evans. Coach Evans enters the contest with a 103-96 career record and a 4-2 mark with FIU.

Five-Straight
With the Panther's 70-68 win over the Texas Southern Tigers, FIU has now won four-straight contests. This ties the longest streak from a year ago and is the most since FIU closed out the 2000-01 regular season with four-straight victories.

Home Openers
On Thursday, Nov. 14, FIU opened its 2013-2014 home schedule with an 85-39 win over Florida College. The Panthers own a 26-7 mark all-time in home-opening games and have won nine of its last 10.

Home Sweet Home
FIU enters Monday's contest having won six-straight home games, dating back to Feb. 7, 2012. The Panthers won their final four home games to close out the 2012-13 season and have opened the 2013-2014 with back-to-back home wins.

Seeing Double
Senior Tymell Murphy enters Monday's game with Stetson having notched a double-double in three-straight games. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native has recorded four double-double this season and 12 for his career.

Now That's Impressive
In three of the team's first six games, redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles has notched 20 points, including a career-high 26 points versus the Warren Wilson Owls on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Joining Buckles as part of the 20-point club this season is senior Tymell Murphy, who posted 22 points versus Texas Southern on Saturday, Nov. 16. Last year, the 20-point plateau was hit 14 times.

A Little Home Cookin'
FIU is in its 29th season playing at U.S. Century Bank Arena where the Panthers are 208-169 all-time. FIU has had 17 winning season at home at U.S. Century Bank Arena, including a perfect 13-0 mark during the 1992-93 campaign.

U.S. Century Bank Arena
Opened - Feb. 1, 1986
Capacity - 5,000
Overall Record - 208-169
Total Games - 377
Largest Crowd - 4,638 (Michigan -11/23/98)
Most Points - 123 (Palm Beach Atlantic - 11/25/95)

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.