FIU Begins Conference USA Play at Rice
The FIU men's basketball team (8-7) travels to Houston, Texas, to take on the Rice Owls (5-8) on Thursday, Jan. 8, in the squad's inaugural Conference USA contest. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET.
The Panthers are looking to snap a current three-game losing skid after falling to Florida A&M in overtime, 93-88, on Thursday, Jan. 2. Redshirt junior
Dennis Mavin recorded a career-high 24 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the floor and 16-of-21 from the free-throw line. Redshirt senior
Rakeem Buckles notched the game's only double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds. Also scoring in double-figures for the Panthers were sophomore
Jerome Frink (12), senior
Tymell Murphy (15), redshirt sophomore
Cody Mann (16) and freshman
Jason Boswell (10).
FIU converted 33-of-51 attempts from the line (64.7 percent), including a 16-of-30 second half in which the Rattlers out-scored the Panthers, 48-42. Despite falling behind 2-0 to start the game, FIU held the lead for the remainder of regulation. FIU shot 56.5 percent (13-of-23) in the first 20 minutes to take a 39-33 lead heading into halftime.
FIU held the lead for nearly the entire second half. However, poor free-throw shooting got the Rattlers back in the game. With time winding down, FAMU's Jomari Bradshaw hit the game-tying 3-pointer to send the contest to overtime.
The Rattlers out-scored the Panthers 12-7 in overtime to hand FIU its third-straight loss.
FIU comes into Thursday's contest averaging 71.3 points-per-game, while shooting 45.1 percent from the floor and 32.2 percent from 3-point range. The Panthers are converting 67.7 percent of its attempts from the free-throw line. Defensively, FIU is allowing 70.9 points-per-game as the opposition is shooting 41.8 percent from the floor. The Panthers are out-rebounding their opponents 593-506, averaging 39.5 boards-per-contest.
Leading the Panthers in scoring is Murphy, who comes into Thursday's contest, averaging 16.1 points-per-game (No. 9 in the conference) on 62.0 percent shooting from the floor (No. 2 in the conference and No. 9 in the nation). The Brooklyn, N.Y., native is averaging 7.4 rebounds-per-contest (No. 13 in the conference). Leading the team in rebounding (10.5 rpg) and averaging a double-double this season (14.3 ppg) is Buckles, who ranks No. 13 in the nation on the boards and is No. 16 in the conference in scoring.
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FIU – Rice Series History
Thursday's game between FIU and Rice will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
- Thursday will mark FIU's inaugural Conference USA contest.
- FIU owns a 31-58 mark versus teams from the current C-USA.
- FIU is 2-4 outside the state of Florida this season.
- FIU is 2-1 on Thursdays this season.
An FIU Victory Would....
- Improve FIU's record to 9-7.
- Give FIU its first-ever win as a member of Conference USA.
- Improve FIU's record versus Rice to 1-0.
- Give FIU a 3-3 record in road games in '13-'14.
- Give FIU a record of 1-1 in the month of January.
- Improve Coach Evans' record at FIU to 9-7.
- Improve FIU to 32-58 all-time versus C-USA.
- Give FIU its 385th win (actual on-court record).
- Give FIU its 301st Division I win (actual on-court record).
- Improve FIU to 3-4 in games played outside the state of Florida this season.
- Snap a current three-game losing skid.
- Give FIU its first win of the 2014 calendar year.
Mavin Ties School Record
During the Panthers 93-88 overtime loss at Florida A&M on Thursday, Jan. 2, redshirt junior
Dennis Mavin went 16-of-25 from the free-throw line. The 16 made free throws tied the FIU school record for free throws made in a single game (DeJuan Wright vs. South Alabama – Feb. 25, 2012), while the 25 free-throw attempts set the school record for free-throw attempts in a contest.
Lights Out
Senior
Tymell Murphy enters Thursday's game with Rice shooting 62.0 percent (93-of-150) from the floor which ranks No. 2 in the conference and No. 9 nationally. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native's 62.0 percent from the floor is the top shooting percentage by a Panther in a single season in FIU basketball history. For his career, Murphy is shooting 58.7 percent from the floor (289-of-492), good for No. 1 all-time at FIU.
Averaging a Double-Double
Redshirt senior Rakeem Buckles comes into this week's play as the only Conference USA player to average a double-double, scoring 14.3 points-per-game and grabbing 10.5 rebounds-per-contest. Buckles is currently No. 16 in the conference in scoring and leads the league in rebounding. The Miami native ranks No. 11 in the nation in double-doubles (7).
Perfect From the Line
Freshman
Jason Boswell enters Thursday's game with a perfect shooting percentage from the free-throw line (22-of-22). Having made 22-straight free throws, the Bronx, N.Y., native is two free throws shy of tying the school record for consecutive free throws made (24 –
Cameron Bell – 2011-12).
Dynamic Duo
Seniors
Tymell Murphy and
Rakeem Buckles enter Thursday's game with Rice having combined for 48 blocked shots (25 – Buckles; 23 – Murphy). That is the most by any duo among all Conference USA teams. FIU currently ranks No. 4 in C-USA in total blocks (67). The two have also combined for a conference-best 268 rebounds (111 - Murphy; 157 - Buckles).
Career Blocks
Senior
Tymell Murphy enters Thursday's contest having recorded 59 career blocked shots. The total ranks tied for No. 8 with
Dominique Ferguson (2010-2012) all-time in FIU history. Murphy is four blocks shy of tying
Brandon Moore (2010-2012) at No. 7 (63).
Buckles Taking Care of the Boards
Redshirt senior
Rakeem Buckles registered a career-high 17 rebounds versus Georgia State on Saturday, Nov. 30. The Miami native's season total for rebounds is 157, good for No. 1 in the conference and No. 5 in the nation.
A Little Thievery
Redshirt junior
Dennis Mavin enters Thursday's game as the team's leader in steals with 24. Mavin is averaging 1.6 steals-per-game (No. 5 in the conference) and has recorded a career-high four steals three times this season. His 24 steals are a career-best for steals in a single season.
Raining Threes
Entering Thursday's game versus Rice, the FIU Panthers have converted at least one 3-point basket in 160-straight games, dating back to Dec. 20, 2008.
500 and counting
On Sunday, Nov. 10, senior
Tymell Murphy scored his 500th point as a member of the FIU men's basketball team during the squad's 66-58 win at Kennesaw State. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native enters Thursday's contest with 709-career points.
