FIU Notes | C-USA Notes | Tournament Central 


MIAMI (Nov. 27, 2014) – The FIU women's basketball team continues its four-game homestand with the 20th annual FIU Thanksgiving Classic. Throughout the two-day tournament, the Panthers will take on Arizona (1-2) and Toledo (2-2) or Virginia (4-0). FIU first takes on the Wildcats on Friday, Nov. 28, at 6 p.m. ET before taking on either Toledo or Virginia at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 30.
 
BROADCAST
Friday's game will be broadcast online at FIUSports.com, and can also be heard for free on FIUSports.com with Pete Pelegrin calling the action. There will be live updates throughout the game available on Twitter @FIUWBasketball.
                                     
FIU THANKSGIVING CLASSIC HISTORY
FIU enters year 20 of the tournament with a 25-15 overall record and has claimed six titles, most recently in 2010.
 
SERIES HISTORY
FIU and Arizona will be meeting for the first time in the series on Friday. Depending on the outcome of the Virginia and Toledo game after the FIU game, the Panthers also have the possibility of facing Toledo for the first time. 
 
SCOUTING FIU
FIU heads into the tournament with a 0-3 record after suffering a tough loss to Cleveland State. Through the three games, junior Taylor Shade has notched double-digit scoring figures. The Panthers have had at least two players scoring in double figures and have out-rebounded each opponent. Last time out, redshirt freshman Kiandre'a Pound scored a career-high 24 pounds in addition to 15 rebounds, also a career-best. Shade added 17 points, four rebounds and three assists, while senior Marita Davydova contributed 14 points, eight rebounds three assists, two steals and two blocks. Senior Zsofia Labady made a strong comeback after being sidelined due to illness with a career-high seven assists.
SCOUTING ARIZONA
Arizona opened the season with a 1-2 record, defeating UC-Santa Barbra, 61-34, and losing to Texas Tech, 57-54 and Bakersfield, 76-72. Redshirt senior Candic Warthen and freshman Charise Holloway lead the Wildcats in scoring averaging, 13.7 and 10.7 points-per-game, respectively. The two guards are the primary outside shooters as they have made 12 the Cats' 15 three-pointers this season.
 
SCOUTING VIRGINIA
For the second consecutive week, Virginia has received votes in the USA Today Coaches' Poll. The Cavaliers are coming off a 66-51 victory over Auburn last Sunday, and are looking to start the season 5-0 for the first time since 1997 campaign. UVA is led by Sarah Imobioh who scored a season-high 21 points and posted 13 rebounds against Auburn. She is leading the ACC in rebounding this season, averaging 14.8 rebounds per game, which also ranks fifth in the nation. Imovbioh is also second in the country with 7.0 offensive rebounds-per-game. Her 24-rebound performance against Ohio State was the second-highest single-game total by a player this season. Imovbioh is also one of 21 players to already have three double-doubles this season. In addition, she ranks in the ACC top 10 with 17.8 points-per-game.
 
SCOUTING TOLEDO
Toledo ventures to Miami coming off a 66-48 loss at No. 24 Purdue last Sunday. Freshman Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott, freshman Michaela Rasmussen and senior Inma Zanoguera led the Rockets against the nationally ranked Boilermakers with 13, 12 and 10 points, respectively. UT, which is 0-2 away from home, is fueled offensively by the group of Zanoguera, Rasmussen, Bravo-Harriott, Capotosto, sophomore Janice Monakana and Reecher, who are averaging 10.3, 9.7, 8.7, 8.7, 8.3 and 8.0 ppg, respectively.
 
TICKETS
Season tickets are currently on sale starting at $30. Single-game tickets are also on sale for $5 each. Tickets can be purchased by logging onto FIUSports.com or by calling the FIU ticket office at 305-FIU-GAME (305-348-4263).
 
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUWBasketball) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUWBasketball) for all the latest FIU women's basketball news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
 
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean BankField at FIU Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.