GAME 13: FIU at Florida A&M
Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015 | 7 p.m.
Lime Court at FIU Arena | Miami, Fla.
 
FIU PANTHERS
Record: 5-7, 0-0 C-USA
Last Game: W, 66-49 at Binghamton, December 22, 2015
Head Coach: Anthony Evans
Alma Mater: St. Thomas Aquinas, 1994 
Career Record: 135-134/ninth season
Record at FIU: 36-40/third season
 
FLORIDA A&M RATTLERS
Record: 4-9, 0-1 MEAC
Last Game: L, 68-66 at Jacksonville, December 21, 2015
Head Coach: Byron Samuels
Alma Mater: UNC Ashville, 1986
Career Record: 80-159/ninth season
Record at school: 6-364/second season
 
QUICK HITS
- After snapping its recent five-game losing streak the FIU men's basketball team returns to Lime Court at FIU Arena looking for its second consecutive victory when it butts heads with Florida A&M on Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. in its final game of 2015 ... The matchup will be the final non-conference game for each school.
 
- The Panthers are coming off a 66-49 win over Binghamton on Dec. 22 in Vestal, N.Y. ... Donte McGill paced three players with double-figure points, leading the team with 22, while Adrian Diaz and Daviyon Draper added 16 and 13 points, respectively ... Diaz also grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds marking his fifth double-double of the year, and the 11th of his career.
 
- Diaz and McGill continue to lead FIU in scoring, netting 15.3 and 15.0 points-per-game, respectively ... Diaz also leads in rebounding, grabbing 9.4 per-outing.
 
- Diaz leads Conference USA, and is No. 1 in NCAA Division I (through game of Dec. 27), in blocked shots per game, averaging 3.8 rejections-per-outing ... He is also tops in the nation in total blocked shots (46).
 
- Donte McGill is the hottest player on the team, averaging 18.4 points-per-game, on 55.8 percent (48-of-86) shooting from the field, including 56.2 percent (9-of-16), from behind the arc, in his last seven outings ... He has scored 20-plus points in four of his last seven games.
 
SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
- Florida A&M comes into its game with FIU with a 4-9 record, already doubling its win total from a year ago (2-27) ... The Rattlers have lost their last two straight outings and five of their last six games ... FAMU recently faced two of FIU's more recent opponents.
 
- Malcolm Bernard is the Rattlers' lone double-figure scorer averaging 11.8 points-per-game, and also leads the team in rebounding, grabbing 6.6 boards-per-contest.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST FLORIDA A&M
- Tuesday night's game between FIU and FAMU is the 13th meeting all-time between the two schools ... The on-court record has the series tied at 6-6, however, the Panthers were forced to forfeit their 70-45 win on Nov. 26, 2004 due to NCAA sanctions, so the Rattlers officially lead the series 6-5.
 
FIU vs. THE MEAC
- FIU comes its game with Rattlers with a 12-10 record all-time against teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference ... Florida A&M is the Panthers' most common opponent in the MEAC with Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) (3-2).
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS
- Following Tuesday's meeting with Florida A&M, FIU will begin Conference USA play when it battles rival Florida Atlantic on Jan. 3 at 3:30 p.m. on Lime Court at FIU Arena ... The game will be televised live on Fox Sports Net (FSN).
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE PANTHERS
- FIU snapped its five-game losing streak with a 66-49 win at Binghamton on Dec. 22 in Vestal, N.Y. ... The Panthers' skid was their longest since the 2013-14 season.
 
- Donte McGill posted his second consecutive 20-point outing with a game-high 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field.
 
- Adrian Diaz and Daviyon Draper each recorded double-doubles in the win over the Bearcats ... Diaz had 16 points and a career-high 18 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season, and the 11th of his career ... Draper logged 13 points and 10 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double, and the thirds of his career at FIU.
 
- The Panthers shot 51.9 percent (27-of-52) from the field, however just 18.8 percent (3-of-16) from behind the three-point arc ... FIU also outrebounded Binghamton, 45-26, and dominated the undersized Bearcats, 46-16, in the win.