GAME NUMBER EIGHT: ELON at FIU
Friday, Dec. 4, 2015 | 7 p.m.
Lime Court at FIU Arena | Miami, Fla.
 
FIU PANTHERS
Record: 4-3, 0-0 C-USA
Last Game: L, 81-75 vs. Stetson, November 30 2015
Head Coach: Anthony Evans
Alma Mater: St. Thomas Aquinas, 1994 
Career Record: 134-130/ninth season
Record at FIU: 35-36/third season
 
ELON PHOENIX
Record: 4-3, 0-0 Colonial Athletic
Last Game: W, 103-93 Kennesaw State, November 30, 2015
Head Coach: Matt Matheny
Alma Mater: Davidson, 1992
Career Record: 96-103/seventh season
Record at school: 96-103/seventh season
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: PantherVision
Pete Pelegrin (play-by-play)
Radio/Audio: FIU Sports Radio Network
Pete Pelegrin (play-by-play)
Live Stats: FIUSports.com            
Series: First meeting
Twitter: @FIUHoops
Tickets: 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263), Single game tickets are $10 in advance, and $12 on game day.
 
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
- Elon comes into Friday's meeting with the Panthers with a 4-3 record following its overtime win over Kennesaw State on Monday night, 103-93... The Phoenix started off the season with an 85-74 win over C-USA foe Charlotte on Nov. 13.
 
- Elon placed four players in double figures vs. Kennesaw State led by Tanner Samson's 31 points and 11 rebounds ... Samson was 9-of-16 (56.2 percent) from the field, including 8-of-15 (53.3 percent) from three-point range, and 5-of-6 (83.3 percent) from the charity stripe ... Christian Hairston (21), Dainan Swoope (13) and Luke Eddy (12) all reached double figures.
 
- Tanner Samson is one of three Elon players in double figures, in the scoring column, averaging 14.9 points per game ... Dainan Swoope is netting 12.7 points per contest, and Dmitri Thompson (10.6 ppg) rounds out the double-figure scorers ... Thompson is also the team leader in rebounds, grabbing 5.9 boards per game.
 
THE SERIES VS. ELON
- Friday's game is the first meeting between FIU and Elon.
 
FIU VS. THE CAA ...
- FIU hasn't had much success against members of the Colonial Athletic Association, as the members of the CAA hold a commanding 22-2 record all-time in games against FIU.
 
- Friday's game will be the second meeting of the season between FIU and a member of the Colonial Athletic Association ... The Panthers faced James Madison on Nov. 20 during the first day of the JMU Men Against Breast Cancer Classic in Harrisonburg, Va. The Dukes came out on top, 64-61.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS
- Following Friday's game with Elon, the Panthers will close out its four-game home stand against Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 3:30 p.m. ... The game will be televised live on the American Sports Network (ASN).
 
- FIU and FGCU met last season with the Panthers posting a 69-63 win over the Eagles on Dec. 14 in Fort Myers ... That victory improved FIUs all-time series record over FGCU to 4-3.
 
- FIU will then head on the road for three-straight games beginning with North Florida on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. ... The Panthers will then head out on a two-game road trip, facing Northern Illinois (Dec. 19, 3 p.m.) and Binghamton (Dec. 22, 7 p.m.) during that stretch.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE PANTHERS
- FIU dropped a tough 81-75 decision to in-state foe Stetson on Monday, Nov. 30 ... The Panthers led by as many as 18 points (39-21) with 4:14 left in the first half ... The setback was the Panthers' first loss of the season at home, and their first non-conference home loss since an 85-56 setback to No. 6 Louisville on Dec. 21, 2013.
 
- FIU placed four players in double figures, for the third time this season, led by Adrian Diaz's season-high 24 points ... Diaz was 12-of-14 (85.7 percent) from the field, while also grabbing nine rebounds in the loss ... Daviyon Draper (15), Donte Mcgill (12) and Eric Nottage (11) all tallied double-digit points.
 
- Diaz became FIUs all-time leader in blocked shots surpassing Dwight Stewart (1988-93) and his 126 career rejections ... He had six blocks against the Hatters to go along with a season-high 24 points ... He finished the game with 130 career blocked shots.
 
- The Panthers shot better than 50 percent from the field for the second time this season, at 50.7 percent (34-of-67) ... FIU, however, only shot 25.0 percent from the free-throw line (2-of-8).