GAME THREE: FIU at SOUTH ALABAMA
Friday, November 18, 2016 | 8:05 p.m. (ET)
The Mitchell Center | Mobile, Ala. | JagNationTV.com

Click here for live video | Click here for audio
 
FIU PANTHERS
Record: 1-1, 0-0 C-USA
Last Game: L, 82-67 at Stetson, November 14, 2016
Head Coach: Anthony Evans
Alma Mater: St. Thomas Aquinas, 1994 
Career Record: 144-147/10th season
Record at FIU: 45-53/Fourth season
Top Players: Donte McGill (18.5 ppg, 51.5% FG), Eric Nottage (14.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg)
               
SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS
Record: 2-0, 0-0 Sun Belt
Last Game: W, 88-35 vs. Blue Mountain, November 14, 2016
Head Coach: Matthew Graves
Alma Mater: Butler, 1998
Career Record: 37-60/Fourth season
Record at school: Same
Top Players: Ken Williams (14.0 ppg, 3.0 apg), Nick Stover (12.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: JagNationTV.com
Radio/Audio: 995thejag.com
Live Stats: USAJaguars.com
Series: USA leads the series 19-10
Twitter: @FIUHoops
Tickets: Call the South Alabama athletics ticket office at (251) 461-1USA (1872), or visit jaguarathleticfund.com
 
QUICK HITS
FIU continues its four-game road stretch this weekend when it travels to Mobile, Alabama, for the 2016 Red Diamond Roundball Classic hosted by former Sun Belt Conference rival the University of South Alabama, Nov. 18-20 ... The Panthers will open the three-day event against the host Jaguars on Nov. 18 (8:05 p.m. ET) before facing Jacksonville on Nov. 19 (12:30 p.m. ET) and Youngstown State to close out the weekend on Nov. 20 (1:30 p.m. ET) ... FIU won't return home until Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. when it welcomes Ave Maria to Lime Court at FIU Arena.
 
- This weekend's games will also mark a stretch of six out of eight games that FIU will play on the road.
 
- The Panthers are coming off a tough 82-67 loss at Stetson on Nov. 14 in DeLand, Florida ... FIU placed four players in double figures led by Eric Nottage's career-high 20 points while Donte McGill and Eric Lockett netted 12 points apiece ... Michael Kessens logged his first double-double in a Panthers' uniform with an 11-point, 13-rebound effort.
 
- McGill leads the team in scoring through the short two-game season, averaging 18.5 points-per-game, and Nottage is second chipping in 14 points-per-contest ... Kessens is leading the team on the glass early on grabbing 8.5 rebounds-per-game to go along with 8.5 points-per-game, tying Lockett for third on the team in scoring.
 
- Anthony Evans is in his fourth season as head coach of the Panthers, and his 10th season overall as a head coach, at both Norfolk State and FIU.
 
UP NEXT FOR FIU
- Following Friday's 8:05 p.m. (ET) contest with South Alabama, the Panthers will have an extremely quick turnaround facing Jacksonville on Nov. 19 at 12:30 p.m. (ET) ... FIU closes out the Red Diamond Roundball Classic on Nov. 20 against Youngstown State at 1:30 p.m. (ET).
 
- The Panthers return home to Lime Court at FIU Arena on Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. for a pre-Thanksgiving tilt against Ave Maria ... That will be the first of two games at home, during the holiday weekend, with FIU closing out the short homestand against Binghamton on Nov. 27 at 7 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE JAGUARS
- South Alabama comes into its game with FIU with a 2-0 record including a 76-68 win at UNLV on Nov. 11 to its credit ... The Jaguars are coming off an 88-35 win over Blue Mountain College on Nov. 14.
 
- The Jaguars placed four players in double figures in their win at UNLV led by Christian Jones' game-high double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds ... Jalen Poyser added 17 points while Kris Clyburn and Tyrell Green chipped in with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
 
- South Alabama has four players netting double figures, led by Ken Williams' 14 points-per-game, while Nick Stover is averaging 12 points-per-outing ... Shaq Calhoun and Don MuepoKelly round out the double-figure scorers averaging 11 points- and 10 points-per-game, respectively ... MuepoKelly also paces the team on the glass, grabbing 7.5 rebounds-per-contest. 
 
THE SERIES AGAINST SOUTH ALABAMA
- South Alabama leads the all-time series against FIU with an actual on-court record of 19-10, however two Panthers' wins were vacated due to NCAA sanctions (19-8) ... The Jaguars and Panthers last met on Jan. 27, 2013, in Miami, with South Alabama coming out on top 60-58 ... USA has won nine of its last 12 games against FIU.
 
- The two schools were longtime conference rivals from the 1998-99 season through the 2012-13 campaign when FIU left to become a member of Conference USA ... South Alabama posted a 16-8 record all-time in meetings as Sun Belt Conference foes.
 
- Friday will be the 15th meeting all-time in Mobile with the Jaguars holding a 10-4 series lead on their home floor.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE PANTHERS
- FIU is coming off a tough 82-67 road loss at Stetson on Nov. 14 ... With the loss, the Panthers' record drops to 14-8 all-time against Stetson dating back to the 1990-91 season … Despite the setback, the Panthers have still won seven of their last nine games against the Hatters, and nine of their last 13 ... Scan the QR code with your mobile device to see the complete game recap, stats and postgame notes from Stetson.
 
- The Panthers shot 51.9 percent (28-of-54) from the field on the night, however could not overcome Stetson's 55.4 percent (31-of-56) shooting from the field, including 51.7 percent (15-of-29) shooting from three-point range, and their 18 turnovers that led to 30 points off the miscues ... FIU had a clear advantage in bench play, outscoring the hatters' reserves 28-10, however Stetson scored 19 of the 21 fast-break points in the game.
 
- Eric Nottage poured in a career-high 20 points on 7-of-10 (70 percent) shooting from the field and 3-of-4 (75 percent) from both three-point range and the free throw line … He surpassed his previous career-best of 15 points against LIU on Nov. 15, 2015 … Nottage also had five rebounds and had four assists in 25 minutes of action.
 
- Donte McGill had 14 points on 7-of-13 shooting (53.8 percent) shooting from the floor … It was McGill's best shooting performance since hitting 75 percent (9-of-12) of his shots at North Texas on Feb. 18, 2016 … It was his 28th double-figure performance in a Panthers' uniform and 11th-straight dating back to last season.
 
- Michael Kessens recorded his first double-double at FIU with an 11-point, 13-rebound effort