FIU Women's Basketball: Game 26, vs. Rice
Saturday, February 20, 2016 | 12 p.m. (ET)
Lime Court at FIU Arena | Miami Fla.
 
COVERAGE: FSN (Jenn Hildreth pxp, Christy Winter-Scott, analysis)
 
FIU Panthers
Record: 4-21, 2-12 Conference USA
Last Game: L, 40-58 vs. North Texas on Thursday, February 18, 2016
Head Coach: Marlin Chinn (Hampton, '92)
Career Record: 4-21 / first season
 
Rice Owls
Record: 6-18, 5-8 Conference USA
Last Game: W, 74-54 at Florida Atlantic on Thursday February 18, 2016
Head Coach: Tona Langley (West Alabama, '96)
Career Record: 6-18 / 1st season
Marshall Record: 6-18 / 1st season
 
FIU Last Game: Senior Taylor Shade reached 1,000 career points when she hit FIU's first bucket, a three-pointer inside of two minutes in the first quarter, but the Panthers struggled to shoot and rebound in a 58-40 loss to North Texas Thursday. Janka Hegedus scored 13 on 6-for-9 shooting, while Tianah Alvarado had four steals and scored 14 points.
 
Rice Last Game: The Owls shot nearly 50 percent and hit 10 more baskets than Florida Atlantic in a 21-point win, 75-54, in Boca Raton Thursday. The Owls held FAU to .358 shooting and turned the ball over only nine times in the win. Four Owls had double figures, led by Jasmine Breedlove's 19 points in 32 minutes played.
                                                                                                                         
Despite the fact that these two teams are a combined last or next-to-last place in nine team statistical categories, both Rice and FIU have secured two wins in the first four games in February, proving that these teams are on the rise.
 
The two opposing head coaches, Rice's Tina Langley and FIU's Marlin Chinn, served on the same staff at Maryland for the past six seasons.
 
"She's a heck of a coach," said FIU's Chinn of Langley. "We've always had very good basketball conversations. In the last two to three years at Maryland, we became really good friends. My parents always talk about the fact that she was the first person they spoke to when they came to Maryland. I was super excited when she told me that she got the Rice job. She was a hot commodity when I got to Maryland. She is happy and excited there and I am very happy for her and the opportunity she has there at Rice.
 
Coach Chinn acknowledged that it should not be a surprise that the programs were enjoying some late-season success, given the blueprint the two new head coaches are following.

"You get to see the makeup of your team when you get to February. Her ball club is peaking at the right time and it all goes back to what we did with (Maryland Head Coach) Brenda (Frese) at Maryland. She always made sure her teams were ready in February and March. We're trying to teach our girls that February is when it all kicks in. From sleeping to academics to nutrition, it all really pays off when we get to this time of year.
 
"Our ladies have really learned how to watch film, read scouting reports and execute the scouting report. Looking at those factors, it's exciting to see where we're headed. And you can see those same things when you watch Rice. From when I last saw them in December to now, they play with a lot more confidence and they play together as a team."
 
The game will be televised by Fox Sports Network, airing locally on Fox Sports Florida. FSN will carry the game on 16 regional channels, including FOX Sports Florida (Ch. 423 – Dish Network; Ch. 654/655 – DirecTV; Ch. 720 – AT&T U-Verse; Ch. 39 – Comcast). For complete channel listings click here.
 
In addition, the Panthers will honor retired FIU women's basketball Head Coach Cindy Russo and long-time Associate Head Coach Inge Nissen in a halftime ceremony. Many former players are expected to be on hand for the ceremony.
 
Following the Rice contest, the Panthers will play one final home game, Senior Night next Saturday night at 7 p.m. against Florida Atlantic.
 
For women's basketball ticket information, contact the FIU Ticket Office at 305-FIU-GAME or log onto www.FIUSports.com.
 
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUWBB) 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 at the FIU Football Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelor¹s, master¹s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is Worlds Ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded 200,000 degrees and enrolls 50,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.