GAME 19: FIU vs. -/RV MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Thursday, January 19, 2017 | 7 p.m.
Lime Court at FIU Arena | Miami, Fla.
 
FIU PANTHERS
Record: 4-14, 0-5 C-USA
Last Game: L, 57-55 at UTSA, January 14, 2017
Head Coach: Anthony Evans
Alma Mater: St. Thomas Aquinas, 1994 
Career Record: 147-160/10th season
Record at FIU: 48-66/Fourth season
Top Players: Donte McGill (18.8 ppg, 43.8% FG), Michael Kessens (14.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg)       
 
MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS
Record: 15-3, 5-0 C-USA
Last Game: W, 91-76 vs. WKU, January 14, 2017
Head Coach: Kermit Davis
Alma Mater: Mississippi State, 1982
Career Record: 428-253/22nd season
Record at school: 291-178/15th Season
Top Players: JaCorey Williams (17.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg), Reggie Upshaw (15.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg)
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: PantherVision (CUSA-TV)
Josh Appel (Play-by-play)
Pete Pelegrin (Color analyst)
Radio/Audio: None
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: MT leads series, 27-8
Twitter: @FIUHoops
Tickets: For ticket information, contact the FIU athletic ticket office at 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263). Single game tickets start at just $10.
 
QUICK HITS
- The FIU men's basketball team returns to Lime Court at FIU Arena for the first time since Jan. 2 as it welcomes defending Conference USA tournament champion Middle Tennessee to Miami on Jan. 19 ... The contest is the first of three games at home for the Panthers over a seven-day period ... FIU will also face UAB on Jan. 21 (7 p.m.) and close out its home-and-home series with longtime conference rival FAU on Jan. 26 (7 p.m.).
 
- The Panthers are coming off a 57-55 loss to UTSA on Jan. 14, in San Antonio, Texas ... Elmo Stephen scored a game- and career-high 21 points in 31 minutes of action ... Michael Kessens and Eric Nottage netted 17 and 13 points, respectively in the loss ... The Panthers trailed by as many as 15 points in the game - and 13 points with less than 16 minutes left - but made a comeback to take the lead by as many as three points, 55-52, with 3:52 left in the game before being outscored 5-0 during the remainder of the contest.
 
- Donte McGill leads the team in scoring through 18 games, averaging 18.8 points-per-contest ... Michael Kessens is averaging 14.4 points-per-game, good enough for second on the team, and a team-high 9.7 rebounds-per-outing ... His rebounding average is tops in Conference USA and 32nd in NCAA Division I (through Jan. 18) ... Eric Nottage rounds out the double-digit scorers, netting 10.2 points-per-game.

- Anthony Evans is in his fourth season as head coach of the Panthers, and his 10th season overall ... FIU's game against Georgia Southern on Dec. 15 was Evans' 300th of his head coaching career.
 
UP NEXT FOR FIU
- Following their matchup with the Blue Raiders, FIU will host UAB on Saturday, Jan. 21 ... Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ... The Panthers will close out their short three-game homestand on Jan. 26 when Florida Atlantic comes to Miami for its second meeting with FIU in the past 19 days.
 
SCOUTING MIDDLE TENNESSEE
- The Blue Raiders come into their contest with FIU as the hottest team in Conference USA, boasting a 15-3 record on the year and a perfect 5-0 mark in league play ... Middle Tennessee has won five-straight and 13 of its last 15 games ... The Blue Raiders are coming off a 91-76 win over WKU in Murfreesboro on Jan. 14 ... JaCorey Williams led the way for MT with a game-high 27 points ... Reggie Upshaw chipped in with 19 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while Tyrik Dixon added 17 points in the win.
 
- MT has three players averaging double figures in the scoring column, led by JaCorey Williams's 17.4 points-per-game ... Giddy Potts and Reggie Upshaw are netting 15.9 and 14.9 points-per-game, respectively, on the year ... After the top trio, the fourth leading scorer, Edward Simpson, is averaging 4.9 points-per-contest ... Williams is also the team-leader in rebounding, grabbing 7.3 boards-per-contest, while Upshaw is second pulling down 6.6 per outing.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST THE BLUE RAIDERS
- The Blue Raiders hold a commanding 27-8 lead on FIU in the all-time series ... Middle Tennessee has won 12 of its last 14 games against the Panthers ... FIU last defeated Middle Tennessee, 59-54, on March 5, 2015 in Miami.
 
LAST YEAR AGAINST MIDDLE TENNESSEE
- FIU dropped two games to the Blue Raiders during the 2015-16 campaign, with the total margin of defeat being four points ... Middle Tennessee defeated the Panthers, 67-66 on Feb. 6 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and then handed FIU a 61-58 loss on Senior Night on March 5 in Miami.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE PANTHERS
- The Panthers are coming off a  57-55 loss to UTSA Saturday in San Antonio ... Elmo Stephen scored a game- and career-high 21 points in 31 minutes of action ... Michael Kessens and Eric Nottage netted 17 and 13 points, respectively in the loss.