MIAMI (December 10, 2017) – The FIU men's basketball team starts a short two-game road trip on Dec. 11 as the Panthers travel up Interstate 75 to Tampa to face USF. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Drew Fellios (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (color commentary) calling the action. FIU will close out the two-game stretch on Dec. 13 in Jacksonville against North Florida (7 p.m.).
Monday's meeting with the Bulls is the first since Nov. 26, 2007, when USF handed FIU a 77-69 loss in Miami.
FIU looks for its third-straight win for the first time since the 2015-16 season when they won four consecutive from Dec. 22 through Jan. 7.
The game against the Bulls is the first of two games that FIU will play on the road during an 11-game stretch that started on Nov. 27, against South Carolina. Following the contest at North Florida, on Wednesday, the Panthers will begin a season-long six-game stretch in Miami, beginning with James Madison on Dec. 16.
FIU is coming off a dominating 87-58 win over South Alabama on Dec. 2, in Miami.
Trejon Jacob led five players in double figures with a career-high 26 points.
GAME NINE: FIU at USF
Monday, December 11, 2017 | 7 p.m.
USF Sun Dome | Tampa, Florida
FIU PANTHERS
Record: 4-4 overall
Last Game: W, 87-58 vs. South Alabama, December 2, 2017
Head Coach: Anthony Evans
Alma Mater: St. Thomas Aquinas, 1994
Career Record: 154-174/11th season
Record at FIU: 55-80/Fifth season
Top Players: Eric Lockett (17.4 ppg, 6.8 ppg),
Trejon Jacob (16.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
USF BULLS
Record: 4-5 overall
Last Game: L, 84-61 at Appalachian State, December 2, 2017
Head Coach: Brian Gregory
Alma Mater: Oakland, 1990
Career Record: 252-185/14th season
Record at school: 4-5/First season
Top Players: Payton Banks (13.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg), Stephan Jiggetts (12.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: ESPN3
Drew Fellios (Play-by-play)
Mark Wise (Color commentary)
Radio/Audio: FIUSports.com
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: USF leads 13-2*
Twitter: @FIUHoops
Tickets: For ticket information, contact the USF athletic ticket office by logging onto GoUSFBulls.com
*One win vacated due to NCAA sanctions (13-1)
SCOUTING USF
- USF comes into Monday's game with a 4-5 record, and losers of its last three-straight games ... The Bulls have dropped decisions to Eastern Michigan (65-47) on Nov. 26, Elon (79-78 ot) on Nov. 30, and Appalachian State (84-61) on Dec. 2.
- Payton Banks leads two players in scoring, averaging 13.4 points-per-game, while Stephan Jiggetts is averaging 12.1 points-per-outing for the Bulls ... Tulio Da Silva leads USF on the boards, grabbing 5.9 rebounds-per-contest ... Malik Martin is a close second, averaging 5.6 rebounds-per-outing.
- USF is coming off an 84-61 loss to Appalachian State on Dec. 2 in Boone, North Carolina ... Stephan Jiggetts led the Bulls in scoring with 17 points, while Payton Banks and Isaiah Manderson each chipped in with 14 points apiece ... Malik Martin fell one-point shy of a double-double with nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
- The game against the Mountaineers was the second of a two-game North Carolina road trip that also saw the Bulls drop a 79-78 overtime decision to Elon; same outcome as FIU against the Phoenix, on Nov. 17 (L, 95-78 3ot).
THE SERIES AGAINST THE BULLS
- USF comes into Monday's game with a commanding 13-1 all-time series lead against FIU dating back to the 1986-87 season ... The actual on court series record is 13-2, however the Panthers were forced to vacate one win (Nov. 29, 2005, W, 69-64 ot) due to NCAA sanctions.
- FIU and USF met for seven-straight seasons from the 1986-87 campaign through the 1992-93 season, and met twice during the 1989-90 and the 1990-91 seasons.
- FIU is 0-9 all-time against the Bulls in Tampa.
UP NEXT FOR FIU
- Following Monday night's game at USF, FIU continues its road trip as it heads north to Jacksonville to face North Florida on Wednesday night, Dec. 13 ... Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. with the contest being broadcast on ESPN3 ... FIU returns to Miami for a season-long six-game stretch, beginning on Dec. 16, against James Madison (7:30 p.m.).
- The JMU game will be played at Barry University in Miami Shores, due to scheduling conflicts in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center that arose due to Hurricane Irma.
- Included in the upcoming six-game stretch in Miami will be FIU's first three Conference USA games of the season against Florida Atlantic on Dec. 30 (7 p.m.), Middle Tennessee on Jan. 4 (7 p.m.) and UAB on Jan. 6 (7 p.m.).
