MIAMI (January 5, 2018) - The FIU men's basketball team closes out its season-long six-game home stand on Saturday night, Jan. 6, when it faces UAB at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on CUSA.tv with A.J. Ricketts calling the action. The Panthers look for their third win in their last five games.
 
Saturday's game against the Blazers is the third of three-straight C-USA games that FIU will play at home to begin league competition. The Panthers look to extend their winning streak against the Blazers to three games after sweeping UAB in the season series last year. The game against UAB is the ninth of nine home games that FIU will play during an 11-game stretch that started on Nov. 27, against South Carolina.
 
Trejon Jacob led FIU in scoring in FIU's 71-66 overtime loss to Middle Tennessee on Jan. 4. Brian Beard, Jr. added 14 points in the setback while Michael Douglas chipped in with 12 points. Eric Lockett had 11 points and 10 rebounds for his third career double-double.
 
Jacob leads five players in double figures in the scoring column for FIU this season, averaging 16.5 points per game, while Brian Beard, Jr. (15.1 ppg) and Eric Lockett (14.6 ppg) are each netting right at 15 points-per-outing. Willy Nunez, Jr. and Josh Stamps round out the double-digit scorers with a 12.7 and 12.0 point-per-game averages, respectively.
 
FIU PANTHERS
Record: 7-8 overall, 1-1 C-USA
Last Game: L, 71-66 (ot) vs. Middle Tennessee, January 4, 2018
Head Coach: Anthony Evans
Alma Mater: St. Thomas Aquinas, 1994  
Career Record: 157-178/11th season
Record at FIU: 58-84/Fifth season
Top Players: Trejon Jacob (16.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg) | Brian Beard, Jr. (15.1 ppg, 4.6 apg, 3.5 spg)
 
UAB BLAZERS
Record: 10-5 overall, 1-1 C-USA
Last Game: W, 75-44 at Florida Atlantic, January 4, 2017
Head Coach: Robert Ehsan
Alma Mater: UC Davis, 2005
Career Record: 26-21/Second season
Record at school: Same
Top Players: Chris Cokely (17.4 ppg, 9.4 rpg) | Zack Bryant (13.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: CUSA.tv
A.J. Ricketts (Play-by-play)
Radio/Audio: FIUSports.com
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: FIU leads, 4-3
Twitter: @FIUHoops
Tickets: For ticket information, contact the FIU athletic ticket office at 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263).
 
SCOUTING UAB
- UAB comes into Saturday's game with a 10-5 record and a 1-1 record in Conference USA, following its 75-44 win over Florida Atlantic on Jan. 4, in Boca Raton ... The win was the Blazers' fourth in the past five games.
 
- Chris Cokely (17.4 ppg) and Zack Bryant (13.5 ppg) are the only two players on the UAB roster averaging double figures, however five other players: Nate Darling (9.9 ppg), William Lee (9.0 ppg), Jalen Perry (8.8 ppg), Lewis Sullivan (8.4 ppg) and Nick Norton (8.1 ppg) are all averaging better than eight points-per-outing ... Cokely is also grabbing a team-high 9.4 rebounds-per-game this season.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST THE BLAZERS
- FIU comes into its game with UAB holding a slight 4-3 lead in the all-time series, dating back to the 2013-14 season ... The Panthers have won the last two games, and three of the last five.
 
UP NEXT FOR FIU
- FIU will embark on its first Conference USA road trip of the season - and the first of two swing trips to Texas during a three-week stretch - when it travels to play UTSA on Jan. 11 (8 p.m. ET) and UTEP on Jan. 13 (9 p.m. ET).
 
For ticket information or to purchase your tickets today, please visit FIUSports.com or call 305-FIU-GAME.

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