MIAMI – The FIU men's basketball team returns to its home floor on Friday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. to face Johnson & Wales. The contest will be the Panthers' second in the past three days, and the second of their season-opening three-game homestand. FIU looks for its second-straight win, and to start the season 2-0 for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign.

GAME TWO: FIU vs. JOHNSON & WALES
Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 | 7 p.m. | Ocean Bank Convocation Center | Miami, Fla. | PantherVision (CUSA TV – AUDIO ONLY)

Click here to listen live on CUSA TV
Click here for live stats

FIU PANTHERS | 1-0
Last Game: Nov. 8 vs. Webber International, W, 110-84
Next Game: Nov. 3 vs. Milwaukee, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Jeremy Ballard
Alma Mater: Colgate, 2003
Career Record: 1-0 (First season)
at FIU: Same

JOHNSON & WALES WILDCATS | 0-3
Last Game: Nov. 6 vs. Florida National, L, 87-67
Next Game: Nov. 9 vs. Culver-Stockton, 7:30 p.m.
Head Coach: David Graham
Alma Mater: UNC Pembroke, 1993
Career Record: 222-271 (21st season)
at Johnson & Wales: Same

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: None
Audio: PantherVision/FIUSports.com
Chris Wittyngham (Play-by-play)
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: First meeting
Twitter Updates: @FIUHoops
Tickets: 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263)

QUICK HITS
- FIU returns home on Friday night for its second game in three days as it welcomes Johnson & Wales to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center ... Game time is 7 p.m. ... Wednesday's contest against Johnson & Wales is the second of four games that the Panthers will play at home over their first nine  contests ... FIU closes out its three-game season-opening homestand against UW Milwaukee on Tuesday, Nov. 13.

- The Panthers come into the contest against the Wildcats on the heels of a 110-84 win over Webber International on Nov. 7 ... Devon Andrews scored 23 points in his debut, while Brian Beard, Jr. had 20 points.

- Jeremy Ballard begins his first season as a collegiate head coach of the Panthers after serving 14 years as an assistant coach, including four out of the last six years at VCU.

LAST TIME OUT
- Devon Andrews scored a game-high 23 points, in his first game in an FIU uniform, and Brian Beard, Jr. added 20 points, nine assists and four steals, as the Jeremy Ballard era at FIU got off to a rousing start on Nov. 7, with a dominating 110-84 win over Webber International.

- In addition to Andrews and Beard, Jr.'s 20-point efforts, Trejon Jacob netted 19 points, and Isaiah Banks and Antonio Daye, Jr. each dropped 14 points in the win ... Daye, Jr. also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

- Beard, Jr.'s 20 points, marked his 10th game of 20-or-more points during his FIU career … In addition, his nine assists is tied for his second most in a game, and one shy of equaling his career-high of 10 handouts, set against Louisiana Tech on Feb. 3, 2018, and his four steals marks his 11th collegiate game of four-our-more steals in a game.

- Isaiah Banks' 14 points were just his third career double-figure game … Banks finished the night shooting 7-for-11 (63.6 percent) from the field.

SCOUTING JOHNSON & WALES
- Johnson & Wales comes into Friday's game with an 0-3 record, against Benedictine-Mesa (100-73) in the season-opener on Oct. 29, at Embry Riddle (105-63) on Oct. 30, and against Florida National (87-67) on Nov. 6.

- Jacknelson Joseph leads the Wildcats in scoring, averaging 13.7 points-per-game, while Dwayne Adams falls just shy of double-figures, averaging 9.3 points-per-game ... Tristian Stephens leads the team on the glass, grabbing 4.7 rebounds-per-contest.

THE SERIES AGAINST THE WILDCATS
- Friday's game will be the first meeting between the two schools

UP NEXT FOR FIU
- Following Friday night's game against Johnson & Wales, FIU will close out their three-game season-opening homestand against Milwaukee on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m.

- Next week the Panthers will hit the road for the first time this season as they head to the Big Apple to take part in the Johnny Bach Classic at Fordham University in the Bronx, Nov. 16-18 ... FIU will
open the three-day event on Nov. 16, against the host Rams at 6 p.m., followed by meetings with Columbia on Nov. 17 (6 p.m.) and Youngstown State on Nov. 18 (12 p.m.).

- The Panthers return home on Nov. 23, when they play host to Ave Maria at 7 p.m.

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