MIAMI – FIU returns to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, for the second of three-straight home games, when USF makes the trip south on I-75 for a 7 p.m. tip on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The game will be carried live by CUSA TV with A.J. Ricketts calling the action. The Panthers will close out the three-game pre-holiday stretch against Florida Memorial on Dec. 20 (7 p.m.).  

FIU comes into the game looking for its sixth win in its last seven games, while also looking to improve to 6-0 at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The Panthers also look to extend their 10-game home winning streak to 11 games, dating back to their 67-64 win against Rice on Feb. 24, 2018. 

GAME 11: FIU VS. USF
Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 | 7 p.m. | Ocean Bank Convocation Center | Miami, Florida | CUSA TV

Click here for complete FIU game notes
Click here to watch live on CUSA TV
Click here for live stats

FIU PANTHERS | 8-2
Last Game: Dec. 13 vs. North Florida, W, 102-89
Next Game: Dec. 20 vs. Florida Memorial, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Jeremy Ballard
Alma Mater: Colgate, 2003
Career Record: 8-2 (First season)
at FIU: Same

USF BULLS | 7-2
Last Game: Dec. 15 vs. Appalachian State, W, 76-69
Next Game: Dec. 21 vs. Alcorn State, 5 p.m.
Head Coach: Brian Gregory
Alma Mater: Oakland, 1990
Career Record: 265-202 (15th season)
at USF: 17-24 (Second season)

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: CUSA TV
A.J. Ricketts (Play-by-play)
Radio: None
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: USF leads 13-2* (see The Series note)
Twitter Updates: @FIUHoops
Tickets: FIU Athletics Ticket Office 305-FIU-GAME

QUICK HITS
- FIU's 8-2 start marks its best 10-game start in the program's history, surpassing the previous best of 7-3 during 2013-14 and 1984-85.

- FIU is averaging 103.8 points-per-game at home.

- FIU comes into Tuesday's game off a tough hard-fought 102-89 win over North Florida Dec. 13 ... Brian Beard, Jr. led five players in double figures with 29 points, while Osasumwen Osaghae added a career-high 18 points in the win.

- Through Dec. 16, Brian Beard, Jr. leads NCAA Division I in steals-per-game (3.5), is 10th in assists-per-game (6.9) and 20th in scoring (22.6), while the Panthers as a team are second in the nation in scoring (96.6 ppg).

LAST TIME OUT
- FIU got a game-high 29 points from Brian Beard, Jr. and a career-high 18 points from Osasumwen Osaghae as the Panthers pulled out a hard-fought 102-89 win over North Florida on Dec. 13.

- Beard, Jr. and Osaghae were two of five players for FIU to score in double figures ... The duo was joined by Willy Nunez, Jr. with 13 points and Trejon Jacob and Isaiah Banks with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

- Beard, Jr. also turned in another solid all-around game, recording a team-high eight rebounds, six assists and four steals to go along with his 29 points.

- The Panthers shot 49.3 percent (36-for-73) from the field on the night, including a season-high 39.1 percent (9-for-23) from the three-point arc ... FIU also recorded its best night from the charity stripe, hitting 75.0 percent (21-for-28) from the free-throw line.

SCOUTING USF
- USF comes into its game with FIU with a 7-2 record following a 76-69 win over Appalachian State on Dec. 15, in Tampa ... The victory was the Bulls third-straight and fourth in their last five games.

- David Collins leads three players in double figures, averaging 15.4 points-per-game, while Laquincy Rideau is second in scoring, netting 12.3 points-per-contest ... Alexis Yetna rounds out the double-figure scorers, averaging 11.1 points-per-outing to go along with his team-high 10.1 rebounds-per-game.

THE SERIES AGAINST THE BULLS
- USF comes into Tuesday's game with a 13-2 all-time series lead against FIU dating back to the 1986-87 season ... The actual on court series record is 13-3, 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 2-4 all-time against the Bulls in Miami with the Nov. 29, 2005 win being vacated dropping the record to 1-4.

DROPPIN' SOME' C-NOTES
- FIU's 117 points against Johnson & Wales marked the second-straight game that the Panthers reached the century mark … The Panthers scored 110 points in the season-opening 110-84 win over Webber International on Nov. 7 … Prior to this season, the last time that an FIU team hit the 100-point mark in regulation was on Feb. 26, 1998, pouring in 101 points against Centenary in a 101-74 win in the TAAC Tournament ... That was the second of two-straight games where the Panthers scored 100-or-more points ... FIU also did it five days before in a 117-79 win over Troy on Feb. 21, 1998.

- FIU logged its third 100-plus-point game when it scored 102 points in a 102-93 win over Youngstown State on Nov. 18, and accomplished the feat in its next outing, against Ave Maria on Nov. 23, in a 104-84 win in the Johnny Bach Classic at Fordham.

- Most recently, the Panthers hit the century plateau on Dec. 13, with a 102-89 win against North Florida.

- The Panthers' five 100-point games are the third most in a season in school history ... The most 100-point outings in a season for FIU came during the 1997-98 campaign with seven, followed by six during 1982-83.

UP NEXT FOR FIU
FIU closes out its three-game pre-holiday homestand on Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. against Florida Memorial ... Following the break, the Panthers will start a three-game road stretch at Ohio on Dec. 30, at 2 p.m., before starting Conference USA play at Middle Tennessee (Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m.) and at UAB (Jan. 5, 8 p.m.).

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