MIAMI – FIU closes out its three-game homestand, on Dec. 20, as it welcomes Florida Memorial to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center for its final home non-conference tilt of 2018. The game will be carried live by CUSA TV with A.J. Ricketts calling the action.  

FIU comes into the game trying for its sixth win in its last eight games, while also looking to improve to 6-1 at home. 

GAME 12: FIU VS. FLORIDA MEMORIAL
Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018 | 7 p.m. | Ocean Bank Convocation Center | Miami, Florida | CUSA TV

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

FIU PANTHERS | 8-3
Last Game: Dec. 18 vs. USF, L, 82-73
Next Game: Dec. 30 at Ohio, 2 p.m.
Head Coach: Jeremy Ballard
Alma Mater: Colgate, 2003
Career Record: 8-3 (First season)
at FIU: Same

FLORIDA MEMORIAL LIONS | 3-11
Last Game: Dec. 18 vs. Mt. Vernon Nazarene, L, 74-62
Next Game: Dec. 29 vs. Cornerstone, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Ansar Al-Ameen
Career Record: 3-11 (First season)
at Florida Memorial: Same

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: CUSA TV
A.J. Ricketts (Play-by-play)
Radio: None
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: FIU leads series 16-5
Twitter Updates: @FIUHoops
Tickets: FIU Athletics Ticket Office 305-FIU-GAME

QUICK HITS
- FIU's 8-3 start marks its best 11-game start in the program's history.

- FIU is averaging 98.7 points-per-game at home.

- FIU comes into Thursday's game off an 82-73 loss to USF Dec. 18, snapping the Panthers' 10-game home winning streak ... Trejon Jacob and Osasumwen Osaghae each scored a team-high 13 points.

LAST TIME OUT
- FIU dropped its first home contest of the year, and in doing so had its 10-game home winning streak snapped, as USF beat the Panthers 82-73 on Dec. 18.

- FIU could not overcome its second worst shooting night of the season, hitting at just a 39.6 percent (21-for-53) from the field and 21.7 percent (5-for-23) from behind the three-point arc, and a season-high 24 turnovers, their most since recording 28 miscues against Louisiana Tech on February 14, 2015. USF shot 54.3 percent (25-for-46) from the field, including a blistering 71.4 percent (10-for-14) from behind the arc in the win, despite turning the ball over 33 times, the most turnovers forced by FIU in the last 16-plus years.

- Trejon Jacob and Osasumwen Osaghae shared team-high scoring honors with 13 points apiece, while Andrews and Willy Nunez, Jr. each chipped in with 10 points apiece. Brian Beard, Jr., who came into the game ranked 20th in the nation in scoring, averaging 22.6 points-per-game, scored just four points, the lowest point total of his collegiate career.

SCOUTING FLORIDA MEMORIAL
- Florida Memorial comes into its game with FIU with a 3-11 record following a 74-62 loss to Mount Vernon Nazarene on Thursday night in Miami Gardens ... The loss is the third in the last four games for the Lions.

- Jordan Collins leads three players in double figures in the scoring column, for the Lions, averaging 15.2 points-per-game, while Jordan Martin is netting 12.3 points-per-game and William Phelps 12.0 points-per-outing.

THE SERIES AGAINST THE LIONS
- Tonight's game against Florida Memorial marks the 22nd meeting all-time in the series between the two schools, with FIU holding a commanding 16-5 lead dating back the inaugural meeting on Jan. 18, 1982 (W, 81-77) ... The Panthers have won nine-straight against the Lions, including a 70-47 win last season.

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
Following the Christmas break, the Panthers will start a three-game road stretch at Ohio on Dec. 30, at 2 p.m., before starting C-USA play at Middle Tennessee (Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m.) and at UAB (Jan. 5, 8 p.m.) ... FIU returns home on Thursday, Jan. 10, when it faces Charlotte in the first game of a two-game C-USA weekend homestand, along with Old Dominion on Jan. 12 ... Both games are at 7 p.m.

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