MIAMI (February 16, 2018) – The FIU men's basketball team gets back to work on Feb. 17, after enjoying its much-needed bye week to regroup and get ready for the final five games of the regular season. The Panthers travel up Interstate 95 where they will face Conference USA foe, Florida Atlantic at 2 p.m. at FAU Arena. The game can be seen on CUSA.tv with Ken LaVicka calling the action. FIU comes into the FAU game having won two of its last four games.
 
Click here for complete FIU game notes
 
Saturday's game is the third of three-straight that the Panthers will play on the road - their longest C-USA road stretch of the season - and the third of five games that FIU will play on the road in its final seven regular season games. 
 
Trejon Jacob led three players in double figures in the Panthers 83-76 loss at WKU on Feb. 10. Jacob scored 22 points - his sixth game of 20-or-more points - while Brian Beard, Jr. and Hassan Hussein added 16 and 11 points, respectively in the loss. Despite Eric Lockett scoring just four points, he paced the way on the glass, for FIU, with six rebounds, and dished out a career-high 10 assists.
 
Beard, Jr. leads the Panthers in scoring, averaging 16.2 points-per-game. He leads four players in double figures in the scoring column for FIU, along with Trejon Jacob (15.1 ppg) and Eric Lockett (13.7 ppg) who are second and third, respectively. Josh Stamps rounds out the double-digit scorers with an 11.0 point-per-game average.
 
Beard, Jr. is also still among the nation's leaders in steals-per-game, averaging 3.0 per-outing, which is good enough for fourth in the nation (through Feb. 14).   
 
FIU PANTHERS
Record: 11-15 overall, 5-8 C-USA
Last Game: L, 83-76 at WKU, February 10, 2018
Head Coach: Anthony Evans
Alma Mater: St. Thomas Aquinas, 1994  
Career Record: 161-185/11th season
Record at FIU: 62-91/Fifth season
Top Players: Brian Beard, Jr. (16.2 ppg, 5.5 apg, 3.0 spg), Trejon Jacob (15.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
 
FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS
Last Game: L, 79-68 at Marshall, February 10, 2018
Head Coach: Michael Curry
Alma Mater: Georgia Southern, 1990
Career Record: 37-80/Fourth season
Record at school: Same
Top Players: Ronald Delph (13.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg), Justin Massey (12.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: CUSA.tv
Ken LaVicka (Play-by-play)
Video/Radio/Audio: FIUSports.com
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: FIU leads series, 24-17
Twitter: @FIUHoops
Tickets: For ticket information, call the Florida Atlantic athletic ticket office at 866-FAU-OWLS (328-6957)
 
SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC
- FAU comes into Saturday's game with FIU with a 10-15 record and a 4-9 record in Conference USA ... The Owls have dropped their last four games, and six of their last seven.

- Ronald Delph leads three players in double figures in the scoring column, averaging 13.7 points-per-game to go along with his team-high 8.8 rebounds-per-outing ... Justin Massey is second in scoring, netting 12.7 points-per-game, and Gendarius Troutman is a close third dropping in 12.6 points-per-contest.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST THE OWLS
- FIU comes into its game with Florida Atlantic leading the all-time series against the Owls, 23-17 ... The actual on-court record is 24-17, however, the Panthers had to vacate one win due to NCAA sanctions.

- Prior to its two losses to FAU last season, FIU had won six-straight games, against the Owls ... The Panthers have currently won seven of the last nine games and 9-of-12 against Florida Atlantic dating back to the 2011-12 season.
 
- There have been two overtime games between the two schools, with FAU winning both, 91-88 on Feb. 28, 2007 and 80-78 on Feb. 19, 2011.
 
UP NEXT FOR FIU
Following Saturday's game, FIU will return home for its final Conference USA home weekend of the season, beginning when North Texas visits the Ocean Bank Convocation Center for a 7 p.m. meeting with the Panthers on Feb. 22 ...  FIU plays its home finale on Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. against Rice.
 
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