MIAMI (February 21, 2018) – The FIU men's basketball team returns to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center for its final weekend Conference USA series of the season, with the two-game home stand beginning on Feb. 22, against North Texas. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. and can be seen on CUSA.tv with A.J. Ricketts calling all the action. Thursday's game is the first of just two home contests that the Panthers will play in their final seven regular season games.
 
Click here for complete FIU game notes
 
Brian Beard, Jr. (Rancho Cucamonga, California) led FIU in scoring with 20 points in the Panthers 77-72 loss at Florida Atlantic on Feb. 17. It was his seventh 20-point outing of the season and his fourth in the last seven games. Joining Beard, Jr. in double-digits was Eric Lockett (Warner Robins, Georgia) with 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, marking his fifth career double-double, Josh Stamps (Chicago, Illinois) chipped in with nine points, and Jay Harvey (Chicago, Illinois) added eight points and eight rebounds, both career-highs.  
 
Beard, Jr. leads the Panthers in scoring, averaging 16.3 points-per-game. He leads four players in double figures in the scoring column for FIU, along with Trejon Jacob (14.9 ppg) (Raleigh, North Cartolina) and Lockett (13.9 ppg) who are second and third, respectively. Stamps rounds out the double-digit scorers with a 10.7 point-per-game average.
 
Beard, Jr. is still among the nation's leaders in steals-per-game, averaging 3.1 per-outing, which is good enough for second in the nation (through Feb. 20).
 
FIU PANTHERS
Last Game: L, 77-72 at Florida Atlantic, February 17, 2018
Head Coach: Anthony Evans
Alma Mater: St. Thomas Aquinas, 1994  
Career Record: 161-186/11th season
Record at FIU: 62-99/Fifth season
Top Players: Brian Beard, Jr. (16.3 ppg, 5.5 apg, 3.1 spg), Trejon Jacob (14.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
 
NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN
Record: 14-13 overall, 7-7 C-USA
Last Game: L, 74-72 at Marshall, February 17, 2018
Head Coach: Grant McCasland
Alma Mater: Baylor, 1999
Career Record: 14-13/First season
Record at school: Same
Top Players: Roosevelt Smart (19.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg), Ryan Woolridge (13.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg)
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: CUSA.tv
A.J. Ricketts (Play-by-play)
Video/Radio/Audio: FIUSports.com
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: North Texas leads series, 16-5
Twitter: @FIUHoops
Tickets: For ticket information, contact the FIU athletic ticket office at 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263).
 
SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS
- North Texas comes into Thursday's game with a 14-13 overall record and a 7-7 slate in Conference USA play ... The Mean Green have dropped three-straight games after winning five-of-seven prior to the three-game skid.  

- Roosevelt Smart is averaging 19.6 points-per-game, one of two players on the roster in double-figures ... Ryan Woolridge is netting 13.1 points-per-contest ... A.J. Lawson is grabbing 5.7 rebounds-per-game, tops on the team.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST THE MEAN GREEN
- FIU and North Texas have met 21 times previously, prior to this Thursday's game, with the Mean Green holding a 16-5 lead in the series, and a 4-1 mark as members of Conference USA ... North Texas holds a 12-4 record on FIU as Sun Belt members ... The Panthers defeated the Mean Green handily last year, 90-71, however dropped four games prior to that contest, and eight of their last 10 games.

- The Panthers and Mean Green have played five overtime games in the series, with four of the five coming in the first four regular season meetings ... North Texas is 3-2 in overtime games against FIU.
 
UP NEXT FOR FIU
Following Saturday's game, FIU will close out the home portion of its 2017-18 season when it hosts Rice on Saturday, March 24, at 7 p.m. The Panthers conclude the regular season with two games on the road, at Charlotte on Feb. 1 (7:30 p.m.), and Old Dominion on Feb. 3 (7 p.m.).
 
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