MIAMI (February 7, 2018) – The FIU men's basketball team hits the road for what will be one of its most challenging weekends of its Conference USA portion of its schedule, as it heads to Huntington, West Virginia to take on Marshall and to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to battle WKU, with both teams currently in the top-four of the C-USA standings. The two-game stretch begins against the Thundering Herd on Feb. 8, with game time set for 8 p.m. The game can be seen on CUSA.tv with Mark Martin and Bob Bolen calling the action.
 
Click here for complete FIU game notes

FIU comes into the Marshall game having won its last two games, and three of its last five. Thursday's game is the first of three-straight that the Panthers will play on the road - their longest C-USA road stretch of the season - and the first of five games that FIU will play on the road game in its final seven regular season games. 

Brian Beard, Jr. recorded his first career double-double on Feb. 3, in the Panthers' thrilling win over Louisiana Tech, with a 19-point, career-high 10-assist outing. Eric Lockett added 15 points, and Trejon Jacob and Michael Douglas chipped in with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Beard, Jr. leads the Panthers in scoring, averaging 16.4 points-per-game. He leads four players in double figures, in the scoring column for FIU, along with Trejon Jacob (14.8 ppg) and Eric Lockett (14.2 ppg) who are second and third, respectively. Josh Stamps rounds out the double-digit scorers with a 10.7 point-per-game average.

For his efforts last week, Beard, Jr. was named the C-USA Player of the Week after averaging 21.0 points, 8.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals last week against Southern Miss, and Louisiana Tech. He 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. 5).
 
FIU PANTHERS
Record: 11-13 overall, 5-6 C-USA
Last Game: W, 71-68 vs. Louisiana Tech, February 3, 2018
Head Coach: Anthony Evans
Alma Mater: St. Thomas Aquinas, 1994  
Career Record: 161-183/11th season
Record at FIU: 62-89/Fifth season
Top Players: Brian Beard, Jr. (16.4 ppg, 5.6 apg, 3.0 spg), Trejon Jacob (14.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
 
MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD
Record: 15-8, 6-4 C-USA
Last Game: W, 74-65 at UTEP, February 3, 2018
Head Coach: Dan D'Antoni
Alma Mater: Marshall, 1970
Career Record: 63-60/Fourth season
Record at school: Same
Top Players: Jon Elmore (22.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg), C.J. Burks (21.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: CUSA.tv
Mark Martin (Play-by-play)
Bob Bolen (Color commentator)
Radio/Audio: FIUSports.com
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: Marshall leads series, 5-1
Twitter: @FIUHoops
Tickets: For ticket information, contact the Marshall athletic ticket office at 800-The-Herd (843--4373).
 
SCOUTING MARSHALL
- Marshall comes into its game with FIU with a 15-8 record and a 6-4 mark in Conference USA following its 74-65 win at UTEP on Feb. 3 ... The win over the Miners snapped a two-game skid for the Thundering Herd ... Marshall is currently in a tie for fourth - with North Texas - in the C-USA standings.
 
- Jon Elmore is one of two players on the Marshall roster that is averaging better than 20 points-per-game on the year ... Elmore is netting 22.0 points-per-game, while C.J. Burkes is dropping in 21.2 points-per-outing ... Ajdin Penava is grabbing a team-best 8.7 rebounds-per-contest.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST THE THUNDERING HERD
- Marshall leads the all-time series against FIU, 5-1, and 4-1 with both schools as members of Conference USA.
 
- Their has been one overtime game between FIU and Marshall with that coming on Jan. 15, 2015 with the Panthers coming out on top, 66-62.
 
SCOUTING WKU
- WKU comes into this weeks games with a 16-7 record and a, 8-2 record in Conference USA ... WKU is currently tied for second in Conference USA with Old Dominion ... Despite losing its last game at UTSA on Feb. 3, 74-63, the Hilltoppers have won nine of their last 11 games.
 
- Darius Thompson leads WKU in scoring, averaging 14.4 points-per-game, while Justin Thompson is second on the team, netting 14.0 points-per-outing and a team-high 9.6 rebounds-per-game.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST THE HILLTOPPERS
- WKU holds a commanding 33-6 lead in the all-time series ... FIU, however, had one win vacated (Feb. 26, 2005, 79-77) due to NCAA sanctions.
 
- The Panthers have lost five of their last seven games, against the Hilltoppers, and 13 of their last 16 ... The Blue and Gold last handed WKU a 75-72 loss on Jan. 7, 2016, in Bowling Green, Kentucky ... Prior to the 2015-16 season, FIU's last win was an 87-82 victory on Feb. 16, 2013 at FIU Arena.
 
UP NEXT FOR FIU
- Following Thursday's game, FIU travels to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to face WKU on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. ET ... The Panthers will close out its three-game road stretch on Feb. 17 when it battles C-USA rival Florida Atlantic at 2 p.m. in Boca Raton.
 
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