MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – FIU begins Conference USA play as it heads on the road for two-straight games, beginning at Middle Tennessee on Jan. 3, at 7:30 p.m. ET, before heading to Birmingham, Alabama, to butt heads with UAB on Jan. 5, at 8 p.m. ET. Both games can be seen live on ESPN+.

FIU comes into the game looking for its seventh win in its last 10 games. The Panthers boast a 9-4 record, which equals their best 13-game start in program history.

GAME 14: FIU AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019 | 7:30 p.m. | The Murphy Center | Murfreesboro, Tennessee

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FIU PANTHERS | 9-4
Last Game: Dec. 30 at Ohio, L, 68-66
Next Game: Jan. 5 at UAB, 8 p.m. ET
Head Coach: Jeremy Ballard
Alma Mater: Colgate, 2003
Career Record: 9-4 (First season)
at FIU: Same

MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS | 3-10
Last Game: Dec 30 at Rhode Island, L, 72-60
Next Game: Jan. 5 vs. Florida Atlantic, 5 p.m. ET
Head Coach: Nick McDevitt
Alma Mater: UNC Asheville, 2001
Career Record: 101-76 (Sixth season)
at Middle Tennessee: 3-10 (First season)

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: ESPN+
Jake Rose (Play-by-play)
Alex Myers (Analyst); Kaitlyn Runion (Sideline)
Radio: FIUSports.com
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: Middle Tennessee leads series 30-8
Twitter Updates: @FIUHoops
Tickets: Call the Middle Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office 615-898-5261

QUICK HITS
- FIU's 9-4 start is tied for the best 13-game start in program history, joining the 1984-85 squad that also started the season 9-4.

- The Middle Tennessee game will be the first of five Conference USA games that the Panthers will play in their next seven outings.

- FIU comes into the Middle Tennessee game following a tough 68-66 loss at Ohio on Dec. 30 ... Brian Beard, Jr. led the Panthers with 13 points while Devon Andrews had 11 points ... Osasumwen Osaghae grabbed 13 rebounds.

- Through Jan 1, Brian Beard, Jr. in second in Division I in steals-per-game (3.4) and total steals (41) and 34th in scoring (20.6) ... In addition, Osasumwen Osaghae is currently ranked first in the nation in offensive rebounds-per-game, grabbing 4.1 per-outing.

- The Panthers as a team are second in the nation in scoring (95.6 ppg).

LAST TIME OUT
- FIU is coming off a tough 68-66 loss at Ohio University in its non-conference finale on Dec. 30 ... Brian Beard, Jr. led the Panthers with 13 points while Devon Andrews had 11 points ... Osasumwen Osaghae grabbed 13 rebounds.

- The Panthers trailed by as many as 12 points early in the second half, however, battled back to take their biggest lead of the game, three points, with 3:52 left in the contest ... The Bobcats got the game-winner with a rebound put back with two seconds left.

- FIU shot 41.5 percent (27-for-65) from the field and just 19.4 percent (7-for-36) from behind the arc ... The Panthers took advantage of 23 Ohio turnovers for 24 points, however, the Bobcats controlled the paint outscoring FIU 52-36 in the lane.

SCOUTING MIDDLE TENNESSEE
- Middle Tennessee comes into its game with FIU with a 3-10 record following a 72-60 loss in its non-conference finale at Rhode Island on Dec. 30 ... The loss to the Rams extends the Blue Raiders' losing streak to nine games following a 3-1 start to the season.

- Antonio Green leads Middle Tennessee in scoring, averaging 18.9 points-per-game, while Reggie Scurry is just below double figures, netting 9.1 points-per-contest ... Karl Gamble leads the team on the glass, grabbing 6.7 rebounds-per-outing.

THE SERIES AGAINST THE BLUE RAIDERS
- The Blue Raiders hold a commanding 30-8 lead on FIU in the all-time series ... Middle Tennessee has won 15 of its last 17 games against the Panthers ... FIU last defeated Middle Tennessee, 59-54, on March 5, 2015 in Miami ... Last season the Blue Raiders handed the Panthers a tough 71-66 overtime loss in Miami, the only overtime game in the series.

- Middle Tennessee has won the last five-straight games by an average of just five points-per-game.

SCOUTING UAB
- UAB comes into the week with an 8-5 record, and winners of two of its last three, following its 75-67 win over Arkansas Monticello on Dec. 29 ... The Blazers open Conference USA play on Jan. 3, against Florida Atlantic.

- Zack Bryant leads three players in double figures, averaging 13.2 points-per-game, while Jalen Perry and Louis Sullivan are netting 11.9 and 10.2 points-per-outing, respectively ... Sullivan also leads the team in rebounding, grabbing 6.7 rebounds-per-contest.

THE SERIES AGAINST THE BLAZERS
- FIU comes into its game with UAB tied in the all-time series, 4-4, dating back to the 2013-14 season ... The Panthers have won two of the last three games, and three of the last six.

FIU IN CONFERENCE OPENERS
- FIU comes into Thursday's game with Middle Tennessee posting a 12-15 record all-time in conference lid-lifters, including winners of its last five out of six.

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.

- The Panthers hit the 100-point plateau on Dec. 13, with a 102-89 win against North Florida, and most recently poured in 108 points in a 108-67 win over Florida Memorial on Dec. 20.

- The Panthers' six 100-point games are tied for the second most in a season in school history, joining the 1982-83 team ... The most 100-point outings in a season for FIU came during the 1997-98 campaign with seven.

UP NEXT FOR FIU
Following the game against the Blue Raiders, FIU will travel to Birmingham, Alabama, to face UAB on Jan. 5, at 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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