MIAMI – FIU closes out its three-game road stretch with the first game of two-straight meetings against Florida Atlantic, beginning on Jan. 23 in Boca Raton. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. and can be seen live on CUSA TV. The Panthers and Owls will also meet in Miami on Jan. 26. FIU looks for its third win in the last five games, and its fourth win in its last seven outings when it takes on the Owls.

The Panthers look to improve to 13-7 overall and 4-3 in C-USA play.

GAME 20: FIU at FLORIDA ATLANTIC
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 | 7 p.m. | FAU Arena | Boca Raton, Florida | CUSA TV

Click here for complete FIU game notes
Click here to watch live on CUSA TV
Click here for live stats

FIU PANTHERS | 12-7 (3-3 C-USA)
Last Game: Jan. 19 at Marshall, L, 105-97
Next Game: Jan. 26 vs. Florida Atlantic, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Jeremy Ballard
Alma Mater: Colgate, 2003
Career Record: 12-7 (First season)
at FIU: Same

FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS | 11-8 (2-4 C-USA)
Last Game: Jan. 19 at WKU, L, 72-66
Next Game: Jan. 26 at FIU, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Dusty May
Alma Mater: Indiana, 2000
Career Record: 11-8 (First season)
at Florida Atlantic: Same

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: CUSA TV
Ken LaVicka (Play-by-play)
Radio: FIUSports.com
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: FIU leads series, 24-18 (see The Series Note)
Twitter Updates: @FIUHoops
Tickets: FAU Ticket Office 866-FAU-OWLS

QUICK HITS
- FIU's 12-7 start is the second-best 19-game start in program history, behind the 1997-98 squad that started the season 13-6.

- FIU comes into the FAU game after a 1-1 split last week at WKU and at Marshall ... The Panthers are coming off a tough 105-97 loss to the Thundering Herd on Jan. 19 ... Devon Andrews paced five players in a career-high tying 23 points.

- Through Jan. 21, Brian Beard, Jr. leads NCAA in steals-per-game (3.3) and total steals (63) ... Osasumwen Osaghae is ninth in the nation in blocked shots-per-game (2.8) ... FIU is also fourth in scoring (88.3).

LAST TIME OUT
- FIU is coming off a tough 105-97 loss at Marshall on Jan. 19, ending its two-game swing trip to WKU and Marshall with a 1-1 record. 

- The Panthers placed five players in double figures, led by a career-high-tying 23 points from Devon Andrews ... Joining Andrews was Brian Beard. Jr. and Willy Nunez, Jr. with 16 points apiece ... Antonio Daye, Jr. and Osasumwen Osaghae chipped in with 15 and 10 points, respectively ... Osaghae also grabbed a career-high-tying 15 rebounds for his second-straight double-double and the fourth of his career.

- The Panthers equaled their best shooting performance of the season, hitting 53.8 percent (42-for-78), the first time shooting 50 percent or better since Dec. 20 against Florida Memorial (50.7 percent) ... Marshall shot 57.8 percent (37-for-64) from the field, including 44.4 percent (8-for-18) from three-point range.

SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC
- The Owls come into their game against FIU with an 11-8 record and a 2-4 mark in Conference USA ... Florida Atlantic has dropped its last three-straight games following a 72-66 loss at WKU on Jan. 19, in Bowling Green ... The setback was also the Owls' fourth loss in the last six games.

- Jailyn Ingram is one of three players averaging double figures in the scoring column, netting 18.9 points-per-game, along with Anthony Adger, averaging 16.1 points, and Xavian Stapleton scoring 12.7 points-per-game on the year.

THE SERIES AGAINST THE OWLS
- FIU comes into its game with Florida Atlantic leading the all-time series against the Owls, 23-18 ... The actual on-court record is 24-18, however, the Panthers had to vacate one win due to NCAA sanctions.

- The Panthers have dropped three of the last four, however prior to that 1-3 stretch, FIU had won six-straight games against the Owls ... The Panthers have currently won seven of the last 10 games and 9-of-13 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.

BEARD, JR. CLIMBING THE CHARTS; MOVES INTO SECOND ALL-TIME IN CAREER ASSISTS
- In just 50 career games on the floor for FIU, Brian Beard, Jr. has made his mark in the Panthers' record books ... Beard, Jr. is currently second all-time in school history in career assists (300), surpassing Dwight Stewart (264, 1989-93) against Middle Tennessee on Jan. 3 ... He sits second only to Carlos Arroyo (1997-2001) who finished his career with 459 assists ... Arroyo's total came over four years (100 games).

- In addition, Beard, Jr. is fourth all-time on FIU's career steals list (153) surpassing Patrick McDonald (147, 1982-86) against Old Dominion on Jan. 12 … Next up is Dwight Stewart in third place (172, 1988-91).

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
The Panthers return home for a big three-game homestand, beginning on Jan. 26, against FAU ... FIU will also take on Southern Miss on Jan. 31, and Louisiana Tech on Feb. 2 ... All three games start at 7 p.m.

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