BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – FIU closes out its first weekend of the Conference USA season, on Jan. 5, when it faces UAB at Bartow Arena. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. ET and the contest can be seen live on ESPN+.

FIU comes into the game looking for its eighth win in its last 11 games, while also looking to improve to 11-4 overall and 2-0 in Conference USA play. The Panthers boast a 10-4 record, which equals their best 14-game start in program history.

GAME 15: FIU AT UAB
Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019 | 8 p.m. ET | Bartow Arena | Birmingham, Alabama | ESPN+

Click here for complete FIU game notes
Click here to watch live on ESPN+
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FIU PANTHERS | 10-4 (1-0 C-USA)
Last Game: Jan. 3 at Middle Tennessee, W, 83-76
Next Game: Jan. 10 vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Jeremy Ballard
Alma Mater: Colgate, 2003
Career Record: 10-4 (First season)
at FIU: Same

UAB BLAZERS | 9-5 (1-0 C-USA)
Last Game: Jan. 3 vs. Florida Atlantic, W, 67-50
Next Game: Jan. 10 at Louisiana Tech, 7:30 p.m. ET
Head Coach: Robert Ehsan
Alma Mater: UC Davis, 2005
Career Record: 46-34 (Third season)
at UAB: Same

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: ESPN+
Curt Bloom (Play-by-play)
Bill Jones (Analyst)
Radio: FIUSports.com
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: Series tied, 4-4
Twitter Updates: @FIUHoops
Tickets: UAB Athletics Ticket Office 205-975-8221

QUICK HITS
- FIU's 10-4 start is tied for the best 14-game start in program history, joining the 1984-85 squad that also started the season 10-4.

- FIU comes into the UAB game following an 83-76 come-from-behind win at Middle Tennessee on Jan. 3 ... Brian Beard, Jr. led the way with a game-high 28 points and Trejon Jacob added 20 points in the win.

- Through Jan 3, Brian Beard, Jr. leads NCAA in steals-per-game (3.4) and total steals (48) ... Osasumwen Osaghae is 11th in the nation in offensive rebounds-per-game (3.7) ... FIU is third in the nation in scoring (92.6).

LAST TIME OUT
- FIU won its Conference USA opener for the sixth time in the last seven years, with its 83-76 come-from-behind win at Middle Tennessee on Jan. 3.

- Brian Beard, Jr. led four players in double figures pouring in a game-high 28 points, including 15 in the second half, while Trejon Jacob added 20 points ... Devon Andrews and Antonio Daye, Jr. chipped in with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

- The Panthers trailed by as many as 14 points midway through the second half, however, used a 24-4 run to take control of the game en route to the win.

- FIU's win was its sixth come-from-behind win of the season in its 10 total victories.

- The Panthers forced their opponent into 20-or-more turnovers for the ninth time this season, with Middle Tennessee's 21 on the night … It was the fourth-straight game that FIU's opponent had at least 20 turnovers, the longest such stretch of the season … The Blue Raiders' 21 miscues led to FIU holding a 21-7 points-of-turnover margin.

SCOUTING UAB
- UAB comes into its game with FIU with an 9-5 record, and winners of three of its last four games, following its 67-60 win over Florida Atlantic on Jan. 3, in its Conference USA opener.

- Zack Bryant leads three players in double figures, averaging 13.0 points-per-game, while Jalen Perry and Louis Sullivan are netting 11.6 and 10.1 points-per-outing, respectively ... Sullivan also leads the team in rebounding, grabbing 6.1 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.

BEARD, JR. CLIMBING THE CHARTS; MOVES INTO SECOND ALL-TIME IN CAREER ASSISTS
- In just 45 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 (270), 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, however those came over four years.

- In addition, Beard, Jr. is sixth all-time in career steals (138), two shy of tying Gene Derkack (140, 1995-99) for fifth all-time on FIU's career steals list.

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
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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