MIAMI (Nov. 12, 2019) - The FIU men's soccer team begins play in the Conference USA Men's Soccer Tournament as the No. 3 seed on Wednesday, Nov. 13 when they face No. 6 seeded South Carolina in the first round.

FIU is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff against the Gamecocks at Old Dominion Soccer Complex in Norfolk, Virginia. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Click here for 2019 C-USA Men's Soccer Championship bracket.
Click here for 2019 C-USA Men's Soccer Championship central.

USC PREVIEW
USC has posted a 7-8-2 record in the 2019 campaign, including a 2-5 record in Conference USA. The Gamecocks managed to earn the last seed in the C-USA tournament following their final match of the regular season on Nov. 1, in which they handed FIU its first loss of the 2019 season in Columbia, South Carolina.

INSIDE THE SERIES
FIU trails USC 1-15-5 in the all-time series dating back to the 1987 season. The Panthers lone victory against the Gamecocks came on Oct. 14, 2017, when FIU defeated USC by a score of 5-2 in Columbia, South Carolina. The Panthers fell to the Gamecocks last year on Nov. 11 in Miami, as USC defeated FIU by a score of 3-2 in the last game of the 2018 regular season.

AMONG THE NATION'S BEST 
FIU enters the matchup ranking top-15 in multiple offensive categories. The Panthers are sixth overall in the country in assists-per-game (2.5) and eighth in total assists (40), while also ranking sixth overall in points-per-game (7.25) and 12th in total points (116). Additionally, the Panthers are ranked ninth nationally in goals-per-game (2.38) and 13th in total goals (38).

C-USA STANDOUTS
FIU ranks first in several C-USA offensive categories this season, including points-per-game, goals-per-game, total assists, assists-per-game, and shots-per-game (14.25). The Panthers also rank second in the conference in total goals (38) and shot attempts (228).

DEEP PANTHER PACK
FIU has displayed unselfish play throughout the roster in the 2019 campaign, as seventeen different Panthers have logged either a goal or an assist this season. Fifteen Panthers have logged a goal thus far, while 14 players have contributed an assist. An impressive total of 12 Panthers have logged both a goal and an assist. Those players include returning veterans Alessandro Campoy, Andrew Booth, Nick O'Callaghan, Inigo Sagarduy, Matias Barraza, Owen Green, Xavi Olmos Ferris, Mohamed Conde, and newcomers Stephen Afrifa, Alban Rousselet, David Garcia, and Ronaldo Marshall. 

FOLLOW LIVE
A live stream for the match can be found here. Live stats for the match can be found here.

UP NEXT
The winner of the match between FIU and USC will face No. 2 seeded Charlotte in the semifinals at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 15.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUMensSoccer) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUMensSoccer) for all the latest Men's Soccer news. Follow all of FIU's18 athletic teams on Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUAthletics).