MIAMI – FIU closes out the traditional part of its regular season schedule, on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m., when North Texas visits the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. The game will be carried live on ESPN+. Following Saturday's game, the Panthers will begin C-USA Bonus Play. Opponents, dates and times will be announced Saturday night.

FIU, who looks to improve to 16-11 overall and 7-7 in C-USA play, will try to pick up its first back-to-back wins for the first time since November when it won four-straight against; Columbia (98-87), Youngstown State (102-93), Ave Maria (104-84) and Florida Gulf Coast (81-80).

GAME 27: FIU vs. NORTH TEXAS
Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 | 2 p.m. | Ocean Bank Convocation Center | Miami, Florida | ESPN+

Click here for complete FIU game notes
Click here to watch live on ESPN+
Click here for live stats

FIU PANTHERS | 15-11 (6-7 C-USA)
Last Game: Feb. 14 vs. Rice, W, 86-65
Next Game: TBA, C-USA Bonus Play
Head Coach: Jeremy Ballard
Alma Mater: Colgate, 2003
Career Record: 15-11 (First season)
at FIU: Same

NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN | 20-6 (8-5 C-USA)
Last Game: Feb. 14 at Florida Atlantic, L, 57-47
Next Game: TBA, C-USA Bonus Play
Head Coach: Grant McCasland
Alma Mater: Baylor, 1999
Career Record: 60-35 (Third season)
at North Texas: 40-23 (Second season)

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV/Video: ESPN+
A.J. Ricketts (Play-by-play)
Mike Gillian (Analyst)
Radio/Audio: None
Live Stats: FIUSports.com
Series: North Texas leads series, 16-6
Twitter Updates: @FIUHoops
Tickets: FIU Athletics Ticket Office 305-FIU-GAME

QUICK HITS
- FIU has forced its opponents into 541 turnovers on the year ... It's just the seventh time in program history, and the first time since the 2012-13 campaign (569), that FIU has forced its foes into 500-or-more miscues.

- FIU is coming off an 86-65 win over Rice on Feb. 14 ... The win snapped the Panthers' short two-game losing streak ... Devon Andrews scored 25 points and Brian Beard, Jr. and Antonio Daye, Jr. had 17 and 10 points, respectively.

- Through Feb. 14, Brian Beard, Jr. is second in the NCAA in total steals (80) and fifth in steals-per-game (3.1) ... Osasumwen Osaghae is seventh in blocked shots-per-game (2.9) ... FIU is also 10th in scoring (84.8).

LAST TIME OUT
- FIU placed three players in double figures, led by Devon Andrews and his 25 points, but it was the Panthers' defense that was on full display on Thursday night, as FIU got back on the winning track with a crucial 86-65 win over Rice ... In addition to Andrews' 25 points, Brian Beard, Jr. chipped in with 17 points to go along with five assists and five steals, and Daye, Jr. added 10 points and a career-high tying five steals.

- The Panthers forced the Owls into a season-high 33 turnovers, a total that is also tied for the most by an FIU opponent this season ... The blue and gold took full advantage of Rice's miscues, scoring 38 points off the turnovers, which is the second-most by the Panthers all season ... FIU did most of its offensive damage, off its defense, in the first half, recording 23 of its 38 points off turnovers in the first 20 minutes of play.

- FIU led by no more than eight points, twice, for the majority of the first half, with that second margin coming with 5:34 left before the break (28-20) ... The Panthers, however, scored 14 of the final 23 points of the half to take a 42-29 lead into the locker room at the intermission ... Despite a stretch where the Owls got the Panthers double-digit lead down to eight points, 64-56, with 7:12 left in the contest, FIU had full control for the majority of the second half pushing its lead to as many as 24 points in the closing minutes.

- The Panthers were almost automatic on the night from the free-throw line, an area where they have struggled this season ... They hit a season-best 90 percent (18-for-20) from the charity stripe, which is just the seventh time since the 2001-02 season that the Panthers have hit for better than 90 percent, or better, from the line (more than 10 attempts).

SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS
- North Texas comes into Saturday's game with FIU with a 20-6 record and an 8-5 slate in Conference USA following its 57-47 loss at Florida Atlantic on Feb. 14 ... The Mean Green are 4-5 in their last nine games, after starting the season 16-1, with the one loss during that 17-game stretch coming against Oklahoma (73-57).

- The Mean Green have six players netting double figures, led by Umoja Gibson, averaging 12.5 points-per-game, followed by Ryan Woolridge who is netting 12.3 points-per-contest ... Michael Miller is netting 11.4 points-per-outing and Roosevelt Smart 11.1 points-per-game ... Zachary Simmons is averaging 10.4 points-per-contest, to go along with his team-high 6.6 rebounds-per-game, while Jorden Duffy is also netting 10.4 points-per-outing.

THE SERIES AGAINST THE MEAN GREEN
- FIU and North Texas have met 22 times, prior to this Saturday's game, with the Mean Green holding a 16-6 lead in the series, and a 4-2 mark as members of Conference USA ... North Texas holds a 12-4 record on FIU as Sun Belt members ... The Panthers split with UNT, losing in overtime, 69-67, on Jan. 27, and defeating the Mean Green, 69-68, in Miami on Feb. 22.

- The Panthers and Mean Green have played five overtime games in the series, with three of the five coming in the first four regular season meetings ... North Texas is 3-2 in overtime games against FIU.

BEARD, JR. CLIMBING THE CHARTS; MOVES INTO SECOND ALL-TIME IN CAREER ASSISTS
- In just 57 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 (341), 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 (171) surpassing Patrick McDonald (147, 1982-86) against Old Dominion on Jan. 12 … He is currently one assist from tying Dwight Stewart for third place (172, 1988-91), and two from moving into sole possession of third.

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 will learn their Bonus Play opponents on Saturday night following the day's games ... FIU will play on four of the following five dates, Feb. 23, 28, and March 3, 6, 9, with two games being played at home and two on the road.

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