MIAMI – FIU returns to the court, on Saturday, Feb. 23, for its first game of Conference USA Bonus Play against a familiar foe, Florida Atlantic. Game time in Boca Raton is slated for 4 p.m. with the matchup being carried live on CUSA TV. Saturday's contest is the third meeting of the season between FIU and FAU, with each team winning on each other's home floor. The Panthers defeated the Owls at FAU Arena, 78-74, on Jan. 23, before dropping an 89-72 decision on Jan. 26, in Miami, in front of a record crowd at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

FIU, looks to improve to 17-11 overall and 8-7 in C-USA play and secure its first winning season since the 2012-13 campaign (18-14), and only its second winning campaign in the last 19 years. In addition, a victory would tie for the fifth most wins in a season in school history.

GAME 28: FIU at FLORIDA ATLANTIC
Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019 | 4 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 | 16-11 (7-7 C-USA)
Last Game: Feb. 16 vs. North Texas, W, 69-59
Next Game: March 3 vs. Louisiana Tech, 12 p.m.
Head Coach: Jeremy Ballard
Alma Mater: Colgate, 2003
Career Record: 16-11 (First season)
at FIU: Same

FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS | 16-11 (7-7 C-USA)
Last Game: Feb. 16 vs. Rice, W, 60-41
Next Game: Feb. 28 at North Texas, 8 p.m.
Head Coach: Dusty May
Alma Mater: Indiana, 2000
Career Record: 16-11 (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, 24-19 (see The Series Note)
Twitter Updates: @FIUHoops
Tickets: FAU Ticket Office 866-FAU-OWLS

QUICK HITS
- FIU looks for its third-straight win after having not won back-to-back games since November when it won four-straight against Columbia (98-87), Youngstown State (102-93), Ave Maria (104-84), Florida Gulf Coast (81-80).

- Brian Beard, Jr. is moving towards the 1,000-point plateau, currently sitting with 979 career points scored in just 58 career games with the Panthers ... He is ninth on FIU's all-time scoring list.

- FIU is coming off a 69-59 win over North Texas on Feb. 16, in Miami ... Brian Beard, Jr. scored a game-high 22 points, while Antonio Daye, Jr. added a career-high 20 points and Devon Andrews chipped in with 15 points. 

- Through Feb. 21, Brian Beard, Jr. is third in the NCAA in steals-per-game (3.1) and fourth in total steals (83) ... Osasumwen Osaghae is fifth in blocked shots-per-game (3.0) ... FIU is also ninth nationally in scoring (84.2).

LAST TIME OUT
- Brian Beard, Jr. and Antonio Daye, Jr. scored 22 and 20 points, respectively, and Devon Andrews added 15 points, as the FIU men's basketball team handed North Texas a 69-59 loss at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Feb. 16 ... The win marked the Panthers' first back-to-back wins since winning four-straight in November.

- Beard, Jr. got the Panthers off to a blistering start in the first half scoring 20 points in the first 20 minutes of play, as FIU shot an impressive 60.9 percent (14-for-23) from the floor, including 55.6 percent (10-for-18) from behind the three-point arc ... Beard, Jr., who was 7-for-9 from the floor in the first stanza, and 6-for-8 from three-point range, also saw his backcourt mate, Daye, Jr., score double-digits in the first half with 12 points, as the Panthers took a 45-34 lead into the locker room at the break ... The Panthers led by as many as 15 points in the second half, however, the Mean Green fought back to cut the lead to four points, 49-45, with 14:52 left in the contest, but that was as close as North Texas would get.

- FIU finished the game shooting 47.8 percent (22-for-46) from the field and, for the second-straight game, was nearly automatic from the free-throw line, hitting 80.0 percent (12-of-15) of its shots from the charity stripe ... The Panthers came into the game off a 90 percent performance from the free-throw line against Rice on Feb. 14.

SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC
- Florida Atlantic comes into its game with FIU with identical records with the Panthers, 16-11 overall and 7-7 in Conference USA play ... The Owls have won their last two, three of their last four and five of their last seven following a 60-41 win over Rice on Feb. 14.

- Anthony Adger is one of two active players, averaging in double figures, netting 16.5 points-per-game, while Xavian Stapleton is averaging 13.0 points-per-outing.

THE SERIES AGAINST THE OWLS
- FIU comes into its game with Florida Atlantic leading the all-time series against the Owls, 24-19 ... The actual on-court record is 25-19, however, the Panthers had to vacate one win due to NCAA sanctions.

- The Panthers have currently won eight of the last 12 games and 10-of-15 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 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
FIU will enjoy a seven-day break before getting back on the court for its next game ... The Panthers will next face Louisiana Tech on March 3, at 12 p.m., at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center ... FIU will also travel to Marshall, to face the Thundering Herd on March 6 (7 p.m.) and will take on North Texas at home on March 9 (7 p.m.), to close out Bonus Play.

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