MIAMI, Fla. – After defending its home court for the FIU MTE crown over the holiday weekend, the FIU men's basketball team looks to build on its success and push its win streak in welcoming Eastern Michigan inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center for a 7 p.m. tip on Wednesday evening.
Wednesday, Nov. 30 vs. Eastern Michigan (1-6, 0-0 MAC)
- Time / Site: 7 p.m. at Ocean Bank Convocation Center
- TV: ESPN+ (AJ Ricketts and Matt McCall)
- Radio: FIU3932 Sports (Jonathan Mayer)
- Live Stats
- Game Notes: FIU | EMU
- Series History: EMU leads 1-0
The Panthers gear up for their fourth consecutive matchup on their home court, looking to corral their third straight win at home upon possessing a 4-1 mark on the season inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
FIU has been electric on its home court this season, averaging 86.0 points on 50.5 percent shooting and 34.6 percent from beyond the arc while holding a plus-14 scoring margin inside the OBCC. Defensively, teams have felt FIU's pressure in coughing up 19.2 turnovers in addition to the Panthers averaging 11.0 steals and 4.4 blocks through their five home contests.
Overall, the Panthers have begun to gel offensively, sitting 16
th in the nation at 50.9 percent from the field (2
nd C-USA) for an average of 84.0 points (24
th NCAA / 2
nd C-USA), while also benefitting from a deep bench that contributes 33.7 points per game – tops amongst the Conference USA and 21
st nationally.
Additionally, FIU has been effective sharing the ball with 16.8 assists per game (35
th NCAA / 3
rd C-USA), while also cleaning up its efficiency at the stripe after a season-best 20-for-22 performance (90.9%) on Sunday to hang at 70.3 percent from the free-throw line as a squad.
Sophomore guard
Denver Jones (19.7 ppg / 2
nd C-USA) leads three Panthers that average double figures, as Jones has tallied three 20-point performances upon near 60-40-90 club averages on 61.2 percent shooting (2
nd C-USA), 42.9 percent from beyond the arc and 88.9 percent from the free-throw line (4
th C-USA).
Freshman guard
Arturo Dean has been vital to the Panthers' success, averaging 13.7 points off the bench on 54.1 percent shooting, while ranking 21
st nationally and leading the C-USA in steals (2.7/g) and sitting third on the squad in rebounds (4.3/g). Junior
Javaunte Hawkins (10.0 ppg) rounds out FIU's double-figure scorers, leading the squad with a team-high 15 3-pointers at a 41.7 percent clip (4
th C-USA) while dishing 2.2 assists.
Defensively, the Panthers have wreaked havoc for opposing squads, tallying a league-best 10.7 steals per game – good for 16
th nationally – while forcing 18.2 turnovers on average.
Gradaute guard
John Williams Jr. has been a reliable option for the Panthers, averaging 8.8 points and 3.0 rebounds off the bench, while former C-USA Freshman of the Week
Dashon Gittens has also been solid through six starts with 7.7 points on 51.5 percent shooting, including 50.0 percent from beyond the arc (6-of-12).
Graduate forward
Nick Guadarrama (5.5 ppg) contributes in several areas for the Panthers, particularly as a key facilitator with a team-best 3.6 assists – holding a 2.6 assist/TO ratio (2
nd C-USA) – and ranking second on the squad in rebounds (4.8/g).
Sophomore forward
Mohamed Sanogo continues his growth, having eclipsed his career-high in scoring for the third time this season with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in FIU's 90-79 victory over Eastern Washington, while junior center
Seth Pinkney (6.5 ppg) paces the team's rebounding (4.7/g) and defensive efforts with nine total blocks on the season (1.5/g).
LAST TIME OUT
The Panthers came up short in the first all-time meeting between the two programs on Dec. 11, 2021, as FIU fell to the Eagles in quadruple overtime in Ypsilanti, 92-88.
Four Panthers finished in double figures in what was the program's longest game since 2005, paced by
Javaunte Hawkins with a career-best 22 points and
Denver Jones with 20 points.
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
The Eagles (1-6) will be looking to snap a six-game skid and pick up their first road victory of the season, as highly-touted sophomore Emoni Bates is coming off his first collegiate double-double of 17 points and career-high 13 rebounds in a 66-63 loss to UC San Diego on Sunday, Nov. 27. Bates currently ranks third amongst the MAC in scoring (team-high 19.5 ppg) and 24
th nationally in rebounds (6.4 rpg), making him the only player in the league to rank in the top five in scoring and top 25 in rebounding so far this season.
Tyson Acuff (12.6 ppg) continues to shine as the Eagles' second leading scorer and facilitator (2.9 apg), while Noah Farrakhan (12.4 ppg) rounds out Eastern Michigan's double-figure scorers and paces the squad at 3.0 assists. The Eagles average 75.1 points on 44.5 percent shooting and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc, though, allowing opposing squads to put up 82.3 points.
UP NEXT
FIU travels to face Sunshine State foe FGCU in Fort Myers, Fla., on Sunday, Dec. 4. The matchup is slated for a 6 p.m. tip inside Alico Arena to be broadcast on ESPN+.
TICKETS
For more information on FIU tickets to FIU basketball home games, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit
HERE.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram
(@FIUHoops), Twitter
(@FIUHoops), and Facebook (
Facebook.com/FIUMensBball) for all the latest Men's Basketball news.
General athletic news can also be found at
@FIUSports on Facebook and
@FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.
