MIAMI, Fla. – The fifth season of the Jeremy Ballard era is set to tip off in Miami on Monday evening, as the 2022-23 FIU men's basketball team prepares to host Houston Christian, formerly Houston Baptist University (HBU), at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center at 7 p.m.
 
Monday, Nov. 7 vs. Houston Christian

• Time / Location: 7 p.m. at Ocean Bank Convocation Center (5,000)
• TV: CUSA.tv (AJ Ricketts and Matt McCall)
• Radio: FIU Student Radio
• Series: First all-time meeting

 
After securing the program's best start in program history last season, the Panthers look to carry the same energy into the 2022-23 season with eight of 11 nonconference tilts being hosted at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center – starting with Monday's inaugural matchup between FIU and Houston Christian.
 
Sophomore guard Denver Jones highlights FIU's returning core as the squad's top returning scorer from last season, having averaged 12.5 points behind 20 double-figure scoring performances on 34.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc (49-for-142) and leading the Conference USA with an 89.6 percent free-throw mark (112-for-125). 7-foot-1 center Seth Pinkney returns as the lone starter from last year's team, shooting 63.3 percent from the floor last season (4.0 ppg) while pulling down 4.2 rebounds per game through 32 starts.
 
Additionally, junior Javaunte Hawkins and sophomore Petar Krivokapic return to provide a spark to FIU's offensive prowess, having finished 15^th in the NCAA and led the C-USA in 3-pointers per game last season (9.6), as the Panthers' top returning deep threats with Hawkins recording 42 threes at 35.6 percent (42-for-118), while Krivokapic paced FIU at 42.5 percent from beyond the arc on 37-of-87 shooting for the 2021-22 season.
 
The Panthers added seven newcomers to the 2022-23 squad, highlighted by three graduate transfers in forward Nick Guadarrama (New Hampshire) and guards Austin Williams (Hartford) and John Williams Jr.. (Glenville State), as Guadarrama will look to make an immediate impact having been a three-time All-America East honoree and 1,000-point scorer at UNH, followed by Austin Williams who led the Hawks with 16.1 points as a First Team All-America East selection last season. John Williams Jr. provides a wealth of experience as a multi-faceted scoring threat for the Panthers, coming to Miami after having consecutively finished second amongst the NCAA Division II ranks in scoring at 24.4 points last season as a DII All-American at Glenville State.
 
FIU also added four freshmen in Arturo Dean, Dashon Gittens, Jayden Brewer and Darryon Prescott. Dean and Gittens starred together at Putnam Science Academy in Hartford, Conn., where the duo led PSA to its first undefeated season (38-0) en route to winning the National Prep Championship title, in addition to NEBL and Power 5 Conference titles. Brewer, a native of Indianapolis, Ind., led Combine Prep to a National Prep Showcase title while leading the squad at 16.6 points per game as an extremely athletic and bouncy 6-foot-6 wing.
 
FIU opened the 2021-22 season with its best start in program history at 8-1 through its first nine contests prior to finishing with a 15-17 overall record. The Panthers were picked to finish 10^th in the Conference USA Preseason Poll.
 
SCOUTING HOUSTON CHRISTIAN
The Huskies, coming off an 11-18 season a year ago in which they finished fifth in the Southland Conference standings with a 6-8 league record, return six letterwinners with eight newcomers on the roster. They are, however, without last year's leading scorer and rebounder, Darius Lee, who was posthumously named SLC Preseason Player of the Year after tragically losing his life to an errant gunshot in June while home in Harlem, N.Y. visiting his family. Lee led HCU in scoring (18.2 ppg), rebounding (8.3 rpg), assists (86) and steals (65) en route to second team all-conference and all-defensive honors.
 
Junior Brycen Long is the team's top returning scorer after averaging 10.4 ppg as a sophomore. Long moved into the starting lineup in the seventh game of the season last year and was in the starting five for the final 23 games, shooting 37.8 percent (59-of-156) from 3-point range. Senior Sam Hofman, the team's other returning starter, connected on 42-of-108 (38.9 percent) as a junior last season and contributed 8.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
 
The Huskies' other returners include senior center Zach Iyeyemi (5.2 ppg, 3 rpg), senior forward Jason Thompson (2.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg), sophomore forward Deshon Proctor (4.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and forward Tristan Moore (4.9 ppg, 1.4 rpg). The HCU newcomers include Division I transfers Mak Klanjscek, a 6-5 senior guard from Maine who led the Black Bears with 9.7 ppg last season, and 6-10 senior post Bonke Maring, who hails from nearby Cypress and averaged 2.3 ppg and 1.2 rpg at UTEP last season.
 
HCU added a pair of junior college transfers in 6-6 forward Nate Hudson and 6-8 center Chigozie Achara while also bringing in a pair of 6-3 freshman guards, Pierce Bazil and Andrew King.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers welcome Florida National to Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Thursday, Nov. 10, for a 7 p.m. matchup to be broadcast on CUSA.tv.
 
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.