MIAMI, Fla. – The FIU women's basketball team is ready to start the Conference USA portion of its schedule Saturday afternoon (Dec. 31), hosting the University of North Texas inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center for a 1 p.m. tip.
Saturday, Dec. 31. vs. North Texas (3-8, 0-1 C-USA)
The Panthers welcome the Mean Green inside Ocean Bank Convocation Center after winning their final game of the FIU Holiday Hoops Showdown on Dec. 20. FIU looks to get their overall record over the .500 mark sitting at 5-5 as North Texas enters Saturday's matchup on a two-game losing streak after dropping their most recent contest against Florida Atlantic.
Last time out, FIU earned an important win over Bradley University, 65-57, to snap a two-game skid and evened out their record. The Panthers have been busy and playing well at home to kick-off this season, playing their first eight out of 10 games inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center with a 5-3 record.
The Panthers shot 41.4 percent from the floor in last Tuesday's win over the Braves, an improvement from their overall percentage on the season at 38.8. Redshirt freshman
Sifa Joyeuse continues to lead the Panthers in scoring (13.7 ppg) and is ninth in C-USA with that mark. Joyeuse is also fourth in the conference with 24 three pointers made.
Senior center
Hope Butera is coming off the best game of her collegiate career. She scored a career-high 21 points and secured a double-double with 10 rebounds. Butera has been a presence on the glass this season averaging six rebounds per game which cracks the top 10 in C-USA. She is also tied for the conference lead corralling 35 offensive rebounds this season.
FIU's defense has excelled this season on initiating turnovers. The Panthers are second in the conference averaging 11.4 steals per game and fourth in causing 21.1 turnovers per game for opposing teams.
FIU has three players in the C-USA top 10 in steals per game. Sophomore guard
Tanajah Hayes paces the team with 2.4 steals per game which is second in C-USA. Senior guard
Kaliah Henderson is not too far behind in third place averaging 2.3 steals and
Sifa Joyeuse is eighth with 1.8 steals.
SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS
The Mean Green enters Saturday's matchup 3-8 on the season, including a 0-1 mark in Conference USA, while struggling on the road with a 1-6 record.
North Texas is currently on a two-game skid, falling to FAU 66-61 in their last contest on Dec. 29, as tomorrow's meeting marks the first matchup between UNT and FIU in over two seasons – seeing UNT lead the series 10-7.
North Texas averages 57.8 points on 39 percent shooting, including an average of 5.0 threes per game on 26.4 percent beyond the arc. UNT is headlined by senior guard Quincy Noble who leads the Mean Green and is second in the conference averaging 18.6 points per game. Noble is fifth in the conference in both field goal percentage (45.9) and three pointers made (22).
UP NEXT
The Panthers will be on the road next week for a two-game slate starting with a Thursday night matchup against Charlotte at 6 p.m on Jan. 5. FIU will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 7 to take on the University of Alabama at Birmingham at 1 p.m. The contest against UAB will be streamed on ESPN+
TICKETS
For more information on FIU tickets to FIU basketball home games, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit
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