MIAMI, Fla. – The FIU men's basketball team aims to corral another big Conference USA victory inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center as the Panthers welcome in reigning Conference USA champions UAB for a 7 p.m. tip on Saturday, Jan. 7.
Saturday, Jan. 7 vs. UAB (12-3, 3-1 C-USA)
The Panthers gear up for yet another crucial Conference USA matchup on their home floor, looking to nab their fourth straight home win with a 7-2 mark currently inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center this season.
FIU earned its first league win with a pivotal 62-60 victory over Charlotte on Thursday night, marking its first win over the 49ers in the last five matchups and first since 2020.
Denver Jones tallied his third straight 20-point performance with game-highs of 20 points, behind 14 first-half buckets, and eight rebounds – leading the Conference USA in field goal percentage (54.8%) and second in scoring (18.4 ppg). Jones has reached double figures in 11 of 12 games played this season.
Freshman
Arturo Dean recorded his ninth game in double figures with 15 points to pair with two steals and a block, as the first-year has displayed a tenacity for getting to the rim upon a 49.0 percent field goal percentage.
Additionally, Jones (2.2 stls/g) and Dean (2.0 stls/g) pace the squad defensively, as FIU leads the C-USA in steals per game (9.3), which also sits 23
rd in the NCAA, while also ranking 17
th in the NCAA in turnovers forced per game (17.5).
FIU's win over Charlotte (No. 76) marked a Top-100 NET victory for the Panthers, as UAB enters Saturday's matchup boasting a No. 57 NET ranking.
LAST TIME OUT
UAB dropped the Panthers in their last matchup on Jan. 13, 2022, in Birmingham, 84-56. Prior to that, FIU won the previous matchup in Miami, 93-68, on Jan. 16, 2020.
Series History: UAB leads 6-5
SCOUTING UAB
UAB sits at 12-3 overall and 3-1 on the season after collecting C-USA wins over Charlotte, UTEP and UTSA, though, falling to FAU in Boca Raton on Thursday, 88-86.
The reigning C-USA champs were picked to win the league again for the 2022-23 season, as the Blazers are led by reigning C-USA Player of the Year Jordan "Jelly" Walker (24.9 ppg) who was recently named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watchlist. LSU transfer Eric Gaines (11.7 ppg) leads the facilitation with 4.7 assists per game for the Blazers, while Trey Jameson leads UAB's rebounding efforts with 7.4 per game. Among UAB's strengths, the Blazers sit third in the NCAA in rebounds per game (42.0), fifth in scoring offense (86.6) and 24
th in fast break points per game (15.4).
UP NEXT
FIU welcomes FAU inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Wednesday, Jan. 11, for a 7:30 p.m. matchup 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
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(@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.
