Miami, Fla. – The FIU women's basketball team (12-12, 7-8 C-USA) is back home and slated for a weekend showdown against Middle Tennessee State University this Saturday afternoon, Feb. 18 at 12 p.m. ET inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

Saturday, Feb. 18 vs MTSU (21-4, 14-2 C-USA)

• Time / Site: 12 p.m. ET at Ocean Bank Convocation Center
• TV: ESPN+
• Live Stats
• Tickets
• Series History: MTSU leads 30-10

FIU's offense is fifth in C-USA averaging 69.25 points per game and fifth in the league with 145 three pointers made averaging 6.04 per game. The Panthers are 7^th in the conference shooting 71 percent from the charity stripe.
 
Senior guard Kaliah Henderson was one point shy of her career high in FIU's previous contest against Rice after finishing with 27 points. Henderson has scored 20 or more points in four straight games, scored double figures in nine consecutive games, and in 12 of the last 13 games.
 
Henderson is FIU's leading scorer averaging 15.6 points per game, the sixth best scoring mark in C-USA, and fifth in the conference averaging 1.9 steals per game while redshirt freshman Sifa Joyeuse is second on the Panthers averaging 10.0 points and is fifth in the conference with 44 threes made this season.
 
Sophomore guard Tanajah Hayes is scoring right under 10 points per game (9.8) and has recorded double digit points in three straight games averaging 17.6 points during that span. Hayes is second in C-USA averaging 2.48 steals per game and leads FIU averaging 3.7 assists. (4^th in C-USA).
 
On the glass, the Panthers are second in the conference in rebounds averaging 39.6 per game, and first in C-USA averaging 15.08 offensive boards (362 total).

Defensively, the Panthers are second in the conference with 238 steals this season averaging 9.92 per game and second in forcing 19.38 turnovers per game for opposing teams. FIU also limits opponents to the lowest shooting percentage in the conference at 27.8 percent.
 
SCOUTING MTSU
The Lady Raiders enter Saturday's matchup first in the C-USA standings with a 21-4 record this season, including a 14-2 mark in C-USA action. MTSU looks to extend a three-game win streak after defeating FAU in their previous game, 85-77.
 
MTSU leads the conference in scoring averaging 73.6 points per game on 42.6% shooting (4^th in C-USA) and fist in the conference shooting 78.4% from the charity stripe. The Lady Raiders are second in the conference with 199 threes made on 31.7% shooting (5^th in C-USA).
 
The Lady Raiders have the top defense in the conference limiting opponents to just 56.4 points per game on 36.5% shooting from the field and pace the conference with 4.36 blocks each game.
 
MTSU has four players averaging double digit points and two of them are top 10 in the conference in points per game. Leading MTSU and fourth in C-USA is junior guard Savannah Wheeler with 16.5 points and second in the conference in free throw percentage (86.9%). Wheeler also runs the offense for MTSU leading the team with 3.2 assists per game.

Second on the Lady Raiders is redshirt senior Kseniya Malashka averaging 15.0 points per game (7^th in C-USA). She is also second on the team averaging 5.5 rebounds per game and third in the conference shooting 46.3 percent from the field.
  
Sophomore Jalynn Gregory is averaging 12.7 points per game. The sharpshooter leads the conference with 64 three pointers made averaging 2.56 per game and is first in C-USA shooting 33% from long distance.
MTSU also features the top rebounder in the conference in junior Courtney Whitson. The forward is averaging 7.8 boards per game and is fourth on the Lady Raiders averaging 10.5 points per game.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers will step away from the Ocean Bank Convocation Center and head to Texas for their final road trip of the 2022-2023 season. The two-game slate will begin on Thursday, Feb. 23 to take on the UTEP Miners at 9 p.m. and continue in San Antonio for a Saturday afternoon matchup against UTSA on Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. Both games will be streamed on CUSAtv.

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 (@fiuwbb), Twitter (@FIUWBB), and Facebook (@FIUWBasketball) for all the latest Women's Basketball news. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.