MIAMI, Fla. – The FIU men's basketball team will face Akron in the opening round of the 2023 Cayman Islands Classic as announced by the tournament on Wednesday. The Panthers and Zips will conclude opening-day action in the final matchup of the day starting at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 19. Games continue Monday, Nov. 20, and Tuesday, Nov. 21.
 
Eight teams will compete in the tournament held Nov. 19-21 at John Gray Gymnasium, just minutes away from world famous Seven Mile Beach, including Oakland, Drake, Loyola Marymount, Stephen F. Austin, Marshall, Utah State and Akron.
 
"We are truly excited about this unbelievable opportunity to compete in the Cayman Islands Classic," said head coach Jeremy Ballard. "The field is highly competitive with great programs and coaches that will provide an amazing non-conference test for our program while also preparing us for the rigors of Conference USA play. It also goes without saying that the life experience that this international trip will provide for our student-athletes is priceless. Our program is beyond grateful to our administration for supporting us with this once in lifetime trip."
 
FIU enters the 2023-24 season under the guidance of head coach Jeremy Ballard in his sixth year at the helm of the program, as the Panthers welcome back Conference USA Freshman of the Year Arturo Dean, who also landed spots on the league's All-Defensive, All-Freshman team and All-Conference Honorable Mention, in addition to All-Freshman Team selection Dashon Gittens.
 
Dean marked FIU's first Freshman of the Year honoree since joining the Conference USA in 2013, while becoming the first Panther to earn Freshman of the Year and all-conference accolades as a rookie since 2009. Additionally, Dean marked the first freshman to earn All-Defensive Team recognition in program history and first freshman to do so among the C-USA since Western Kentucky's Charles Bassey in 2019.
 
For more information, please visit www.CaymanIslandsClassic.com. 
 
For travel packages, visit https://caymanislandsclassictravel.com/ or call 1-877-669-8903. 
 
Cayman Islands Classic History
2022 — Kansas State, champion; LSU, runner-up
2019 — George Mason, champion; New Mexico State, runner-up
2018 — Creighton, champion; Clemson, runner-up
2017 — Cincinnati, champion; Wyoming, runner-up  

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