MIAMI, Fla. — FIU's men's basketball program looks to continue its success at home in Conference USA (CUSA) play with a matchup against Middle Tennessee on Saturday inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

Several FIU men's basketball alumni will be on hand for a 2 p.m. tip-off, the Panthers' annual Alumni Day. FIU enters this tilt with a 3-1 record at home in CUSA play, most recently defeating Sam Houston 68-61 on Saturday, Feb. 3. 

The Panthers will be looking for vengeance after suffering a 79-61 defeat to MTSU on the road. This will be FIU's first opportunity to go through the second go-around of the CUSA slate as the CUSA schedule includes a home-and-home with each team.

Javaunte Hawkins eclipsed a historic milestone in the win over Sam Houston, making his school-record 185th career three-pointer late in the second half. Hawkins continues to power the FIU offense with his team-high 12.5 ppg and his 41.2 percent from the three-point line, second in CUSA.

Arturo Dean still leads the NCAA with his 81 steals and his average of 3.68 steals per game. Dean is on pace to break the single-season record at FIU, of which is held by Brian Beard, who racked up 101 total steals in 2018-19. 

SCOUTING MTSU

Middle Tennessee has lost its last two contests on the road following its win over FIU on Jan. 27. The Blue Raiders fell to Western Kentucky and Liberty and will enter this matchup last in CUSA with a 2-6 record in conference. 

Elias King is MTSU's top scorer, averaging 13.0 points per game, and ranks ninth in CUSA in scoring. King is a sharpshooter from distance, ranking sixth in CUSA with 2.3 three pointers made per game. 

As a team, MTSU's scoring offense ranks last in CUSA with 63.4 points per game, but is solid on the defensive end, ranking fourth in CUSA allowing just 68.2 points per game. 

Middle Tennessee is in search of its first away win of the 2023-24 campaign and its third-straight win over FIU. MTSU last lost to the Panthers on Jan. 28, 2023, an 82-74 defeat in Miami.