Miami, Fla. - FIU Women's Hoops will host Stetson University in the first round of the Postseason WNIT on Thursday, March 21 at 7 p.m. It is the first time the two programs will play each other in 12 years, with the last time being in the 2012 WNIT. FIU won the contest 75-47 at home.

Thursday, March 21 vs Stetson

• Time/Site: 7 p.m. / Oceanbank Convocation Center

• TV: ESPN+ 

• Live Stats

• Series History: FIU leads 29-4

The Panthers (20-11) are coming off a season where the team broke many long-standing records. The 2023-2024 FIU Women's Basketball team won 20 games for the first time since the 2011-2012 season, also winning their most conference games since joining CUSA in the 2013-2014 season.

The Panthers also notched their highest postseason seeding since joining CUSA, and is the first time they have made the WNIT since 2013. This is the eighth time FIU has been selected to participate in the WNIT. The farthest an FIU Women's Basketball Team has made in the tournament is the second round, which occurred in the 1993, 2006 and 2012 WNITs.

The winner of Thursday's opening round game will advance to the second round of the 48-team event to face Troy. The date, time and location will be decided after the completion of FIU and Stetson's contest.

Last Time for the Panthers

In the 2024 Conference USA Basketball Championships, FIU fell to the New Mexico State Aggies 63-58. FIU took a quick lead before NM State went on 10-2 run, ending the first quarter leading the Panthers 14-8. FIU fought back, outscoring the Aggies 16-12 in the second quarter and went into the half down by only two. 

The Panthers kept their offense rolling in the second half, with the team putting up 16 points in the third quarter. Seven Panthers put up points in the quarter, led by Mya Kone with four points. The sophomore led the team in points per game on the year, and put up double-digits in this one as well, ending the game with 12 points and going 8-8 from the free-throw line. Also the Panthers' leading rebounder, Kone grabbed six rebounds and added on two assists and one block to complete her statline. 

After heading into the fourth quarter with a 47-40 deficit, FIU began to fight their way back, immediately going on a 5-0 run to start the frame. The Aggies extended their lead back to seven, but Tanajah Hayes went on to score the Panthers' next six points and cut the NM State lead down to just three. The Panthers tied the game on a Mya Kone layup with 32 second left, but could not hold on and fell to the Aggies.

Tanajah Hayes was the Panthers' leading scorer with 18, going 9-12 from the free throw line and filling up the stat sheet with six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Scouting Stetson

Stetson University (17-14), improved from last season, going from just 13 wins to 17 and second in the ASUN. A lock down defensive team, Stetson was second in their conference in points allowed per game, giving up only 58.8 points per game on the season. Despite their great defensive efforts, the Hatters rank last in the ASUN in scoring offense, scoring only 58.1 points per game on the season.

Stetson's leading scorer is redshirt senior Jamiya Turner. At 10.9 points per game, she ranks 21st in the ASUN in scoring. The guard also leads the Hatters in assists per game with 2, and is tied for the team lead with two other players on the team in steals per game with 1.1. A guard-forward duo in Khamya McNeal and Jaelyn Talley take up the majority of the rest of the scoring for Stetson, with guard McNeal scoring 9.5 points per game and the forward Talley scoring 8.9. Talley leads Stetson in field goal percentage at 46.9%, and in rebounds per game with 6.4, of which she ranks ninth in the ASUN.

This will be the 34th time in program history FIU will play Stetson, with the last time also being in the WNIT in 2013 with FIU coming out as victors 75-47. 

FIU ALL-TIME IN POSTSEASON WNIT

FIU overall record in WNIT: 5-8

1991-92

Rd 1: at Hawaii – L, 73-83

Cons. 1: vs UAB – W, 95-74

Cons. 2: vs Wisc-Green Bay – L, 70-72 

1992-93

Rd 1: vs Butler – W, 79-75

Rd 2: vs SMU – L, 59-60

Third Place Game: vs Marquette – W, 93-87 

2000-01

Rd 1: vs UAB – L, 83-96

2002-03

Rd 1: at Florida State – L, 51-77 

2005-06

Rd 1: vs Cincinnati – W, 81-75 (OT)

Rd 2: at Miami – L, 83-95 

2011-12

Rd 1: vs Stetson – W, 75-47

Rd 2: at USF – L, 61-77 

2012-13

Rd 1: Florida – L, 68-75 
 

Automatic Qualifiers:

Colgate (18-13), Patriot

Grambling (22-9), Southwestern Athletic

Le Moyne (18-13), Northeast

Monmouth (21-9), Coastal Athletic

Niagara (20-13), Metro Athletic

Northern Arizona (25-9), Big Sky

South Carolina Upstate (16-15), Big South

Southern Indiana (24-6), Ohio Valley

Stetson (17-14), Atlantic Sun

UAlbany (25-6), America East

UNC Greensboro (21-11), Southern 
 

At Large Qualifiers:

Boise State (21-13), Mountain West

Bowling Green (16-14), Mid-American

Buffalo (19-13), Mid-American

Butler (14-16), Big East

Central Arkansas (21-11), Atlantic Sun

Charleston (21-9), Colonial

Cincinnati (14-17), Big 12

Duquesne (20-12), Atlantic 10

Eastern Kentucky (22-11), Atlantic Sun

FIU (20-11), Conference USA

Illinois State (21-11), Missouri Valley

Louisiana-Monroe (19-13), Sun Belt

Minnesota (16-15), Big Ten

Montana (22-9), Big Sky

Murray State (20-11), Missouri Valley

North Carolina A&T (20-11), Colonial

North Dakota State (21-11), Summit

Northern Colorado (15-15), Big Sky

Northern Iowa (16-15), Missouri Valley

Old Dominion (22-9), Sun Belt

Oral Roberts (21-10), Summit

Pacific (18-14), West Coast

Providence (13-20), Big East

Purdue (13-18), Big Ten

Purdue Fort Wayne (21-12), Horizon

Saint Louis (16-18), Atlantic 10

South Dakota (21-12), Summit

Southern Miss (18-13), Sun Belt

Stephen F. Austin (22-12), Western Athletic

Troy (19-11), Sun Belt

UAB (18-13), American Athletic

UC Riverside (18-13), Big West

UI-Chicago (18-15), Missouri Valley

UT San Antonio (17-14), American

Vermont (22-11), America East

Wisconsin (13-16), Big Ten

Wyoming (16-14), Mountain West 

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.