Troy, Ala. - FIU Women's Hoops will look to move on to the third round of the Postseason WNIT for the first time in program history when they travel to Alabama to take on the Troy Trojans on Monday, March 25 at 7 p.m. ET. This will be the 20th meeting between the two programs, with the last time coming in the 2012-2013 season, seeing FIU come out on top 56-39.

Monday, March 25 at Troy

• Time/Site: 7 p.m. / Troy Arena

• TV: TBD

• Live Stats

• Series History: FIU leads 13-9

The FIU Women's Basketball team achieved their best season in over a decade in the 2023-2024 campaign, breaking several long-standing records in the process. The Panthers ended the season with a record of 20-11, marking the first time since the 2011-2012 season that they reached the 20-win mark. Additionally, they secured their highest number of conference victories since joining CUSA in the 2013-2014 season.

Furthermore, the Panthers earned their highest postseason seeding since joining CUSA, reflecting their strong performance throughout the season. This season also saw them qualify for the  Postseason WNIT for the first time since 2013, marking their eighth appearance in the tournament.

Despite their previous appearances in the WNIT, the team's historical best remains reaching the second round, achieved in the 1993, 2006, and 2012 tournaments.

The winners of Monday's contest will move on to the Super 16 where they will face the winner of Old Dominion and NC A&T, with that game's location and time to be determined.

Last Time for the Panthers

In the first round of the 2024 Postseason WNIT, FIU hosted the Stetson Hatters, the second seed out of the ASUN. The Panthers started out the game strong, going on a 7-2 run over the first 2:30 of the game before Stetson went on a run of their own, taking a 10-9 lead with a little over four minutes to go in the opening frame. The next bucket for the Panthers, a triple by graduate student Olivia Trice, put the Panthers up 12-10 and the home squad did not give up the lead again for the rest of the contest. FIU led by one after the first quarter, 13-12, heading into the second. 

In the second frame, FIU played lockdown defense, not allowing the Hatters to get in any offensive rhythm and only giving up six total points in the quarter to Stetson, marking their second lowest point total allowed in a quarter of the season for the Panthers. The Hatters were held to 2-11 from the field for just an 18.2% shooting percentage. FIU went into the half with control, leading 24-18 with 20 minutes to go.

The third quarter proved to be all Panthers, with FIU finding their shot out of the half, putting up 18 points on 50% shooting. On the defensive side, the Panthers continued to stifle the Hatters offense, allowing only eight points on 25% shooting in the third for Stetson, Sophomore Angena Belloso led the way for FIU in the third, scoring seven points and grabbing four rebounds in the frame. In the game, the guard stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. FIU went into the final quarter with a  42-26 lead.

The final frame was much of the same for the Panthers offensively, putting up 18 points again, led by Tanajah Hayes with eight. The guard has been a staple of consistency for the entire season, leading the team in scoring in the game with 17 points, also grabbing eight rebounds, dishing out three assists and coming up with three steals on the day. A dominant second half for the Panthers completed Stetson's defeat, as FIU will go into the second round of the Postseason WNIT off of a 60-47 win over the Hatters.

Scouting Troy

Troy University (19-11, 15-3 Sun Belt), dominated in their conference schedule to end the season as the number two seed in the SBC, two games behind the eventual conference champion, Marshall. Before their conference tournament, Troy had won 16 of their last 18 games, placing second in the Sun Belt in scoring with 80.3 points per game. Despite their offensive prowess, Troy ranks last out of 14 teams in points allowed per game, giving up an average of 75.5 points per game. The Trojans' conference season ended in the Sun Belt Tournament when they lost in the first round 67-65 to the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns. 

Troy has four players averaging double digits on the season, led by senior Makayia Hallmon with 15 points per game. The guard places at ninth in the Sun Belt is points per game. Right behind her at 10 and 11 are her teammates, a pair of senior forwards, in Tai'Sheka Porchia and Ja'Mia Hollings who are both averaging 14.8 points per game on the season. Both players are also prolific rebounders, with Hollings averaging 8.9 rebounds a game and Porchia 8, second and sixth in the Sun Belt respectively. The final Trojan to average double-digits scoring on the season is senior Nia Daniel, putting up 12.4 points per game on the season. 

Troy is looking to bounce back after a disappointing end to their conference season, but will have had some time to rest and prepare as the Trojans were given a bye to the second round.

FIU ALL-TIME IN POSTSEASON WNIT

FIU overall record in WNIT: 6-8

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 

2023-2024

Rd 1: Stetson – W, 60-47
 

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

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SOCIAL MEDIA

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