MIAMI - FIU women's basketball will have their first home game of the 2025-26 season when they play host to the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on November 15 at 12 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 15 vs B-CU
QUICK FACTS
The Panthers are 12-5 in the all-time series against the Wildcats. In the Burks-Wiley era, FIU is a perfect 2-0 in their matchups.
Junior Denika Lightbourne had a career day in the Panthers' first game of the season against USF. The Bahamas native dropped 21 points and eight rebounds, both of which were career highs.
Sophomore Ndate Ndiaye also had a nice opening matchup at USF, putting up a career-high 12 points on 4-8 shooting, including 3-5 from three. She added on five rebounds, one assist and one block.
FIU welcomes back five returners to Miami in senior Parris Atkins, redshirt-sophomore Fantasia James, junior Judit Valero and sophomores Ndate Ndiaye and Claudia Marina.
Parris Atkins and Fantasia James were both honored with CUSA All-Conference awards last season. Parris Atkins, then in her first season as a Panther, was an immediate contributor and made the CUSA All-Conference Second Team. James, a redshirt freshman at the time, was named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team for her performance during the 2024-25 season.
FIU has the most international players rostered in Conference USA. The Panthers boast 12 of their 14 players born outside of the United States.
FIU is coming off a 2024-25 season that saw the Panthers go 11-18 overall and 7-11 in conference-play, ending sixth in the conference.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Bethune-Cookman is coming off a 2024-25 season in which the team finished 10-21 overall and 7-11 in SWAC play, placing seventh in the conference standings before falling in the first round of the SWAC Tournament.
This season, the Wildcats have opened 1-2, dropping their first two contests to Power Four opponents UCF and Miami before earning their first win of the year against Albany State on November 11, 84-72.
Through the early part of the 2025-26 campaign, B-CU is averaging 53.7 points per game while allowing 73.7 points to opponents, ranking seventh and fifth in the SWAC, respectively.
The Wildcats have been led by the guard/forward duo of Sanai Tyler and Daimoni Dorsey, who are averaging 8.5 and 8.3 points per game, respectively. The pair also lead the team on the boards, with Tyler averaging 5.5 rebounds per game and Dorsey adding 4.7. Sophomore guard Jordan Brooks has been a key playmaker for B-CU, leading the team with 4.0 assists per game.
FIU will look to secure its first win of the season on Saturday afternoon, as head coach Jesyka Burks-Wiley enters the matchup with a 2-0 record against Bethune-Cookman in her head coaching career.
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 @FIUSportson Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.
