MIAMI - The Panthers welcome NAIA competitor Florida National to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center for the final contest of non-conference play on Tuesday, December 30 at 1 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 30 vs Florida National

• Time/Site: 1  p.m. / Ocean Bank Convocation Center

• Series History: FIU leads, 3-0

QUICK FACTS

The Panthers hold a 3-0 lead in the series history over Florida National. Last season, in the opening matchup of the 2024-25 campaign, FIU set a program record for both the most points scored in a game and winning margin in their 132-25 victory over the conquistadors. 

The Panthers are second in the CUSA in scoring on the season with 73.5 points scored per game. 

Rhema Collins scored a career-high 40 points against Georgia State. It is the most points scored in CUSA this season, and the most any player in CUSA has scored since the 2022-23 season. It's the first time an FIU player has had a 40-point performance since 2017, and she is only the seventh player since at least 1994 to achieve 40 points in a game as a Panther.

Rhema Collins has been a force all season, coming into the matchup first in CUSA in double-doubles with six. On the season, Collins is first in CUSA with 19.7 points per game, first with 10.4 rebounds per game and first in blocks per game as well with 1.7.

Parris Atkins has been as advertised from her CUSA Preseason All-Conference selection. The guard is third in CUSA, averaging 17.1 points per game, and has been all over the court on defense. With 3.9 steals per game, she is first in CUSA and fifth in the nation in steals. 

Early CUSA Leaders:

Scoring:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 19.7 ppg

Parris Atkins, 3rd - 17.1 ppg

 

Rebounding:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 10.4 rpg

 

Field Goal %:

Rhema Collins, 2nd - 50%

 

Assists:

Grecia Ferrer Leal, 2nd - 4.5 apg

 

Total Assists:

Grecia Ferrer Leal, 1st - 45 assists

 

Blocks:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 1.7 bpg

 

Steals:

Parris Atkins, 1st - 3.9 spg (5th in NCAA)

Sophomore Ndate Ndiaye scored her career-high against Seattle with 13 points, all coming in the first half. She surpassed her previous career-high of 12 points which came against USF in the first game of the 2025-26 season.

Junior Denika Lightbourne had a career day in the Panthers' first game of the season against USF (11.3.25). The Bahamas native dropped 21 points and eight rebounds, both of which were career highs.

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 CONQUISTADORS

Florida National enters the matchup with a 6–6 record, averaging 64.1 points per game, which ranks seventh in the Continental Athletic Conference. Defensively, the Conquistadors sit fourth in the CAC, allowing 68.1 points per game through 12 contests. The Panthers will be the first, and only, Division I opponent Florida National faces this season.

The Conquistadors feature four players averaging double figures, led by guard Kaylee Llanos, who paces the team with 16.6 points per game. The junior also leads Florida National in assists (3.9 per game) and steals (4.5 per game). Llanos is complemented by forward Maria De Gracia Karamanites, who ranks second on the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game and leads the squad on the glass with 8.7 rebounds per contest.

Freshmen Ziul Gonzalez and Jaylyn Laguna round out the scoring leaders, ranking third and fourth on the team, respectively. Gonzalez enters the matchup averaging 13.6 points per game, while Laguna is contributing 10.5 points per contest.

The Panthers will look to enter conference play with a 7–4 record, having already surpassed last season's non-conference win total of four.

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.