MIAMI - FIU women's basketball (11-16, 7-9 CUSA) return to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center for their last homestand of the season, taking on Western Kentucky (21-7, 12-4 CUSA) on Thursday, March 6 at 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 6 vs Western Kentucky
QUICK FACTS
This will be the 47th meeting between the two programs dating back to 1999. The Panthers have gotten the best of the Hilltoppers in the last three matchups dating back to last season, tying the longest win streak against WKU in program history.
FIU ranks second in Conference USA in field goal percentage (45%). The Panthers are also third in offensive rebounds per game (12.4) and first in opponent rebounds per game, allowing just 29.4 rebounds per game. FIU ranks second in the conference in rebound margin at +5.9.
Senior Isnelle Natabou has been one of the top players in CUSA since conference play began. She has scored in double figures in every conference game but two, including a season-high 26 points against Louisiana Tech. The center has also grabbed four or more offensive rebounds in almost every conference game this season.
Natabou is fourth in CUSA in scoring during conference play, averaging 16.6 points per game, scoring 15 or more points in 10 conference games this season. The Czech-native has also been a dominant rebounder, sitting at fifth in CUSA in rebounding with 8.2 rebounds per game. Overall, she is first in CUSA in offensive rebounding, averaging 4.2 per game, and ranking 15th nationally.
Natabou is 2nd in the nation in field goal percentage at 67.7%, and she is sixth among active players across D1-D3 in career field goal percentage at 63.8%.Â
During CUSA play, Isnelle Natabou ranks first in field goal percentage at 67.1%.
Junior Parris Atkins sits at eighth in the conference with 13.7 points per game to go along with a 46.1% field goal percentage, sixth in CUSA. The junior in her first year with the Panthers is third in the conference in steals per game with 2.3, and has 51 steals overall.Â
Redshirt freshman Fantasia James has come into her own as a member of the Panthers in her first year on the court, starting the last four games and has been a key contributor this season. The guard scored 16 points in a victory over Jacksonville State, before almost putting up her first career double-double in a 18-point, nine-rebound performance against UTEP.
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SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS
The Hilltoppers come into the matchup third in CUSA with a 12-4 conference record and have won six out of their last seven games.Â
Western Kentucky boasts the best offense in CUSA, scoring 72.8 points per game, but are allowing 63.3 points per game which is fifth in the conference. A good shooting team, WKU is third in the conference with a 44.2% shooting percentage and a 33.2% clip from three. WKU's biggest weakness is their rebounding prowess, sitting at second to last in the conference averaging 33 rebounds a game.Â
The Hilltoppers are a well-rounded team, with four players averaging double-digit points on the season, lead by guard Alexis Mead with 13.8 points. Mead also leads the team in assists with four gamer , good for third in CUSA. She is complimented by another duo of guards in Josie Gilvin and Destiny Salary, who are averaging 12.3 and 12.4 points respectively.Â
Gilvin also leads WKU in rebounds per game with 5.9, and steals per game with 2.5, the latter of which is second in the conference. Together, the three guards account for 38.5 points, over half of the team's season average output.
FIU will look to complete their first season sweep this season after narrowly beating Western Kentucky earlier in the 2024-25 campaign.
TICKETS
For more information on FIU tickets to FIU basketball home games, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit HERE
SOCIAL MEDIA
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