LAS CRUCES, NM - Women's basketball takes off on their first roadtrip of the conference slate when they take on New Mexico State on Thursday, January 15 at 8 p.m. ET.

Thursday, Jan. 15 at New Mexico State

• Time/Site: 8 p.m. / Pan American Center

• Series History: FIU Leads, 8-4

QUICK FACTS

FIU currently leads the all-time series against the Aggies, 8-4. The Panthers won their first eight games in a row in the series, but New Mexico State has had FIU's number since joining CUSA, going 4-1 since 2023-24 and winning the last four straight. 

The Panthers scored at will in non-conference play, finishing two games with over 100 points, and six games with over 75. Coming into the matchup, FIU are second in CUSA in scoring on the season with 76.4 points scored per game, and third in CUSA-play through three games, putting up 70.7 points on CUSA opponents.

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.

Parris Atkins scored a career-high 35 points against Missouri State in the Panthers' first game of conference-play this season. She is only the 24th player in program history to score 35 or more points in a game since 2005, and it is the second most points scored that any player in Conference USA has scored this season.

Rhema Collins has been a force all season, coming into the matchup with seven  double-doubles. On the season, Collins is second in CUSA with 18.9 points per game, first with 10.3 rebounds per game and first in blocks per game as well with 1.6.

Parris Atkins has been as advertised from her CUSA Preseason All-Conference selection. The guard is first in CUSA, averaging 19.2 points per game, and has been all over the court on defense. With 4 steals per game, she is first in CUSA and fourth in the nation in steals. 

Freshman Grecia Ferrer Leal has been as good as you can get from a first year, ranking in the top-3 in the league in both assists per game and total assists. 

Junior Denika Lightbourne had a career day against Jacksonville State when she put up a staggering 25 points in just 16 minutes played. She surpassed her previous career-high of 21 which she achieved in the first game of the season against South Florida.

CUSA Leaders:

Scoring:

Parris Atkins, 1st - 19.2 ppg

Rhema Collins, 2nd - 18.9 ppg

Rebounding:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 10.3 rpg

Field Goal %:

Rhema Collins, 3rd - 49%

Free-Throw %:

Parris Atkins, 5th - 77.4%

Rhema Collins, 6th - 75.9%

Assists:

Grecia Ferrer, 3rd - 4.2 apg

Total Assists:

Grecia Ferrer, T-2nd - 59

Blocks:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 1.6 bpg

Steals:

Parris Atkins, 1st - 4 spg

Sophomore Ndate Ndiaye scored her career-high against Florida National with 15 points. She surpassed her previous career-high of 13 points which came in a victory over Seattle in the FIU Thanksgiving Tournament. 

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 AGGIES

New Mexico State enters the contest with a 6–10 overall record and a 2–2 mark against Conference USA opponents. The Aggies currently sit last in the conference in scoring, averaging 57.9 points per game through 16 contests. Defensively, NM State is allowing 66.6 points per game, which ranks ninth in CUSA.

The Aggies are led by forward Lucia Yenes, who paces the team in both scoring (14.3 points per game) and blocks (0.9 per game). The Spain native ranks fifth in the conference in field goal percentage, shooting 47% from the floor.

Yenes is complemented by guard Imani Warren, the only other Aggie averaging double figures this season at 12.8 points per game. Warren also leads New Mexico State in both assists and steals, averaging 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

The Panthers are looking to snap a four-game losing streak against the Aggies, having not beaten their western foe since their first-ever meeting after New Mexico State joined Conference USA in the 2023–24 season.

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.