MIAMI - Women's basketball (11-6, 4-2 CUSA) to play Louisiana Tech (12-5, 5-1 CUSA) in the back end of a two-game homestand on Saturday, January 24 at 1 p.m. at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

Saturday, Jan. 24 vs Louisiana Tech

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

• Series History: FIU trails, 17-4

QUICK FACTS

The Panthers trail LA Tech in the all-time series, 17-4. FIU has had the Lady Techsters' number in recent years, going 3-1 against the conference foe in their last four matchups. 

Coming into the matchup, FIU are first in CUSA in scoring on the season with 75.6 points scored per game, and first in CUSA-play through five games, putting up 71.3 points on CUSA opponents.

Rhema Collins has been a force all season, coming into the matchup with nine  double-doubles, first in CUSA and 17th in the nation. On the season, Collins is first in CUSA with 19.1 points per game, first with 10.2 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 third in CUSA, averaging 17.8 points per game, and has been all over the court on defense. With 3.73 steals per game, she is tied for first in CUSA and eighth in the nation in steals. 

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.

Atkins also scored 20+ points two games in a row from 1/10-1/15/23. She is the first player to achieve that status since the 2022-23 season. Rhema Collins followed that up with another two 20+ point in a row performances in the Panthers' road trip at New Mexico State and UTEP.

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:

OFFENSIVE

Scoring:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 19.1 ppg

Parris Atkins, 2nd - 17.8 ppg

Rebounding:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 10.2 rpg

FIELD GOAL %:

Rhema Collins, 3rd - 48.3%

Free-Throw %:

Parris Atkins, 6th - 77.8%

Rhema Collins, 8th - 74.4%

Assists:

Grecia Ferrer, 4th - 3.9 apg

Total Assists:

Grecia Ferrer, 3rd - 67

DEFENSIVE

Blocks:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 1.8 bpg

Steals:

Parris Atkins, T1st - 3.7 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 LADY TECHSTERS

Louisiana Tech is having a stellar season, coming into the game first in Conference USA with a 12-5 overall record and 5-1 record against CUSA opponents. The Lady Techsters dropped their first game of CUSA-play to Sam Houston, but have since rattled off five straight wins. 

LA Tech sits second in scoring on the season, sitting only behind FIUwith 75 points scored per game. Louisiana Tech also comes into the matchup fifth in the conference in defense, allowing 61.5 points per game through 17 contests this year.

The Lady Techsters are led by sophomore Parris Bradley, last season's CUSa Freshman of the Year, currently leading the team in scoring with 15.5 points scored per game, fifth in CUSA. Marshall is also first on LA Tech and fifth in CUSA with 3.3 assists per game, while also leading the Techsters in steals with 1.5 a contest.

Forward Jordan Marshall is the second leading scorer on the team with 12.7 points scored per game on an efficient 52.4% from the field, the latter of which is good for second in CUSA. Marshall also leads the team in rebounding with 7.6 a game. Guard Jianna Morris is the final Lady Techster to average double-digits this year, putting up 11.2 points a game while adding on 2.2 assists a contest.

The Panthers are looking to tie their best CUSA winning-streak in the Burks-Wiley era with a victory on Saturday. 

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.