MIAMI - Women's basketball aims to break a two-game skid when they welcome Kennesaw State to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Saturday, January 10 at 1 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 10 vs Kennesaw State

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

• Series History: Tied, 1-1

QUICK FACTS

The Panthers and Owls had two games last season, both of which coming down to the final seconds of the contest. At home, the Panthers prevailed when Judit Valero hit a last-second layup to win the game for FIU. On the flip side, the Panthers narrowly lost on the road at Kennesaw in similar fashion.

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 first in the CUSA in scoring on the season with 76.4 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.

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 six  double-doubles. On the season, Collins is first in CUSA with 19.2 points per game, first with 10.5 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 second in CUSA, averaging 18.8 points per game, and has been all over the court on defense. With 4.1 steals per game, she is first in CUSA and third 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.

Early CUSA Leaders:

Scoring:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 19.2 ppg

Parris Atkins, 2nd - 18.8 ppg

Rebounding:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 10.5 rpg

Field Goal %:

Rhema Collins, 3rd - 49.3%

Assists:

Grecia Ferrer, 3rd - 4.2 apg

Total Assists:

Grecia Ferrer, 2nd - 55 assists

Blocks:

Rhema Collins, 1st - 1.6 bpg

Steals:

Parris Atkins, 1st - 4.1 spg (3rd in NCAA)

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 OWLS

Kennesaw State enters the contest with an 8-6 overall record and a 1-2 mark in Conference USA play. The Owls' lone conference victory came against Western Kentucky in their second game of the new year.

The Owls are led by graduate student guard Keyarah Berry, who ranks first on the team and eighth in Conference USA in scoring, averaging 13.9 points per game. A stout defender as well, Berry is tied for sixth in the league in steals, posting 2.3 per contest.

Berry is complemented by fellow guard Shania Nichols, who is second on the team with 9.7 points per game, and forward Trynce Taylor, who ranks third in scoring at 9.4 points per game and leads the Owls in rebounding with 6.4 boards per contest.

The Panthers will look to return to the win column and earn their first conference victory against Kennesaw State, while also tipping the all-time series in favor of FIU.

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.