FIU’s game at Miami on Tuesday night in Coral Gables, Fla., is a huge one for the Panthers.
FIU (5-3) and Miami (9-2) are the two Division I universities in Miami-Dade County. Yet Miami, established exactly one century ago — 40 years before FIU opened — always has been the big brother in this relationship.
That’s true virtually across the board, but it’s especially verified in men’s basketball, where Miami is 11-1 against FIU in the history of this series.
FIU’s only win came on Dec. 1, 1992. The Hurricanes own a current seven-game win streak in this series. However, in the rivals’ most recent meeting — on Nov. 13, 2023 — Miami escaped with an 86-80 win.
Then again, no player who competed in that game remains on either roster.
This season, the Panthers have been picked to finish 10th in the 12-team Conference USA. FIU enters Tuesday on a three-game win streak, including victories over Florida Gulf Coast and Jacksonville.
“They are really good,” Miami coach Jai Lucas said. “(Panthers coach Jeremy Ballard) has done a good job this year with roster construction. They play with confidence. They play free and they’re aggressive.”
Corey Stephenson leads FIU in scoring (17.5 points per game) and rebounds (8.0 per game). FIU’s other double-figure scorers are Julian Mackey (13.4), Hamed Olayinka (10.9) and Zawdie Jackson (10.6).
FIU also has Brit Harris, a guard who averaged 11.6 points last season at USC Upstate. This season, his numbers are slightly down (9.8 ppg), but he is still FIU’s fifth-leading scorer in a bench role.
“I’m so proud of Brit,” Ballard said. “His production isn’t where he would like it to be. But he hasn’t chased stats. He’s continuing to make the right play.”
Malik Reneau paces Miami with 20.4 points per game, easily the best mark of the Indiana transfer’s career. The Hurricanes are led in rebounds by Ernest Udeh Jr. (9.6), in assists by Tre Donaldson (6.3) and in steals by Tru Washington (2.6).
However, star freshman Shelton Henderson (11.6 ppg) left Miami’s 104-79 win over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday due to what appeared to be an ankle injury.
Miami is already without two key reserves: Dante Allen (hand) and Marcus Allen (back). That potentially leaves Miami without three of its top seven players for Tuesday’s game.
–Field Level Media
