The Florida International Panthers and Charlotte 49ers will play Thursday at Dale F. Halton Arena. Tip-off from Charlotte, NC, is at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Niners are 8.5-point spread favorites and the game total is 132.5 points.
FIU, 11-11 SU and 10-10 ATS, defeated Middle Tennessee State by eight on Saturday. The Panthers are 3-2 in their past five and are 5-6 in Conference USA competition.
Charlotte, 13-8 SU and ATS, lost 65-63 at Rice on Thursday. The Niners are 2-3 in their past five and 4-6 in conference play.
Florida International defeated Charlotte 62-60 on Jan. 5. The Panthers shot 47 percent from the field and held the 49ers to 38 percent shooting. Charlotte is 8-6 all-time versus FIU.
11-11 overall, the Panthers must finish strong to end their 2022-23 season on a high note. They'll get things started against a Charlotte team they defeated by two at home last month.
In its latest game, FIU shot 49.1 percent from the field, including 12-for-23 from three-point distance, and 14-for-17 from the foul line. The Panthers outrebounded the Blue Raiders 37-29, with 11 offensive rebounds, and recorded 13 assists on 28 made field goals.
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— FIU Men's Basketball (@FIUHoops) January 29, 2023
Florida International scores 72.4 points per game (166th) on 46.7 percent shooting (62nd), including 32.2 percent from three (284th). It converts 69.4 percent of its free throws (294th) and averages 28.7 rebounds (331st) with a -6.1 rebounding margin. FIU is 236th nationally in schedule-adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom.
Sophomore guard Denver Jones paces the Panthers, averaging 19.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. Other players to watch are freshman guard Arturo Dean (11.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 2.5 SPG), freshman guard Dashon Gittens (8.1 PPG, 51.6 FG%), and senior forward Nick Guadarrama (7.4 PPG and 4.0 RPG).
FIU surrenders 74.3 points (308th) on 44.1 percent shooting (224th), including 36.3 percent from long range (320th). The Panthers are 217th in schedule-adjusted defensive efficiency, 44th in adjusted tempo, and 318th in assist-per-turnover ratio.
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