Clash at Ocean Bank Convocation Center: Florida International Panthers vs Stetson Hatters in Men's Basketball Showdown
As the Florida International Panthers prepare to host the Stetson Hatters at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, fans are eager to see if the home advantage will play a significant role in their performance. The upcoming game, scheduled for December 20th, promises to be an exciting matchup in men's basketball.
The Panthers have had a mixed bag of results in their recent outings. In their last game against Florida Atlantic Owls, they faced a tough loss with a final score of 60-94. Despite this setback, there were positive takeaways from the game; notably, they managed to secure 18 points off turnovers and contributed 10 second-chance points. However, they struggled with field goal accuracy at only 36 percent from two-point range and were outrebounded by their opponents.
In contrast, during their encounter with LIU Sharks earlier this month at home court – where they will face Stetson – FIU came out on top with a convincing victory of 74-59. Their defensive efforts shone through as they racked up an impressive 19 steals and capitalized on turnovers by scoring 28 points off them. Additionally, their two-point shooting was more effective at around 53 percent.
Another home game saw them narrowly defeated by Florida Gulf Coast Eagles with a scoreline of 65-68. The Panthers showcased resilience through steals (15) and assists (14), maintaining an even assists-turnover ratio.
The Ocean Bank Convocation Center has been kind to the Panthers before; it is where they secured that strong win against LIU Sharks and nearly edged out FGCU Eagles. With these performances in mind, fans can anticipate that FIU will aim to leverage its familiarity with the venue and crowd support to bounce back from any previous disappointments.
As we look forward to this encounter between Florida International University and Stetson University teams, it's clear that while challenges remain for FIU – particularly in terms of shooting consistency and rebounding – there is potential for them to harness their defensive prowess and fast-paced offense effectively on home turf.
Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+ when these teams face off on December 20th at Ocean Bank Convocation Center located in Miami FL.