Wendy Haun
Last year, the Colonels took Florida International down to the wire, losing 57-54 in their first game of the season in Miami.
However, EKU will face a very, very different FIU team today at McBrayer Arena.
In the offseason, the Golden Panthers (2-5) brought in veteran NBA coach Isiah Thomas, as well as junior college transfers Antoine Watson (Redlands Community College), Stephon Weaver (Conner State Community College), Phil Gary Jr. (Malcolm X Community College) and Marvin Roberts (Redlands Community College).
“It’s a very different team. Personnel-wise, they have changed their roster drastically,” EKU coach Jeff Neubauer said. “Of the top eight guys, seven of them we haven’t seen. They have recruited new junior college players aggressively.”
FIU has struggled early in the season, with losses against North Carolina, Monmouth, Tulsa, James Madison and Ohio Valley Conference school Murray State (an 84-71 setback). The Golden Panthers’ only wins have been an 88-82 win over Florida Memorial and an 83-73 win over North Carolina Central.
FIU will likely play four guards at a time in tonight’s contest, which will begin at 7 p.m. at McBrayer Arena. Gary Jr. averages 13.1 points and three assists per game, while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor. Weaver averages 12.7 points and Watson averages 8.6 points and 3.6 assists per game.
“The thing about this team is they are very balanced,” Neubauer said. “Offensively, they’re aggressive with the dribble. They’re shooting 25 free throws a game and they’re aggressive at attacking the basket and involving their teammates.”
However, the Golden Panthers also rely heavily on their post players and rebounding. FIU averages 35.6 boards per game to EKU’s 29. Roberts, a forward, is averaging a team-high 15.3 points and 7.3 boards per game. The Panthers’ other main forward, Marlon Bright, averages 9.3 points and 6.4 boards per game.
“They have two very talented rebounders,” Neubauer said. “They are doing a perimeter attack and they look to shoot the ball quickly and have a high-octane game.”
The Colonels (4-1) are coming off three games in a row earlier this week in the CBE Classic, during which Justin Stommes was named the tournament MVP and Josh Taylor received tournament team accolades. EKU pulled off wins over Fairleigh Dickinson, California-Irvine and Texas-San Antonio during the tournament, which ran from Monday through Wednesday.
The UTSA game, in particular, was great preparation for tonight’s contest. There are several similarities between the Roadrunners and FIU. Both are coached by former NBA players (UTSA is coached by Brooks Thompson) and have similar schemes they run on the court.
“Texas-San Antonio was a great prep game for FIU,” Neubauer said. “Both coaches use ball screens. They have the same mentality. We were happy to get three victories. This is college basketball where you have to rebound very quickly. These games will prepare us as the season goes forward.”
