LAS CRUCES, N.M. - For the first time, the Pan American Center will be the home of a Conference USA Women's Basketball game. NM State returns home for the first time in 26 days to play its first league game in front of the Aggie faithful. FIU is set to take the 1,650-mile trip westward to test their conference-best 10-5, 1-0 record. The Panthers are playing in their first CUSA road game of the season after downing Jax State at home over the weekend. NM State fell in a nine-point rivalry loss to UTEP on the same day, extending its losing streak to four. The Aggies come into the contest with a 6-8 record, looking to pull even in their second conference game.
How to Follow
Who: Florida International (10-5, 1-0 CUSA) at NM State (6-8, 0-1 CUSA)
Where: Pan American Center - Las Cruces, NM
When: Saturday, Jan. 11, 2024 at 6:00 PM MT
Live Stream: ESPN+
Live Statistics: NM State StatBroadcast
All-Time Series Record: FIU leads 7-0
Last Meeting: FIU 47 vs. NM State 45 (March 4, 2005 - Denton, Texas)
Where the Aggies Stand
NM State has played four straight games away from home, finishing the road trip without a win. The Aggies suffered two narrow defeats in the four-game stint, and most recently began CUSA play with a loss at UTEP. On Saturday, Jan. 6, the Miners utilized an explosive second-quarter to build a 20-point lead. The Aggies came roaring back, cutting the deficit to as little as eight in the fourth quarter, but they were unable to come away with a road victory.
Now, NM State returns to the comfort of its home floor, looking to snap a four-game losing streak. The game is a momentous one for the program, as the Crimson & White will play a Conference USA game in front of its home crowd for the first time since joining the league in July 2023. Their opponent is an old foe from nearly two decades prior, when both programs called the Sun Belt home. FIU and NM State shared the conference from 2000-2005, until the Aggies joined the WAC.
Old Reliable
There have been two Aggies to start all 14 games this season. Every opening tip has been taken by Ene Adams, who has put forth a career year. The senior is sinking 52.2 percent of her shots en route to averaging 6.5 points per game in just 22.1 average minutes of action. Adams also paces the Aggies in total rebounds (73) and rebounds per game (5.2). Molly Kaiser has been the other senior in every starting five of 2023-24. The fourth-year Aggie has improved in nearly every offensive statistic from a year prior. Kaiser has already made more 3-pointers this season (16) than last (12), and has nearly doubled her 3-point percentage (48.5). Additionally, the Watauga, Texas native has canned 87.5 percent of her free-throw attempts to bolster her career-high 15.3 points per game.
Scouting the Panthers
FIU is led by Head Coach Jesyka Burks-Wiley, in her fourth season with the program. The Kansas City native is the eighth head coach in program history, and led the Panthers to a winning season in her first year. The program had posted seven straight losing seasons before Burks-Wiley's arrival.
The Panthers' first option is Mya Kone. The sophomore forward paces the team in points (12.0), defensive rebounds (5.1), total rebounds (7.1) and blocks (1.2) per game. While Kone comfortably leads the team in field goal attempts (153), she has only started eight of FIU's 15 contests and is averaging 21.7 minutes per game.
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