By Brett Shweky/Editor
The FIU Panthers are set to begin their Conference USA Bonus Play with a series-deciding matchup against the rivaled FAU Owls on Saturday, Feb. 23 in Boca Raton.
After long awaiting the announcement from the conference, the Panthers finally learned their fate as the league released the complete Bonus Play schedule for the teams on Sunday, Feb. 17.
The Owls and the Panthers have squared off previously twice before this season and have each picked up a victory.
FIU won the first contest 78-74 on Wednesday, Jan. 23 in Boca Raton while FAU came out victorious, 89-72, during the second matchup on Saturday, Jan. 26 in Miami.
FIU, who is seeded ninth in Group Two (seeds 6-10), will follow up their short road trip to eighth-seeded FAU by hosting 10-seed Louisiana Tech at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Saturday, March 3.
In their lone matchup this season, the Panthers defeated Louisiana Tech 75-69 at home on Saturday, Feb. 2.
The Panthers will round out the final two games by playing their last regular season road game in Huntington, W. Va. against seventh-seeded Marshall on Wednesday, March 6 and by taking on sixth seed North Texas at home on Saturday, March 9.
Marshall defeated FIU 105-97 in their first matchup on Saturday, Jan. 19 at the Cam Henderson Center.
While, FIU is fresh off a 69-59 home victory against North Texas on Saturday, Feb. 16 which was the final scheduled conference game before Bonus Play action began.
FIU Bonus Play Schedule
Feb. 23: FIU at FAU – 4 p.m.
March 3: Louisiana Tech at FIU – 12 p.m.
March 6: FIU at Marshall – 7 p.m.
March 9: North Texas at FIU – 7 p.m.
Conference USA Bonus Play Format
Within C-USA’s new format, teams end the first seven weeks of the scheduled conference season on Feb. 16. Based on the standings through the first 14 games of conference play, teams will then be placed in one of three groups.
Once the landscape is determined, the teams will play the final three weeks of the regular season against the set opponents in their groups.
At the conclusion of Bonus Play, 12 teams, based on their overall conference records within their individual group, will be seeded in the conference tournament.
FIU, since being placed in Group Two (6-10), can only receive a seeding as high as six and a seeding as low as 10 in the conference tournament bracket.
The C-USA men’s basketball championship tournament will be held at the Ford Center in Frisco, Tx. on Wednesday, March 13 through Saturday, March 16.
Conference USA Bonus Play Groups
Group One: 1. Old Dominion; 2. Western Kentucky; 3. Southern Miss; 4. UTSA; 5. UAB
Group Two: 6. North Texas; 7. Marshall; 8. FAU; 9. FIU; 10. Louisiana Tech
Group Three: 11. Rice; 12. Middle Tennessee; 13. UTEP; 14. Charlotte
