Jackson and Olayinka Make Opening Night Impressions for FIU

Zawdie Jackson and Hamed “Larry” Olayinka were exceptional in FIU’s 101-49 victory over FNU. Both players made impressions for the FIU Panthers in the 52-point victory to start the 2025-26 season. Jackson had a 33 +/- while Olayinka led the team with a dominating 45 +/-.

Jackson Flawless with His Shots

Zawdie Jackson was perfect on his shots until his last attempt with 3:55 left. He made his presence in the backcourt all game long, being in the right place at the right time.

“Zawdie is a guy that we’ve leaned on from day one as a leader,” said head coach Jeremy Ballard postgame. “He’s a steady force. He’s a calming force. He showed that tonight. He shows that every day.”

Zawdie Jackson is the first FIU player to shoot 85% or better from the field, min. 9 attempts, since Petar Krivokapic (9-10, .900) against Akron on 11/19/23. pic.twitter.com/d4HUloUmws

— FIUSportsInfo (@FIUSportsInfo) November 4, 2025

Jackson finished second in scoring with 19 points. He made eight of nine shots, including a perfect 3-for-3 from the three-point line.

“Coach was telling us from the beginning of the game, be disciplined,” said Jackson postgame. “Don’t look at the score. Just work on…work on what we work on every day in practice, and the results will take care of themselves. Obviously, just looking at film and looking at what was good and what was bad. Being disciplined and doing the right thing every time no matter the score.”

Olayinka Dominates in the Paint

Larry Olayinka was a big contributor in the paint. Whether it was with his dunks, buckets, or rebounds, his 6’9 frame made an impact on the court. He won almost every battle against any FNU defender he faced.

Olayinka led the team in scoring with 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting. He grabbed seven boards and stole six passes as well.

Truly a great game for Larry Olayinka.

21 points, 7/10 FG, 7 Rebounds#FIU leads 97-44 with 3:14 to go.#FIU | #Panthers | #PawsUp pic.twitter.com/RsC9v6L4J6

— John Rodriguez (@MarlinsJohn) November 4, 2025

With a two-game road trip coming up against two Power 4 teams, he knows he can’t rest on his laurels.

“Honestly, take [it] game by game. It was a good win, but you know, we got the next game to focus on [and] work hard.”

Larry Olayinka also chipped in on the packed house at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, saying

“I appreciate [it]. I heard the fans yelling my name. I told them come. They came. I see my friends out there. So I appreciate them.”

About Post Author

Ricardo Urrusuno

He’s a diehard 305 native who roots for his hometown teams in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Recently, he graduated from FIU with an MBA, but now he’s a Lemonhead covering UM basketball. Known to be anywhere and everywhere, you may catch him at a Miami sporting event.

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