It was a brutal loss for FIU Men’s Basketball to the top-seeded Liberty Flames, falling by a final score of 97-94 in overtime, but Jeremy Ballard and the 7-5 Panthers have an opportunity to bounce back on Friday at noon against the New Mexico State Aggies. (8-3,1-0)
Looking Back at Liberty
“I think this is what Conference USA play is going to be all about,” is how Ballard opened up his press conference following the Liberty game.“I think there are going to be battles each and every night out, and we knew that (Sunday) would be a fiercely fought battle.”
OH MY ZAWDIE WITH THE STEP BACK FOR THE LEAD!!!@zawdie1 pic.twitter.com/M5NsMAysGV
— FIU Men's Basketball (@FIUHoops) December 28, 2025
FIU outrebounded the Flames, 45-31, but if you pinpoint what the game came down to, it was Liberty outshooting the Panthers from the field and beyond the arc and FIU turning the ball over 14 times against Liberty’s 10.
Freshman Center Making Waves
One major positive in the past couple of weeks is freshman center Eric Dibami. On Sunday, Dibami posted a career-high 21 points with nine rebounds, and shot 9-14 from the field in 35 minutes played. FIU drew up the final play of regulation for Dibami, who missed the game-winning shot.
Dibami’s performance notched him Conference USA Freshman of the week, marking the first time an FIU Panther has earned the award since Jayden Brewer in 2023.
Pouring one out for Big E today, he’s on the map now 🫗
First Panthers freshman with 21 and 9 in a game since 2012 😱 pic.twitter.com/ZigdOLk1sn
— FIU Men's Basketball (@FIUHoops) December 29, 2025
“I told him to move on to the next play and that I believe in you,” is what Ballard told Dibami following that final shot. “We wouldn’t have been there to win the game if it weren’t for him. This is a freshman against the defending champions and the preseason champion team that just came off one of the best non-conference road wins in all of college basketball, winning at Dayton. In his first conference game, he had 21 points and nine rebounds. He was awesome.”
Where the Panthers Stack In CUSA
The Panthers are now third in field goal percentage and second in three-point percentage, amongst Conference USA. This comes after FIU was towards the bottom, if not at the bottom of the conference in both stats.
FIU is third in offensive rebounds, sixth in defensive rebounds and sixth in rebounds per game.
Forward Corey Stephenson is currently fourth amongst the conference in points per game, ninth in rebounds, fifth in field goal percentage and second in three point percentage.
The Cal State Bakersfield guard continues to make the case for Conference USA Player of the Year
Guard Ashton Williamson is within the top 10 of assists per game (3.4) and both Hamed “Larry” Olayinka and Eric Dibami are third and fourth in blocked shots per game, with 1.5 each.
Zawdie Jackson, who is set to face his former team on Friday, is averaging 1.7 steals per game, which is fourth in the conference.
Scouting the Aggies
New Mexico State opened conference play with a win over the Sam Houston State Bearkats and currently find themselves 8-3 on the season.
All-time, New Mexico State has an 8-1 record against FIU, with the Panthers’ last win coming during the 2022-23 season, by a final score of 77-67.
Leading the way for the Aggies this season has been senior guard Jemel Jones, averaging 16.0 points per game, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
He’s shooting 44.4% from the field and 34.8% from the three. He was teammates with current FIU forward Corey Stephenson at Cal State Bakersfield.
The Aggies’ defense ranks third in Conference USA, surrendering 65.5 points per game. They have the second-highest turnover margin (3.09) in the conference, just behind this FIU team (3.42).
New Mexico State has the second fewest turnovers in the conference (126), behind Liberty.
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