FIU Update

Being as how we're 3 weeks away from our favorite college basketball team starting up, I thought I'd give a quick update and "hand out" the schedule.

Excitement is high on the Golden Panther campus as "Zeke" has brought a level of anticipation which they haven't had in years. Although year one will be a struggle to improve on last years record, the pieces are starting to fall in place with a lot of talented recruits now considering FIU which they've haven't had in their recent past. To ease the difficult transition this year, the team will rely heavily on their fans and cheerleaders like Vanessa Marrero (pictured above)......

As has been mentioned in this blog before, the Golden Panthers start off on November 9th against national defending champion, North Carolina in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic being held in the Dean Dome at Chapel Hill. Please don't base your opinion on the team from the outcome of that game, as NC should blow out FIU.

Here is the schedule:

Date Opponent Location Time (EST) Results Media Tickets Mon, Nov 09 North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 7:00 p.m. ESPNU Fri, Nov 13 Monmouth at West Long Branch, NJ 7:00 p.m. Sun, Nov 15 Tulsa at Tulsa, OK 3:00 p.m. Tue, Nov 17 Florida Memorial US Century Bank Arena 8:00 p.m. 2k Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer Fri, Nov 20 James Madison vs. Murray State US Century Bank Arena 4:00 p.m. Fri, Nov 20 Noth Carolina Central US Century Bank Arena 7:00 p.m. Sun, Nov 22 James Madison US Century Bank Arena 6:00 p.m. Sun, Nov 22 Murray State vs North Carolina Central US Century Bank Arena 8:00 p.m. Mon, Nov 23 Noth Carolina Central vs James Madison US Century Bank Arena 4:00 p.m. Mon, Nov 23 Murray State US Century Bank Arena 7:00 p.m. Sat, Nov 28 Eastern Kentucky at Richmond, KY 7:00 p.m. Mon, Nov 30 Bowling Green at Bowling Green, OH 7:00 p.m. Thu, Dec 03 Florida A&M at Tallahassee, FL 7:30 p.m. Sun, Dec 06 Florida State at Tallahassee, FL 1:00 p.m. Sat, Dec 12 Florida Gulf Coast at Fort Myers, FL 7:30 p.m. Thu, Dec 17 Denver * at Denver, CO 9:00 p.m. Sun, Dec 20 North Texas * at Denton, TX 4:00 p.m. Tue, Dec 22 Sam Houston State at Huntsville, TX 8:00 p.m. Thu, Dec 31 South Alabama * US Century Bank Arena 12:00 p.m. Sat, Jan 02 New Orleans * at New Orleans, LA 5:30 p.m. Thu, Jan 07 ULM * US Century Bank Arena 8:00 p.m. Sat, Jan 09 Troy * US Century Bank Arena 8:00 p.m. Thu, Jan 14 Middle Tennessee * at Murfreesboro, TN 8:00 p.m. Sat, Jan 16 WKU * at Bowling Green, KY TBA Thu, Jan 21 Arkansas State * US Century Bank Arena 8:00 p.m. Sat, Jan 23 Arkansas-Little Rock * US Century Bank Arena 8:00 p.m. Sat, Jan 30 Florida Atlantic * at Boca Raton, FL 7:00 p.m. Thu, Feb 04 Louisiana-Lafayette * at Lafayette, LA 8:05 p.m. Sat, Feb 06 North Texas * US Century Bank Arena 2:00 p.m. Thu, Feb 11 South Alabama * at Mobile, AL 8:05 p.m. Sat, Feb 13 Troy * at Troy, AL 8:30 p.m. Thu, Feb 18 Florida Atlantic * US Century Bank Arena 8:00 p.m. Thu, Feb 25 Middle Tennessee * US Century Bank Arena 8:00 p.m. Sat, Feb 27 WKU * US Century Bank Arena 8:00 p.m. Sun Belt Conference Tournament Sat, Mar 06 - Tue, Mar 09 First Round at Hot Springs, AR TBA

* Conference Games

My record prediction for the year is 14 and 14 (assuming I counted their number of games correctly). We'll see what happens.... Should be fun either way to follow this young, building program.

fyi............ For those that have read this whole write up, I have a confession. I did all this just so I could post that photo of Vanessa.... Wow.......... For more of her go to the link below and click on her photo gallery (courtesy of Sports Illustrated):

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/extramustard/10/15/cheerleader-of-the-week/index.html

Enjoy,

Bill