Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

FIU Panthers men's basketball

FIU Panthers
2024–25 FIU Panthers men's basketball team
UniversityFlorida International University
Head coachJeremy Ballard (7th season)
ConferenceC-USA
LocationWestchester, Florida
ArenaOcean Bank Convocation Center
(capacity: 5,000)
NicknamePanthers
ColorsBlue and gold[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
NCAA tournament appearances
1995
Conference tournament champions
TAAC: 1995
Conference regular season champions
TAAC: 1993

The FIU Panthers men's basketball team represents Florida International University in Westchester, Florida. The school's team currently competes in Conference USA. They are led by head coach Jeremy Ballard and play their home games at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

FIU at UCLA Pauley Pavilion, 2008

Richard Pitino era

On April 15, 2012, Richard Pitino left his position as the associate head coach at the University of Louisville to become the head coach at FIU. With only six players remaining from the previous season, and not all of them on scholarship, Pitino cobbled together a team and coached a high-pressure defense that finished eighth in the nation in steals. He was able to compile an 18–14 record (11-9 in the Sun Belt conference) in his only season as head coach. His FIU team set a record for the best conference record in school history. Additionally, FIU reached the Sun Belt tournament championship game as a four seed, before falling to Western Kentucky, 65–63.

On April 3, 2013, Richard Pitino was hired to become the next head coach at the University of Minnesota, replacing Tubby Smith.

Anthony Evans era

On April 15, 2013, Anthony Evans left his position as head coach at Norfolk State University to become the head coach at FIU.

On April 2, 2018, FIU fired Evans after 5 seasons, in which the Panthers finished 65–94 with no postseason tournament appearances.[2]

Jeremy Ballard era

On April 20, 2018, VCU associate head coach Jeremy Ballard was hired by the Panthers for the head coaching job.[3]

NCAA Tournament appearances

FIU men's basketball team had its lone NCAA Tournament appearance in the 1995 tournament under then Head Coach Bob Weltlich, who had already announced his resignation following the season. FIU won the TAAC Basketball Tournament and in doing so earned an automatic bid for the NCAA tournament, and in doing so became the worst team to receive a bid in its history. FIU was seeded #16 and played the #1 seeded UCLA Bruins in the first round of the West Regional, which was played at the Taco Bell Arena in Boise. The Panthers lost the game to the Bruins by the score of 92–56, being the first tournament win in UCLA's successful run to the National Championship that year. Weltlich notably said during the post-game interview, "If anyone knows of any openings out there, my number is...".

Media appearances

The "Sunblazers" men's basketball team was also featured in a second-season episode of Miami Vice entitled "The Fix".

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Panthers have appeared in one NCAA tournament. Their record is 0–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
1995 First round UCLA L 56–92

CIT Results

The Panthers have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) one time. Their record is 1-1.

Year Round Opponent Result
2019 First round
Second Round		 Texas State
Green Bay		 W 87-81
L 68-98

Year-by-year results

Season Conference
affiliation 		Win–loss
(overall) 		Win–loss
(overall) 		Conference
finish 		Postseason
1981–82 D-II Independent 11–16 n/a n/a
1982–83 D-II Independent 15–12 n/a n/a
1983–84 D-II Independent 13–13 n/a n/a
1984–85 D-II Independent 19–8 n/a n/a
1985–86 D-II Independent 17–9 n/a n/a
1986–87 D-II Independent 7–18 n/a n/a
1987–88 D-II Independent 9–19 n/a n/a
1988–89 D-I Independent 10–18 n/a n/a
1989–90 D-I Independent 9–19 n/a n/a
1990–91 D-I Independent 6–22 n/a n/a
1991–92 TAAC 11–17 7–7 T–3rd TAAC Tournament Quarterfinals
1992–93 TAAC 20–10 9–3 1st TAAC Regular Season Champs
1993–94 TAAC 11–16 7–9 T–6th TAAC Tournament Quarterfinals
1994–95 TAAC 11–19 4–12 T–9th TAAC Tournament Champs
NCAA First Round
1995–96 TAAC 13–15 5–11 T–3rd East TAAC Tournament Semifinals
1996–97 TAAC 16–13 12–4 2nd East TAAC Tournament Finals
1997–98 TAAC 21–8 13–3 2nd East TAAC Tournament Finals
1998–99 Sun Belt 13–16 7–7 T–3rd Sun Belt Tournament Semifinals
1999–2000 Sun Belt 16–14 9–7 4th Sun Belt Tournament First Round
2000–01 Sun Belt 8–21 5–11 5th East Sun Belt Tournament Second Round
2001–02 Sun Belt 10–20 4–10 5th East Sun Belt Tournament First Round
2002–03 Sun Belt 8–21 1–13 5th East Sun Belt Tournament Second Round
2003–04 Sun Belt 5–22 0–13 5th East
2004–05 Sun Belt 13–17 0–10 5th East Sun Belt Tournament Semifinals
2005–06 Sun Belt 8–20 0–13 5th East Sun Belt Tournament First Round
2006–07 Sun Belt 12–17 7–11 6th East Sun Belt Tournament First Round
2007–08 Sun Belt 9–20 6–12 5th East Sun Belt Tournament First Round
2008–09 Sun Belt 13–20 7–11 5th East Sun Belt Tournament Quarterfinals
2009–10 Sun Belt 7–25 4–14 6th East Sun Belt Tournament First Round
2010–11 Sun Belt 11–19 5–11 6th East Sun Belt Tournament Quarterfinals
2011–12 Sun Belt 8–21 5–11 6th East Sun Belt Tournament First Round
2012–13 Sun Belt 18–14 11–9 3rd East Sun Belt Tournament Finals
2013–14 C-USA 15–16 7–9 T–8th
2014–15 C-USA 16–17 8–10 T–7th C-USA Tournament Quarterfinals
2015–16 C-USA 13–19 7–11 T–9th C-USA Tournament Second Round
2016–17 C-USA 7–24 3–15 13th
2017–18 C-USA 14–18 8–10 T–7th C-USA Tournament First Round
2018–19 C-USA 20–14 10–8 7th C-USA Tournament First Round
CIT Second Round
2019–20 C-USA 19–13 9-9 5th C-USA Tournament Quarterfinals
2020–21 C-USA 9–17 2–15 14th (overall)
7th East
2021–22 C-USA 15–17 5–13 11th (overall)
6th East
2022–23 C-USA 14–18 8–12 T–6th
2023–24 C-USA 11–22 5–11 9th
2024–25 C-USA ?–? ?–? ?

Records

Team Honors

NCAA tournament Appearances (1): 1995

Trans America Athletic Conference tournament champions (1): 1995
Trans America Athletic Conference regular season champions (1): 1992–93

FIU basketball alumni in professional leagues

Raja Bell attended FIU for two seasons

FIU Panthers alumni to have gone on to the NBA and international professional basketball.

Name Years at FIU Team
Carlos Arroyo 1998–2001 Boston Celtics
Raja Bell 1999–2000 Utah Jazz
Clyde Corley 1982–1983 Dallas Mavericks

References

  1. ^ "FIU Style Guide" (PDF). Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  2. ^ "FIU parts ways with coach Evans". gwinettprepsports.com. April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  3. ^ Epps Jr., Wayne (April 20, 2018). "VCU associate head coach Jeremy Ballard headed to Florida International". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
Quelle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_International_Panthers_men%27s_basketball