SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State men's basketball team (24-9) returns to the comfy confines of Strahan Arena to host Florida International (19-13) at 6 p.m. on March 23 in the first round of the Collegeinsider.com Tournament (CIT). The Bobcats post an 11-3 record at home this season, including a 5-0 mark vs. non-conference opponents.
 
GAME INFORMATION – FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
6 p.m. CST | Strahan Arena
WATCH: Link - Bill Culhane (PxP)
LISTEN: AM 1300, KTSW 89.9 and TuneIn.com – Bill Culhane (PxP)
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ABOUT TEXAS STATE
Texas State has registered a program best 23 regular season wins (Division I era) and 12 Sun Belt Conference victories this season. They are receiving votes and have been recognized for 16 consecutive weeks in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, including a ranking as high as No. 17 the week of Jan. 21. The Bobcats are coming off an 1-1 performance as the No. 4 seed in the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Tournament after defeating No. 8 South Alabama, 79-67 before falling to No. 1 and tournament champions Georgia State, 59-46. The Bobcats are a strong defensive unit that led all Sun Belt schools in scoring defense (64.2 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (40.9), ranking No. 27 and No. 37 in Division I, respectively. TXST averages 72.4 points per contest this year, leading to an 8.2 scoring margin that paces the league.  
 
Texas State is led by 2018-19 NABC All-District 24 First Team and All-Sun Belt First Team selection, junior guard Nijal Pearson. Pearson is the first Bobcat to be named to the NABC district 24 first-team since the teamed joined the district in 2013-14, and the second Bobcat to receive Sun Belt first team honors. He averages 16.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game this season. Pearson ranks No. 5 on the all-time scoring list for Texas State with 1,521 points and No. 2 with 175 career made 3-point field goals. His total of 80 3-pointers this season ranks No. 3 in the school's single-season record book.
 
Pearson is followed by All-Sun Belt Third Team recipient, senior guard Tre'Larenz Nottingham, who chips in 13.8 points and 1.3 steals per game. Not only does the Moreno Valley. Calif. native rank No. 2 in the league with 83 made 3-pointers, he is also tied for No. 2 on the program's single-season list (Clay Click, 2001-02) and ranks No. 7 in TXST history with 129 career made 3-pointers.
 
Other contributors for the Bobcats include senior forward Alex Peacock (8.5 ppg) who ranks No. 12 with 6.2 rebounds per game, junior forward Eric Terry (8.3 ppg), and junior guard Jaylen Shead who averages 7.6 points per game. Shead leads the Sun Belt with a 2.4 assists-to-turnover ratio, and No. 2 with 4.9 assists per game.
 
ABOUT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
The Panthers have won five of their last seven games but was upset as they No. 7 seed in the 2019 Conference USA (C-USA) Tournament by No. 10 North Texas, 71-57. FIU has a 5-8 record in road games this year, including a 1-3 mark against non-conference opponents.
 
Offensively, FIU led C-USA with 82.6 points per game (No. 17 in Division I) and shot 44.1 percent from the floor. They also have a knack to getting to the free throw line, ranking 13th in the country with 795 free throw attempts. Although they are not the stoutest defensive club as they relinquish 79.8 points per contest, they do lead all of Division I with 10.6 steals per game, 399 total steals, a 5.8 turnover margin and forces 19.75 turnovers per game.
 
Senior guard Brian Beard Sr. is the Panthers leader and was selected to the 2018-19 All-Conference USA Second Team and All-Defensive team. He paces the squad with 17.3 points, 6.1 assists and 2.9 steals per game (league-leader in steals). Junior forward Devon Andrews follows with 14.9 points behind a team-best 49.8 field goal percentage and averages 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. Junior guard Trejon Jacob round out FIU's top scorers at 10.5 points per contest behind a 49.6 field goal percentage. Junior forward and 2018-19 C-USA All-Defensive selection Osasumw Osaghae chips in 8.4 points on average and leads the team with 8.5 rebounds and a conference-best 3.1 blocks per game. Osaghae has logged 10 or more rebounds in four consecutive games and has recorded three double-doubles in the last four games.

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