Panthers continue road trip with stop at Maryland

Photo Courtesy of the Associated Press

By: Malcolm Shields / Staff Writer

In what was described by head coach Isiah Thomas as “a bear,” FIU enters the final half of its four-game, non-conference road trip. On Dec. 14, the Panthers travel to ACC country to take on the Maryland Terrapins in front of a national audience on ESPN.

Offensive Consistency

In the past two games, FIU’s offensive production has improved. In contests against Texas Wesleyan and Stephen F. Austin, the Panthers have shot 46.3 percent and 58.3 percent respectively. Guards DeJuan Wright and Phil Taylor have been the catalysts offensively during the road trip.

Wright is averaging 21 points per game on the road trip. His aggressive demeanor has also paid off with trips to the free-throw line. During the road trip, Wright is 15-of-20 from the charity stripe in two games.

“He has been consistent for us,” Thomas said after the Stephen F. Austin game. “His field goal percentage and his shot selection has been great.”

Taylor posted a career-high 28 points against Texas Wesleyan on Dec. 10 and made the game winning shot against Stephen F. Austin the following day.

“He’s a gamer,” Thomas said. “At the end of the game, he is definitely capable of making the big shot.”

Scouting Maryland

Maryland enters the matchup against FIU with a 5-3 record. The Terrapins are on a two-game winning streak and have secured quality wins against Notre Dame and Colorado. Terrell Stoglin is off to a hot start on the season. He leads Maryland with 22.5 points per game, which includes two 30-plus-point performances.

Guard Sean Mosley is second on the team with 10.8 points per game. He is also a threat from three-point range as his 46.4 percent average (13-of-28) leads Maryland. James Padgett provides an inside presence on both sides of the floor. His 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds ranks in the top three on the team in both categories.

In order for the Panthers to pull out the win they must play a complete ballgame.

“We got to limit our turnovers and stay in our offense,” Wright said. “If we do what we are supposed to do, we can go up there and beat Maryland.”