Ginevra Gil | Staff Writer
The women’s basketball team will face Bethune-Cookman on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 12 p.m., marking their first home game of the 2025-26 season.
Before making their home debut, the Panthers faced in-state rivals the University of South Florida, where FIU was met with a 56-81 defeat.
Though most of the game they trailed, the Panthers were still able to give memorable performances.
Denika Lightbourne, Junior guard and Bahamas-native, produced a career-high 21 points in her first appearance in the blue and gold.
Sophomore starter Ndate Ndiaye finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block.
Bench forward Claudia Marina, forward produced 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block.
FIU has played Saturday’s opponent, Bethune-Cookman, 5 times prior with their most recent match. The most recent ending in a 54-51 Panther win on Dec. 3, 2023.
No victory is ever certain, but senior Parris Atkins’ presence on the court often puts an FIU win within reach.
Atkins was included in the 2025-26 Preseason All-Conference team after collecting 37 assists, 48 steals, and averaging 13.9 points per game.
The Panthers, led by head coach Jesyka Burks-Wiley hope to make a statement at home and improve on last season’s record in which FIU finished 9-9 while playing at home and 11-19 overall.
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