Preview: Nebraska Men's Basketball vs. FIU with Breakdown

FIU Scout

Head Coach

Jeremy Ballard | 8th season as HC and at FIU | 99-124 (.444) at Career & FIU Record | 1x CIT App. | Previous assistant at VCU, Pittsburgh, Illinois State, Tulsa and Colgate.

2024 Finish

L, 56-65 to Jacksonville State in Conference USA Tournament.

2024 Record & Awards

10-23 (3-15 CUSA, 10th) | All-Conference USA: 1x Honorable Mention, 1x All-Defensive.

All-Time Series

First-ever meeting.

Key Returners

• Ashton Williamson | G | Soph | Only returner from an FIU team that went 10-23 last season while averaging 7.3 points and a team-high 2.9 assists per contest across 16 games.

Key Departures

• Jayden Brewer | G | Transfer (Western Michigan) | 6-foot-6 guard that paced the Golden Panthers with 14.5 points per game alongside 5.2 rebounds.
• Vianney Salatchoum | C | Transfer (TCU) | Named to the 2025 Conference USA All-Defensive Team after recording 57 blocks and only one of only two players averaging double-figure points for FIU with 10.3.
• Jonathan Aybar | F | Graduated | Finished his college career by surpassing 1,000 career points by averaging 9.5 points per game and grabbing nearly five rebounds.
• Asim Jones | G | Transfer (Quinnipiac) | Averaged just over nine points in his junior season at FIU while making 22 starts in 33 appearances.
• Dashon Gittens | G | Transfer (Sacred Heart) | Another starter that transferred, the Connecticut native put up just over eight points per contest last season.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Hamed "Larry" Olayinka | F | Sr. | FIU marks his fourth school in four years, but balled out with a 25-point, 12-rebound performance in the season opener.
• Zawdie Jackson | G | Sr. | Another transfer arriving at his fourth school, the Georgia native averaged 10.1 points and shot a team-high 37.6% from three-point land while starting in all 32 games at New Mexico State.
• Corey Stephenson | G/F | Sr. | A former JUCO product who averaged double figures last season at CSU Bakersfield before joining the Golden Panthers.
• Eric Dibami | F | Fr. | One of three true freshmen to join FIU over the offseason, the 6-foot-10 Miami native started in the season opener and grabbed seven boards, but failed to score.
• Brit Harris | G | Sr. | Arrives from USC Upstate, where he started in 15 of 30 games while shooting for over 37% from three.
• Julian Mackey | G | Sr. | FIU marks his fifth school in five years, but comes off a 2024-2025 season where he led Houston Christian with 15 points per game.
• Kennedy Brown | F | Gr. | Joins Mackey in the Golden Panthers, marking his fifth school in five years. The former UNO Maverick came off the bench in FIU's season opener.

Outlook

Nebraska will face off against FIU for the first time in program history Saturday afternoon and mark just the 20th time NU has taken on an opponent from Conference USA. The Golden Panthers find themselves at a crossroads with eight-year head coach Jeremy Ballard, who hopes to avoid a last-place finish in the conference for another season.

Ballard and FIU essentially cleaned house over the offseason, as starter Ashton Williamson is the only returner from last season's squad. The program welcomed 15 different newcomers over the offseason with three recruits and 12 transfers — highlighted by Hamed "Larry" Olayinka, who dropped 25 points and 12 rebounds in FIU's season-opening win over Florida National.

Expect to see Zawdie Jackson (New Mexico State), Corey Stephenson (CSU Bakersfield), and true freshman Eric Dibami in the starting lineup, but Ballard played 12 players in the season opener, so there could be plenty of different rotations. Brit Harris (USC Upstate), Julian Mackey (Houston Christian), and Kennedy Brown (Roosevelt) all impressed off the bench as well, so they'll certainly see playing time.

There isn't enough data to really get a scope of this time, but it's always alarming to see the amount of turnover that FIU experiences over the offseason, especially as Ballard looks to scratch back momentum after seeing his season win total drop for four-straight seasons. The hope is NU doesn't start out Saturday as slow as Monday, but either way, Nebraska should pull away.