This FIU Panthers men’s basketball player might be the best in the nation at steals

Brian Beard, FIU’s 5-10 senior point guard, ranked first in Conference USA and fifth in the nation last season with 2.9 steals per game, But those thefts may be harder to come by this year.

Opponents will surely be wary of Beard.

“I’m going to have to raise my level even higher this year,” said Beard, who also averaged 16.4 points last season, ranking ninth in Conference USA. “I have to let people know I’m still going to get steals.”

Those takeaways will likely start immediately as FIU starts its first season under new coach Jeremy Ballard on Wednesday at home against Webber International.

Ballard was hired April 23 to replace Anthony Evans, who had a five-year run and couldn’t turn the corner with the program. Since Ballard’s hire date, he has made an impression in recruiting, in the community and on the practice courts with his aggressive style.

Under his new leadership, FIU will play a faster pace. There will be some zone-press concepts, but, primarily, this will be an aggressive man defense, Ballard promises, and that should suit Beard perfectly.

“I’m fortunate to have inherited an all-conference senior point guard,” Ballard said of Beard. “He has been everything I hoped he would be this fall.”

Beard is a durable player — he worked a career-high 47 minutes last season in a triple-overtime loss to Elon. But Beard will be expected to do more with less this season.

Ballard said Beard averaged about 36 minutes last season. But the projection for him is about 31 minutes per game this season.

“I’ve had a lot of conversations with Brian,” Ballard said. “I’ve assured him that even if there are less minutes, there’ll be more possessions because of our pace of play.

“Brian is a unique talent. I predict he’ll have even better numbers.”

Beard is one of four FIU players who started more than 25 games last season. But the only other returner from that group is 6-5 junior shooting guard Trejon Jacob, who was second on the team in scoring (14.5) and first in three-point percentage (37.5).

Those other two full-time starters — 6-9 forward Hassan Hussein and 6-5 guard Eric Lockett — left the program despite having college eligibility remaining.

Lockett, who was third on the team in scoring (14.3), is now at North Carolina State. Josh Stamps, a 6-5 guard who started three games last season and averaged 9.2 points, transferred out to an NAIA school, LSU-Shreveport. And 6-9 center Jay Harvey also departed, making it four Panthers who left the program with eligibility remaining.

To combat the losses, Ballard and his staff — despite their late arrival on the recruiting calendar — brought in six new players. Leading the way are a pair of junior-college transfers — 6-2 guard Marcus Burwell and 6-6 wing Devon Andrews.

Two freshmen who were added are 6-4 guard Phillip Smith from Maryland and 6-1 guard Antonio Daye, a 6-1 guard who averaged 25.4 points last season as a third-team All-State selection at Fort Lauderdale High.

James Ametepe, a 6-5, 210-pound forward originally from Ghana, has joined FIU as a walk-on and could see action. He averaged 14 points last season while playing locally at Westwood Christian.

The sixth addition is 6-1 sophomore guard Cameron Corcoran, who will sit out this season after transferring from Arkansas-Little Rock.

Holdovers, besides Beard and Jacob, include 6-5 sophomore Isaiah Banks, a defensive menace; 6-5 senior wing Mike Douglas; 6-6 senior wing Willy Nunez; 6-11 senior center Elhadji Dieng; and 6-7 junior forward Osasuwen Osaghae, FIU’s top shot-blocker.

Ballard said he will play everyone on his roster, but Beard will be the focal point, with his defense leading to offense.

“I try to play the passing lanes as much as possible,” Beard said. “I try to catch people sleeping. Sometimes people make lazy passes or don’t know I’m there.”

FIU MEN

▪ Coach: Jeremy Ballard.

▪ Last season, NCAA Division I: 14-18, 8-10, Conference USA.

▪ Top player: Brian Beard (5-10 sr. PG).

▪ Noteworthy: The Panthers went 10-7 at home last season but just 4-11 away from FIU.

FIU WOMEN

▪ Coach: Tiara Malcolm.

▪ Last season, NCAA Division I: 8-21, 5-11, Conference USA.

▪ Top player: Chelsea Guimaraes (6-3 jr. C).

▪ Noteworthy: FIU went 1-11 on the road last season.