Florida International Panthers vs Liberty Flames Picks and Prediction for Thursday February 19 2026
Use Code WWWC Florida International heads to Lynchburg, Virginia for a key Conference USA game against Liberty, as the Panthers bring a 12–13 overall record and sit at 5–9 in conference play. The Flames, meanwhile, have been one of the conference’s top teams all season at 22–3 and a perfect 14–0 in CUSA, and they’ll be trying to keep that unbeaten conference season intact when they host FIU. Get involved in the action with our free college basketball picks.
Florida International vs. Liberty Game Information
- February 19, 2026
- 6:00pm EST
- Liberty Arena
- CBSSN
Liberty Form & Recent Results
Liberty heads into this game riding a huge wave of momentum, having won 16 straight. Their most recent win was a 73–64 victory over UTEP on Saturday in El Paso, where they controlled the pace for most of the night. JJ Harper led the way with 18 points and also pulled down six rebounds, giving the Flames a strong presence on both ends of the floor. Kaden Metheny helped keep the offense organized, finishing with seven assists as Liberty consistently found good looks. As a team, the Flames shot an efficient 50% from the field, limited their mistakes to just seven turnovers, and were in front for 68% of the game, which were clear signs they were the more composed and consistent team from start to finish.
Liberty has several players stepping up in key roles, including Brett Decker Jr., who has been their most reliable scorer, leading the team at 17 points per game, while Metheny adds another 13.4 points per contest to give Liberty a strong scoring duo. Zach Cleveland has been the Flames’ top rebounder on the glass at eight boards per game, and he also sets the tone as their main playmaker, averaging 7.1 assists this season. Offensively, Liberty has been rolling lately, putting up 77 points per game over their last five games, and they’ve been even better at home. The Flames are a perfect 12–0 in their own court, where they’re scoring an impressive 84.9 points per game, showing just how difficult they are to slow down in front of their crowd. With all that in mind, they’ll try to keep this season’s momentum going when they host Florida International on Thursday night.
Florida International Form & Recent Results
Florida International comes into this game feeling a little better after picking up a win in their last time out, but the bigger picture shows a team that’s still been inconsistent lately, dropping three of their last five games. On Saturday at home, the Panthers took care of Louisiana Tech 77-64 behind a big night from Zawdie Jackson, who poured in 20 points and handed out 4 assists. They also leaned heavily on Hamed Olayinka’s work on the glass, as he grabbed 17 rebounds and helped FIU control extra possessions. As a team, FIU shot the ball well in that game, including a 47% mark from the field and an impressive 45% from the three-point line, though they left points at the line by hitting just 61% of their free throws. They also made things a little harder than necessary with 16 turnovers, but they did a lot right overall, winning the rebounding battle with 40 boards and holding the lead for about 77% of the game, which shows they were in control for most of the afternoon.
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Looking at the entire season so far, Corey Stephenson has been the Panthers’ go-to scorer, leading the team at 17.7 points per game, while Julian Mackey has been a steady secondary option at 12 points per game. Eric Dibami has been FIU’s top rebounder this season at 7 rebounds per game, and Jackson also tops the team in playmaking, averaging 3.1 assists. Defensively, though, there are clear warning signs, especially recently: over their last five games, FIU has given up 74.8 points per game. Those problems have been even more noticeable away from home, where they’re just 2-8 on the road and have allowed 85.6 points per game, numbers that highlight how much they’ve struggled to get stops in hostile environments this season. That makes this game a tough challenge, because Liberty hasn’t lost at home all season, and FIU will need to be sharp from the opening tip. If the Panthers want a real shot at pulling off the upset, it likely starts with their defense showing up early, settling into the game quickly, and not letting Liberty get comfortable in its own building.
Key Stats
- Florida International’s Zawdie Jackson this season: 3.1 assists per game
- Liberty’s Zach Cleveland this season: 8 rebounds, 7.1 assists per game
Betting Odds & Market Overview:
- LIB -11.5; O/U 152.5
Florida International vs. Liberty Picks and Prediction
This game feels like it’s Liberty’s to lose. They’ve been flawless at home all season with a 12–0 record, and that lines up against Florida International’s struggles away from home at 2–8 on the road, which gives the Flames a clear advantage going in. Liberty’s offense has been one of the most dangerous units this season, consistently putting pressure on opponents and finding ways to score in bunches. If FIU wants a real chance to hang around, they’ll likely need to set the tone early with strong defense, force a few tough possessions, and keep Liberty from getting into a rhythm right away. Final Score Prediction, Liberty Flames win but fail to cover the spread, 77-72.
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