South Florida isn't catching Isiah Thomas fever.

The odds were stacked against Thomas turning Florida International into an instant sensation. The Panthers have a huge student base, but no hoops history to draw on, and this season's product – 7-19 overall and last in the Sun Belt's East division – isn't helping.

The fans have noticed. Or haven't, actually.

A lengthy story from the Miami New Times details Thomas' first season and features plenty of in-game vignettes regarding Thomas' coaching style and how his players are faring. And it seems the fans could care less. One graf sums up the buzz surrounding Thomas:

The first half ends with Arkansas State up by two points. Things only get worse. FIU ends up losing by 15. And less than 100 people attended the game. In fact, FIU's home attendance is definitely not a good recruiting tool. According to information the school provided, the Golden Panthers have sold a total of 1,075 individual tickets for nine home games played between this past November 17 and January 23. But the school has seen a boost in season ticket sales from last year's 207 to this year's 507.

True, Arkansas State isn't going to pack the house. But that doesn't make the empty seats an anomaly. People just aren't coming.

Perhaps that'll change if the Panthers start winning. Thomas has two touted players arriving next season – former prep star Alex Legion (an Illinois transfer) and high school all-American Dominque Ferguson – which could boost things.

But I wouldn't count on it.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops.

Losing to an NAIA school does have one benefit for Isiah Thomas's Florida International squad.

Monday can hardly be any worse.

That's Thomas' actual coaching debut – Wednesday was an exhibition – and it comes against defending champion North Carolina, replete with McDonald's All-American and future NBA players. Yes, the Heels lost most of their players and are fine-tuning a new offense. But it's still UNC. It'll give the Panthers an up-close look at what Thomas aspires for the program.

"We're starting from the bottom. We want to go to the top," Thomas said. "And the journey, the ride along the way, is the most important thing. ... The journey, to me, that's the most enjoyable part. This is the fun part. It starts now."

Give Thomas credit. He's aware of FIU's issues – the school didn't want to play Carolina when the game was announced – and isn't expecting instant success. But he's optimistic things can turn around.

He spent the summer hitting the recruting trail, nabbing players FIU normally wouldn't even sniff. The school's gotten more media attention than ever before, which also helps. The school's only produced two NBA players and hasn't been to the Big Dance in ages. If there's a place in need of hoops success, it's FIU.

So they'll take their lumps and try to push on through.

"By the time January, February gets here, I hope we're a pretty solid unit," Thomas said. "If we're a good unit going into conference play, then we'll take our chances with the four games in March. And if we win the four games in March, then it's a good year."

That's the spirit! After all, even schools rich in hoops history suffer embarassing losses in November.

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Florida International had us all fooled. If getting trounced by the defending national champions can help the "greater good," that's OK with the Panthers.

The Panthers' athletic director, Pete Garcia, bitterly complained last week that Isiah Thomas' FIU coaching debut would be against North Carolina. Garcia claimed that the event's organizer, the Gazelle Group, was reneging a previous agreement that FIU would play Ohio State. FIU even considered withdrawing from the event.

But it turns out Thomas isn't above a good thumping. (And why not? His Knicks were certainly used to them.)

Doug Benc/AP

Isiah Thomas

FIU agreed Tuesday it will participate in the Sept. 9 Coaches vs. Cancer event, noting that the benefits outweighed any detriment of playing the Heels.

"We felt that after everything that has been said and done over the last eight or nine days that the biggest benefit and the biggest winners in our decision to play in this tournament is going to be the American Cancer Society," Garcia said Tuesday.

Thomas, who didn't make any public statements last week, echoed that thought.

"We are honored to play against North Carolina, the defending national champions. We are happy to participate in the cause and we are proud to be invited and want to help promote the American Cancer Society in any way we can."

Apparently it took a week to figure out that the proper spin wasn't "Hey! We don't want to get trounced by UNC!" but "Carolina can certainly have its chance to crush us if it helps fight cancer."

And all signs do point to a resounding Tar Heel victory. The Heels lost a host of players from their title squad, but have some key players returning and a good recruiting class. Thomas isn't sure he'll start anyone taller than 6-7.

He's OK with that. After all, they could give UNC a scare, but probably not..

 "We're really looking forward to that night. We want to teach our students and our student-athletes that it's not always going to be an easy walk. Sometimes you have to take some painful steps."

True enough. But usually those painful steps don't include public relations.

Florida International wants to be a college hoops contender. But playing North Carolina in Isiah Thomas' college coaching debut wasn't what athletic director Pete Garcia had in mind.

Not one bit.

The Panthers are slated to be part of the Coaches vs. Cancer preseason tourney, with a Nov. 9 game at Chapel Hill. But Garcia is livid at the prospect of facing the defending champs, threatening to withdraw the school from the event. He says FIU's being "bullied" into the matchup.

"Would they do what they're doing to us to Duke, or to North Carolina? No," Garcia said Tuesday. "But they'll do it to FIU and any other school out there like FIU."

The school signed a contract in Nov. 2008 agreeing it would play either UNC or Ohio State sometime between Nov. 9-13. Garcia admitted as much. He just doesn't want to play Carolina, saying "it's a matter of principle and a matter of the contract."

OK. I can understand not wanting to play the defending champs at their place. FIU may lose by 20, 25 points, which probably isn't the way Thomas wants to begin his career.

But traveling to Columbus to lose by 15 or 20 to Ohio State isn't any better. And Garcia's going to have to throw a fit to have his way. And if FIU does withdraw, it's not going to ruin the tournament.

Nice move, Garcia. Have fun dealing with tournament officials and schedule makers in the future.

For example, take Rick Giles, president of the Gazelle Group, which runs Coaches vs. Cancer. He doesn't sound pleased with Garcia's stance.

"They don't get to schedule the entire tournament," Giles told Yahoo! Sports. "I'm not sure what their motivation is or why they would or should try to break a contract or if it's because of them, the A.D. or Isiah getting their way.

"We expect them to play in the tournament like everyone else. To threaten to pull out when they're not getting their way is not how it's done."

The Gazelle Group isn't run by saints, to be sure, but this one seems plain. The contract says either or. And UNC vs. FIU is a far more interesting game. Just run with it and take the exposure.

Well played Garcia. Here's a tip: If the Panthers ever get an invite to the NCAA tournament, don't bitch about where FIU is slotted. Just be grateful you're in.

Say this for Isiah Thomas – he's giving it the old college try.

A pair of Thomas features surfaced this week, as Florida International's new coach made the recruiting rounds at various tournaments. See what you think.

Jeff Goodman set Thomas as a "grinder," the guy who isn't far from the scrappy player raised on Chicago's blacktop and is bringing that to FIU.

Lynne Sladky/AP

Thomas at his intro press conference

"You just put your head down and work," Thomas said. "That's all I'm doing right now. My main objective is to turn our program around." "We can play for the championship. We're a Division I school that can play for the championship. We want to go out, recruit and get the best players."

Fair enough. Recruiting should be easy enough for a charmer like Thomas. He's a Hall of Famer who's been an NBA coach and executive, which plays to his favor when it comes to selling prospects. But there's more to it, right?

The more layered story comes from Dana O'Neil (no surprise there), who provides more background and telling anecdotes about Thomas, including a fun bit about his mom being tougher than Bob Knight.

Also more telling (to me, at least), is O'Neil's set up. Other coaches enter a gym and want to be noticed and project their school. Thomas was trying to fly below the radar. No school logos, no sitting in the bleachers – just Thomas in dress casual clothes and trying to watch hoops.

Still … doubting the guy's work ethic and recruiting talents isn't the deal. His coaching ability is what'll hold FIU back.

Unless Thomas recruits players who can carry FIU in high-profile games, it seems unlikely that he can turn the Golden Panthers into Southern Florida's version of Gonzaga or Utah State.

But hey, as long as Thomas is out there, raising FIU's profile, the school will certainly get its money's worth this season.

Isiah Thomas has lofty goals. And "lofty" is being kind.

Thomas, the former college hoops- and NBA star-turned failed coach/executive with the New York Knicks, is Florida International's new coach. He's either unafraid of losing games (been there, done that) or a supremely confident in his abilities, because it'll take a small miracle to win there.

"I like rolling up my sleeves. I like taking some from the bottom and building it to the top. There's a lot of risk in that and there is also a lot of reward in that. But that's how I grew up. I want to take FIU to the next level and I know it's going to take a lot of hard work, but I'm willing to pay the price to do that," he said Wednesday.

Indeed. Thomas' salary for the first year will be donated to the school's athletic department. Give Thomas credit – he knows how to set the stage.

But it's not the ideal place for someone who has no previous college coaching experience to start from scratch.

The Golden Panthers' last winning season was the 16-14 campaign in 1999-2000, and that team featured future NBA point guard Carlos Arroyo. In just under 30 years, the program's had seven winning seasons and been to one NCAA tournament (in '95).

Since joining the Sun Belt Conference in 1999, FIU is just 69-132. Home game attendance is dismal. It's also on NCAA probation for multiple rules infractions. Was this really the best place to start over?

"Coming back to the college game has always been a dream of mine, and I didn't want to pass up an opportunity to go somewhere where we can build a basketball legacy together," Thomas said earlier this week.