FMU Looking To Climb Conference Standings With Win Over Coastal Georgia

AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (8-8, 3-3) at College of Coastal Georgia Mariners (8-5, 4-2)
When: Saturday, January 11, 2020
Where: Coastal Georgia, Brunswick, Ga. | Coffin Gymnasium
Tip-off: 2 p.m.
Last Meeting: Jan. 24, 2019, Loss 63-86
Live Stream Video & Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/coastalgeorgia/

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University's women will be looking to give themselves a big boost in the Sun Conference standings when it travels to face College of Coastal Georgia Saturday afternoon in the Coffin Gymnasium.

The Lady Lions (8-8, 3-3 Sun Conference), who already picked up a conference victory in the Peach State this past Thursday in Thomasville, Georgia against Thomas University, currently sit tied for fifth in the Sun Conference standings and can move into a tie for fourth place if they can top the Mariners (8-5, 4-2) Saturday.

The game Saturday, which is set to tip-off at 2 p.m. and is the opening salvo in a women's-men's doubleheader, is the third game in a stretch of 14 straight contests against TSC opponents.

FMU enters Saturday's game on the heels of a 74-67 win, that was impressive because, at its core, it snapped a three-game losing streak and gave the Lady Lions their first win of the new decade. However, it was a little bittersweet because Florida Memorial led by as many as 25 points but saw their lead dwindle down to as few as four before holding on for the seven-point win.

Still, the Lions earned the victory without the services of senior forward Isis Lane. In the absence of the team's leading scorer and rebounder, FMU head coach Gregory Stanback got big contributions from guards Airneisha Gamble and Shawnice King. Gamble scored a season-high 21 points and King tied her season-high with 19 points. If Lane is absent once again Saturday, Coach Stanback will likely look to King and Gamble again but it would welcome contributions from other players – like the 9 points Unique Tate chipped in off the bench Thursday.

Lane's absence was mostly felt on the boards. Not having the 6-foot-4 Lane meant the Lady Lions lost the rebound battle Thursday 43-34. It should work in FMU's favor Saturday that College of Coastal Georgia doesn't have a player on its roster listed taller than 5-foot-11 and has been a middle-of-the-road overall this season.

FMU's defensive gameplan against the Mariners will have two main factors, limit Coastal Georgia's leading scorer Quira Porter's attempts in the paint and make sure to stay connected to and contest the shots of Solrun Gisladottir, who is shooting just over 42 percent from three-point range this season.