AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (5-10, 2-4) at College of Coastal Georgia Mariners (8-8, 2-4)
When: Saturday, January 11, 2020
Where: Coastal Georgia, Brunswick, Ga. | Coffin Gymnasium
Tip-off: 4 p.m.* (30 minutes following women's game)
Last Meeting: Jan. 24, 2019, Win 101-100
Live Stream Video & Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/coastalgeorgia/
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University's men will be looking to win consecutive games for the first time this season when it takes the floor against Sun Conference rival College of Coastal Georgia Saturday in the Mariners' Coffin Gymnasium.
Saturday's game – which is set to tip-off at 4 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding women's game and will have a special ceremony to unveil the new name of the court at Coffin Gym – will be the Lions' second game in Georgia. FMU (5-10, 2-4 Sun Conference) earned a 69-68 victory over Thomas University this past Thursday, and can make it perfect road trip with a win over Coastal Georgia (8-8, 2-4).
Florida Memorial will be looking to build on the momentum that comes along with earning a tough road victory. Thanks to
Kaleb Darrett's season-best performance of 35 points and
Quvondo Johnson's game-winning free throw in the waning seconds, the Lions maintained their winning record (2-1) since the calendar flipped over to 2020.
FMU head coach
Ansar Al-Ameen has spoken highly of both Darrett and Johnson, each of whom joined the Lions' active roster midway through December. Both have already shown game-changing abilities and have bolstered Florida Memorial's potency on both ends of the floor.
Standing in FMU's way Saturday will be a College of Coastal Georgia team that has been up and down all season. The Mariners have a three-game winning streak but they've also had a four-game losing streak. They beat St. Thomas University, a team that defeated Florida Memorial, 92-84 this past Thursday. However, Coastal Georgia lost to Edward Waters College, who FMU knocked off twice this season, 90-80 back in November.
On paper, the Lions and Mariners match-up well against each other. Both have dynamic scoring guards – Darrett for FMU and Jaylen Smallwood for Coast Georgia – and while Florida Memorial has 7-footer and top rebounder
Mubashar Ali, the Mariners have three big-bodied 6-foot-9 players to use against Ali in the frontcourt.
Florida Memorial's x-factor could be 6-foot-5 senior guard
Jordan Martin. Martin has cemented his status as the team's sharpshooter from deep range and has the size and confidence to get his shot off against defenders on the perimeter. If Martin's three-point shot is falling, even at just his average 42 percent clip, it will give Coach Al-Ameen's team the spacing needed for Darrett's and Johnson drives to the basket as well as Ali's post touches.
