AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (4-10, 1-4) at Thomas University Night Hawks (5-8, 2-3)
When: January 9, 2020
Where: Thomas University, Thomasville, GA | Thomas University Gym
Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.
Last Meeting: Jan. 26, 2019, Loss 50-76
Live Stream Video & Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/thomas/
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University's men's basketball team will be looking to capture a critical conference win when it travels to face Thomas University Thursday night.
While Thursday's game is set to tip-off at 7:30 p.m., the men will take the floor 30 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding women's game between the programs.
Following their loss to TSC foe Southeastern University this past Saturday, FMU (4-10, 1-4 Sun Conference) enters Thursday's game tied with two other teams at the bottom of the conference standings and in need of a victory to fuel an uphill climb through the standings as the Lions are playing game No. 2 in the midst of a stretch of 14 consecutive games against Sun Conference opponents.
Standing in the Lions' way Thursday will be a Thomas University (5-8, 2-3) team that currently sits in the middle of the pack in the conference race but is riding a two-game losing streak. The Night Hawks' two official losses (against Barry University on December 20 and Florida Tech on December 21) are actually sandwiched between a pair of lopsided exhibition losses against Valdosta State (98-64 on Dec. 19) and University of Alabama-Birmingham (82-49 on Dec. 28).
Despite the near-record low in shooting percentages this past Saturday, Florida Memorial head coach
Ansar Al-Ameen has seen a rise in offensive potency from his squad recently. The upsurge correlates with the return of
Quvondo Johnson and
Kaleb Darrett to the Lions' active roster. Since returning at the beginning of December, Johnson is averaging 15.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while Darrett has added 11 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 steals per contest.
Johnson and Darrett's production have paired nicely with the consistent post-play of 7-foot center
Mubashar Ali, who's averaging a team-best 17.8 points and 13.1 rebounds per game.
While Thomas, which is being outscored by an average of six points per game by opponents this season, has a handful of wing players and guard that have the size to matchup with FMU, the Lions' advantage will be in the frontcourt – where Ali and 6-foot-9 forward
Cheikh Kebe will be the tallest players on the court and should control the backboard on both ends.
