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Men's Basketball J.T. Wilcox, Sports Information Director

FMU To Open 2020-21 Season At Warner University Thursday

AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (0-0) at Warner University Royals (2-0)
When: Thursday, November 12, 2020
Where: Warner University, Lake Wales, Fla. | Turner Athletic Center
Tipoff: 7:30 p.m.* (30 minutes following women's game)
Last Meeting: Jan. 23, 2020, Win 75-72 
Live Stream Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
 
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Anyone who's had the privilege of playing sports competitively knows that road trips are where team camaraderie is born – meals are shared, inside jokes are formed, and bonds are created – and for a mostly new squad like Florida Memorial University's men's basketball team, it could be just what the proverbial doctor ordered.
 
FMU will be taking a relatively short ride – just under four hours – to Lake Wales, Florida Thursday where it officially open its 2020-21 season against Sun Conference foe Warner University.
 
The Lions men are scheduled to take on the host Royals at 7:30 p.m. in the Turner Athletic Center, but the game will tip-off 30 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding women's game between the programs.
 
Florida Memorial was supposed to begin its season this past weekend, taking part in the annual Jimmy Faulkner Classic. However, COVID-19 concerns with multiple other teams wiped out the entire men's bracket and erased two games from the Lions' schedule. That coming on the heels of FMU's men having its original season-start date – a November 5th road tilt at Talladega College – having to be postponed for similar reasons.
 
With a game finally on the docket, the Lions are champing at the bit to get on the court.
 
For FMU second-year head coach Ansar Al-Ameen, the 2020-21 season represents an opportunity to further implement his identity into the Lions' program. Having taken over a team that was comprised mostly of players from previous coaching regimes, Al-Ameen spent this past season trying to reset the culture while competing in one of toughest conferences in the NAIA.
 
While there was a lot of turnover on the roster – and the coaching staff with the addition of five new assistants – Al-Ameen does have a few frontcourt holdovers that will surely play a huge role in the team's success this season.
 
7-foot center and 2019-20 All-Sun Conference First Team selection Mubashar Ali returns for his senior campaign. The Helsinki, Finland native averaged 14.5 points per game this past season to go along with a conference-leading 10.6 rebounds per game. Also returning for his senior season is 6-foot-9 forward Cheikh Kebe. Kebe started 23 games this past season, was second on the team in total blocks, and supplied more than his fair share of highlight dunks.
 
Al-Ameen is also excited for the healthy return of physical 6-foot-8, 240-pound senior forward Ebenezer Aboagye and senior guard Aubrey Washington, both of whom missed this past season with injuries.
 
Among the 10 new Lions, Al-Ameen is most excited to see 6-foot-7 junior guard Quincy Urbina brings to the table. A transfer from City College of San Francisco – after a stint at NCAA Division-I San Jose State University – Urbina is a skilled and fierce competitor that can guard one through four while being able to get his shot at multiple levels on offense.
 
In Warner University, the Lions will be facing a team that enters Thursday already having two games under its belt as well as being motivated to return to the court. The Royals last played on October 27th and had its three subsequent games either postponed or canceled.
 
FMU will need to focus a lot of its defensive attention to Warner sophomore guard Rod Boggan. The 6-foot-1 lead guard led the Royals in scoring in their two games this season, while proving himself to be a decent rebounder (collecting 14 boards through two games) for his size and a driving threat that can draw foul and get to the free throw line.
 
The teams split their two meetings this past season, each winning on the other's home floor. But Florida Memorial is a much different team than it was this nine months ago. Where the Lions could recreate the success it had in its victory against Warner last season is in their ability to win the battle on the backboard and defend the perimeter. FMU outrebounded the Royals 33-28 while holding Warner to a derisory 6.7 percent shooting from the three-point line.
 
It'll also be paramount for the Lions to make sure they take care of the basketball and limit turnovers Thursday as to avoid a two-game performance like it had last year against Warner University when they committed 45 combined turnovers in the two games.
 
Follow Florida Memorial University Athletics on social media
Instagram: @GoFMULions/@FMU_MBB | Twitter: @GoFMULions | YouTube: Official FMU Lions
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Players Mentioned

Ebenezer Aboagye

#14 Ebenezer Aboagye

C
6' 8"
Senior
Cheikh Kebe

#13 Cheikh Kebe

F
6' 9"
Senior
Mubashar Ali

#21 Mubashar Ali

C/F
7' 0"
Senior
Aubrey Washington

#4 Aubrey Washington

G
5' 10"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Ebenezer Aboagye

#14 Ebenezer Aboagye

6' 8"
Senior
C
Cheikh Kebe

#13 Cheikh Kebe

6' 9"
Senior
F
Mubashar Ali

#21 Mubashar Ali

7' 0"
Senior
C/F
Aubrey Washington

#4 Aubrey Washington

5' 10"
Senior
G