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Florida Memorial University Athletics

Scoreboard

FMU player
73
St. Thomas Universit STU 1-2, 1-1 TSC
77
Winner Florida Memorial University FMUM 1-1, 1-1 TSC
St. Thomas Universit STU
1-2, 1-1 TSC
73
Final
77
Florida Memorial University FMUM
1-1, 1-1 TSC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
St. Thomas Universit STU 29 44 73
Florida Memorial University FMUM 34 43 77

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | J.T. Wilcox, Sports Information Director

Mack’s Big Night Propels FMU Past St. Thomas Saturday

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University senior guard Sam Mack Jr. stared down defenders and pounded his chest after he made each one of his five three-pointers Saturday, propelling the Lions to a hard-fought 77-73 victory over visiting St. Thomas University in an emotionally-charged game in the FMU Wellness Center.
 
Mack turned in his FMU career-high for points, totaling 32 in 30 minutes of action – including racking up 14 points in the second half.
 
While Mack's points seemed to be amplified by his bravado, it was a handful of other FMU players that quietly made "winning plays" in crucial moments as the Lions rallied back from a 9-point deficit over the course of the final five minutes of the game.
 
Tristan Stephens added 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals off the bench Saturday. 7-foot senior center Mubashar Ali also came off the bench and gave the Lions (1-1, 1-1 The Sun Conference) a huge lift – registering a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards.
 
Aubrey Washington gave the team solid minutes, steadying the offense as a primary ball-handler against the Bobcats' pressing defense as well as knocking down clutch free throws.
 
Trailing 68-59 with 5:01 left in the game, Florida Memorial went on a 15-0 run in a three-minute span, throwing what would be the final blow in what was a seesawing battle.
 
It almost became a literal "battle" between the neighborhood and conference rivals. Late in the first half, there was a play were players from both teams dove to the floor after a loose ball; two players got tangled up on the floor as the whistle blew and a small dust up occurred as an FMU player tried to pull a St. Thomas player off of another FMU player. There was some light pushing, but the officials and coaches intervened and separated the players. Technical fouls were to both teams, but St. Thomas University had a pair of players ejected for leaving the bench area during the skirmish.
 
Florida Memorial, which will travel to play Ave Maria University next Wednesday (Nov. 18), shot 42 percent from the field Saturday – compared to just 37 percent for the Bobcats (1-2, 1-1 TSC). Four St. Thomas players scored in double figures, but the Lions forced the Bobcats into 23 turnovers Saturday – including 9 steals.
 
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