Women's Basketball 11/5/2020 2:49:00 PM J.T. Wilcox, Sports Information Director

FMU Women To Start 2020-21 Season At Faulkner Classic

AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (0-0) at Life University Running Eagles (1-0)
When: Friday, November 6, 2020
Where: Faulkner University, Montgomery, Ala. | Tine W. Davis Gymnasium
Tipoff: 8 p.m. (Fri.)
Live Stream Video: Link
Live Stats: Link

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University's women's basketball team will open the 2020-21 season with a 678-mile road trip to Montgomery, Alabama to take part in the 2020 Jimmy Faulkner Classic Friday night.

The Lions – women and men – were supposed to spend their whole weekend in the Cotton State and play two games in two days, but multiple teams that were slated to participate had to withdraw due to COVID-19 concerns. Both of FMU's men games had to be postponed and the Lady Lions will now only play one game, Friday night at 8 p.m. Life University (Ga.).

Named after former Alabama state senator and educational supporter James "Jimmy" Faulkner, the classic will still feature a handful of teams from the southeast. It'll be the second straight year that FMU's women participate in the Faulkner Classic, also the second time that Florida Memorial will match up against the Running Eagles at the classic.

A big road test right out of the gate will be robust measuring stick for the Lions, who have an almost entirely new roster from this past season. FMU head coach Gregory Stanback only ultimately returned two players from the 2019-20 team and will enter this season looking to build continuity and camaraderie in what has been a truncated and ever-shifting offseason.

Back from last season's Sun Conference 5-seed team is sharpshooting guard Unique Tate and forward Anjelie Tirone. Both were spot-starters for the Lions this past season and do have the knowledge of working within Stanback's system.

While the other 11 players on the roster are new to the Blue and Orange, Stanback has high expectations for the group – mostly because a handful of the new players are upperclassmen transfers either from other four-year schools or two-year junior colleges.

5-foot-7 junior guard Keaynna Tolbert, a transfer from Prairie View A&M University, was tabbed as a player to watch in by the Sun Conference and has already shown herself to be a leader for the Lions. Stanback has also spoke highly of freshman guards Janae Markes and Micah Cooper and their potential to be early contributors.

In Life University, the FMU will be taking on a team that returns a pair of dynamic guards that could pose a big threat to the Lions' new backcourt.

Sydni Tears (5-foot-10, senior) and Maeisha Teasley (5-foot-6, senior) recently combined for 58 points, 14 steals, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds in a 91-60 victory. Life University got the best of the Lions in their early-season meeting this past season, a 78-53 contest in which Tears scored 15 points and grabbed 12 boards off the bench.

Ball security and team rebounding will be two major keys for Stanback's Lady Lions this weekend – and all season – as they look to start the 2020-21 season with a victory.

Follow Florida Memorial University Athletics on social media
Instagram: @GoFMULions/@FMUWBB | Twitter: @GoFMULions | YouTube: Official FMU Lions

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