AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (7-16, 4-10) vs. College of Coastal Georgia (13-13, 6-8)
When: February 13, 2020
Where: Florida Memorial, Miami Gardens, Fla. | FMU Wellness Center
Tip-off: 8 p.m. *(30 minutes following women's game)
Last Meeting: Jan. 11, 2020, Loss 90-96 (OT)
Live Stream Video & Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fmulions/index.htm
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University's men will need some outside help if they want to qualify for the Sun Conference's postseason tournament, but they also have to continue to help themselves – step one is knocking off College of Coastal Georgia, who the Lions will host Thursday night in the FMU Wellness Center.
The game, which will be a "Black Out" theme with the first 1,000 fans to enter the arena receiving a commemorative black t-shirt, is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. but will actually tip 30 minutes following the conclusion of the women's game, which is set to start at 6 p.m.
FMU (7-16, 4-10 Sun Conference) will enter Thursday's game sitting in eighth place in the Sun Conference standings. The top six teams qualify for the conference postseason tournament and the Lions are 1.5 games behind Warner University and Webber International University, who are tied for sixth, and a full two games behind five-seed Coastal Georgia.
The Lions are still licking their wounds from its homecoming loss to rival St. Thomas University. FMU trailed by as many as 15 but rallied back and even took a one-point lead in the waning minutes before falling by four.
Senior guard
Jordan Martin came off the bench to score a team-high 21 points for the Lions and
Quvondo Johnson added 18 points and 9 rebounds against Bobcats, but usual stalwarts
Kaleb Darrett and
Mubashar Ali both struggled.
In facing Coastal Georgia, FMU will be taking on a team that it nearly upended before losing grasp on the game in the final seconds in regulation and into overtime. The Lions led the Mariners by five with less than 30 seconds left in second half before turnovers left the door open for Coastal Georgia to tie the game and ultimately pull away in the extra period.
Coastal Georgia didn't necessarily prove itself to be decisively better, the first meeting was swayed by a few specific plays at the end.
The Lions should have the confidence boost that comes along with playing on their home floor, but they should look to re-create whatever happened that allowed Martin to turn in one of his best games of the season. The Atlanta, Georgia native dropped 29 points on the Mariners while also grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out four assists, and nabbing two steals.
Granted, Coastal Georgia (13-13, 6-8) will be motivated Thursday as well. The Mariners, winners of their past three, are sitting on the cusp of qualifying for the postseason tournament and will be looking to strengthen their standing for a conference tourney bid.
