AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (8-16, 5-10) vs. Thomas University Night Hawks (6-17, 3-12)
When: February 15, 2020
Where: Florida Memorial, Miami Gardens, Fla. | FMU Wellness Center
Tip-off: 4 p.m. (*30 minutes following women's game)
Last Meeting: Jan. 9, 2020, Win 69-68
Live Stream Video & Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fmulions/index.htm
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University's men will be looking to earn back-to-back victories for the first time this season when they host Thomas University Saturday afternoon in the FMU Wellness Center.
The Lions will also be looking to strengthen their chances at possibly qualifying for the Sun Conference postseason tournament in a game that's slated to tip-off at 4 p.m. but will start 30 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding women's game.
It will also be a special night for the Florida Memorial University women's volleyball team. The school will hold a special ceremony at halftime of the men's game, where the volleyball players will receive rings to honor their 2019 Sun Conference championship – the school's first conference title.
Florida Memorial (8-16, 5-10 Sun Conference) did itself a huge favor in defeating College of Coastal Georgia this past Thursday. Though the Lions still sit in eighth place in the Sun Conference standings, they now only trail Warner University, Webber International University, and Coastal Georgia – who are all tied with a 6-9 conference record – by a single game in the with three games remaining.
Standing in the Lions' way Saturday will be a Thomas University team that currently sits in the Sun Conference's cellar and a team that FMU defeated once already this year. Thanks to
Kaleb Darrett's season-high 31 points and a clutch free throw from
Quvondo Johnson, Florida Memorial edged the Night Hawks 69-68 back in January.
It was Darrett – and his game-high 26 points – that powered FMU to its victory over Coastal Georgia Thursday, so he could be in line for another big night with the seemingly favorable matchup against Thomas University on tap.
Johnson has also become a consistent force for FMU head coach
Ansar Al-Ameen. The 6-foot-5 athletic wing has scored 10-plus points in 10 of his 12 games played this season and is about a rebound shy of averaging a double-double (16 points and 8.7 rebounds) in that span.
The Lions will need more than just Darrett and Johnson to step up Saturday, however. The first meeting between the teams was a close game throughout, mostly because Florida Memorial only had four players register points – Darrett's 35, 14 from each Johnson and
Jordan Martin, and six points from
Mubashar Ali. Coach Al-Ameen would need tangible contributions from 6-foot-9 forward
Cheikh Kebe and timely shot-making from guards
Omar Outar and
Jordan Collins.
Defensively, FMU will need to do a better job of putting clamps on Night Hawks senior guard Joshua Scott. Scott tapped the Lions for 23 points in their first meeting, routinely breaking down, attacking the rim, and getting to the free line.
