AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (12-13, 7-8) vs. Thomas University Night Hawks (3-15, 1-13)
When: February 15, 2020
Where: Florida Memorial, Miami Gardens, Fla. | FMU Wellness Center
Tip-off: 2 p.m.
Last Meeting: Jan. 9, 2020, Win 74-67
Live Stream Video & Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fmulions/index.htm

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University's women will be looking to avoid what would be a big letdown when it hosts a Thomas University team that's only out to play the role of "spoiler" Saturday afternoon in the FMU Wellness Center.
 
It wouldn't be an outrageous amount of hyperbole to call Saturday's game – which is set to tip at 2 p.m. – a must-win, not only because the Lady Lions will be honoring breast cancer survivors and raising awareness for the Play 4 Kay Foundation by wearing pink, but because they are also in the thick of the race for a spot in the Sun Conference postseason tournament.
 
Florida Memorial (12-13, 7-8 Sun Conference) will enter Saturday's game clinging to the sixth and final qualifying spot in the conference standings. Because of their loss to College of Coastal Georgia this past Thursday, FMU has the same conference record as rival St. Thomas University, but the Lady Lions own the overall record tiebreaker with the Bobcats.
 
Still, Florida Memorial cannot afford to have a letdown against a Thomas University team that has lost five straight games and has just one victory against a Sun Conference opponent.
 
FMU already got the best of the Night Hawks once this season, earning a 74-67 win in Thomasville, Georgia. The Lady Lions flexed their muscles in that game, opening up as large as a 25-point lead before cruising into the seven-point win. What should give FMU head coach Gregory Stanback confidence is the fact that his team manufactured that road win over the Night Hawks without the services of senior Isis Lane, the team's leading scorer and rebounder this season.
 
Stanback just wants to see his team shoot better than the 26.5 percent clip it did in their loss this past Thursday. The Lions struggled to find their range from anywhere on the court and lost the rebound battle – a detrimental combination when trying to earn a victory.
 
Florida Memorial's defensive key will be slowing down Thomas University junior forward Destiny Reed. Reed put together a 22-point, 12-rebound performance against the Lions in their first meeting, but should have a tougher time having to contend with the 6-foot-4 Lane down low.
 

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