AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (9-17, 6-11) vs. Johnson & Wales Wildcats (7-18, 3-14)
When: Saturday, February 22, 2020
Where: Florida Memorial, Miami Gardens, Fla. | FMU Wellness Center
Tip-off: 4 p.m.* (30 minutes following women's game)
Last Meeting: Jan. 16, 2020, Loss 64-71
Live Stream Video & Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fmulions/index.htm
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University's men will close out its regular season and honor its seniors when it hosts local rival Johnson & Wales University Saturday afternoon in the FMU Wellness Center.
Any potential drama surrounding the Lions' season finale was thrown away once FMU was officially knocked out of contention for a potential berth in the Sun Conference postseason tournament this past Thursday when it fell to No. 17 Keiser University. FMU was already balancing on a razor-thin wire in terms of its chances of earning a spot, not only needing to win its remaining games but also needing losses by the teams ahead of them in the standings, so the loss Thursday was the decisive blow.
Still, Florida Memorial will be looking to close out its 2019-20 season on a high note Saturday. Especially for its three seniors, who will be honored with a pregame presentation, as they play their final game in front of the home crowd inside the FMU Wellness Center.
Isaiah Darrett,
Jordan Martin, and
Omar Outar will be introduced along with their families prior to tip-off of the game, which is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. but will actually begin 30 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding women's basketball game at 2 p.m.
The Lions will be looking to avenge their January road loss to the Wildcats (7-18, 3-14), who sit in the cellar of the Sun Conference standings and were eliminated from postseason contention weeks ago. Johnson and Wales had one of its best shooting nights of the year against the Lions the first time around – shooting 45 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range.
Martin recorded his season-high point total against Johnson and Wales back in January, lighting up the Wildcats for 31 points. Martin has missed the past two games with an undisclosed injury and his status for Saturday's season finale is unknown.
Outar has done his best to fill the void left by Martin's absence. Without Martin, the team's leading three-pointer shooter this season, Outar has seen an uptick in his attempts from downtown – cashing in on 11 of his 23 shots from beyond the arc in the past two games.
Florida Memorial should also benefit from the late addition of
Kyle Young to the active roster. Having missed the entire season up until Thursday game at Ave Maria, the 6-foot-10 Young gives Lions head coach
Ansar Al-Ameen another frontcourt option alongside 7-foot center
Mubashar Ali and 6-foot-9 forward
Cheikh Kebe.
Success against JWU Saturday will mean that the Lions slow down the Wildcats pair of guards Alex Doane and Dante Pace. The duo accounted for 44 points – 22 apiece – in the first meeting and controlled the pace of the game, making it difficult for the Lions to play to their size advantage with Ali, who played 20 minutes in that first game.
