FMU Hungry For Victory, Travels To Keiser University Thursday

AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (6-6, 6-5) at Keiser University Seahawks (9-6, 6-4)
When: Thursday, January 21, 2021
Where: Keiser University, West Palm Beach, Fla. | Student Life Center
Tip-off: 5:30 p.m.
Last Meeting: Jan. 14, 2021, Loss 52-69
Live Stream: Link
Live Stats: Link

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Simply looking at the results of Florida Memorial University's women's basketball team's past two games wouldn't provide enough context on how the team has played over the past five days.

The Lions were a bit enervated in their game this past Thursday (Jan. 14) and just didn't "have it" as they fell to Keiser University. FMU played much more like itself this past Tuesday (Jan. 19) and looked almost dominate for three quarters against St. Thomas University before going cold in the fourth quarter and allowing the Bobcats to rally back and hand it a tough loss.

Stir in the fact that the Florida Memorial head coach Gregory Stanback has had at least one player miss almost every game this season – including missing the team's second-leading scorer during this past Tuesday – and the perspective changes.

Still, no one is ready to feel sorry for the Lions – least of all themselves – and Florida Memorial will be looking to snap its two-game losing streak when it travels to West Palm Beach, Florida to face Keiser University Thursday in KU's Student Life Center.

Thursday's game, which is set for a 5:30 p.m. tip and will be the opener in a typical Sun Conference women-men doubleheader, will be closed to the general public and visiting fans. The game will be streamed live online and will able to be viewed free of charge.

FMU (6-6, 6-5 The Sun Conference) enters Thursday's game with a sour taste in its mouth given the way it fell on Tuesday. The Lions held a 14-point lead over St. Thomas with just over eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, but got outscored 28-9 over those final eight minutes as they went 3-of-15 from the field in the span.

Junior guard Keaynna Tolbert gave the team her usual production – tallying 24 points while setting a new personal season-high for free throws made in a single game (9). And while the team got a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double from Heather Durand, the absence of second-leading scorer Jamari Tillman was felt in terms of what she brings to court literally and figuratively. Because he couldn't go to Tillman, Stanback was forced to play Tolbert, Chantel Barnett, and Destiny Marin – who was making her return to the lineup Tuesday after missing the previous game – extended minutes.

Tillman's status for Thursday's game remains unclear.

In Keiser University, Florida Memorial will be facing a team that's seemingly found its groove recently. The Seahawks (9-6, 6-4) have won their past three games, including sweeping through the "Miami Gardens corridor" with wins over the Lions and St. Thomas University this past week.

Thursday matchup will also be the "rubber match" – third meeting – between the teams and it'll also be FMU's second meeting with the Seahawks within a week.

Keiser's offense runs through sharpshooter Emily Patton, who leads the Sun Conference in three-point shooting percentage and is averaging 23.5 points in her two games against FMU this season. Florida Memorial will also need to make a concerted effort to keep Seahawks 5-foot-9 senior Keondra Smith out of the paint and limit her offensive and defensive rebounding opportunities.

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