FMU Looking To Carry Momentum Into Thursday Game At Keiser

AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (5-8, 5-5) at Keiser University Seahawks (10-7, 6-5)
When: Thursday, January 21, 2021
Where: Keiser University, West Palm Beach, Fla. | Student Life Center
Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.* (30 minutes following women's game)
Last Meeting: Jan. 14, 2021, Loss 73-77
Live Stream: Link
Live Stats: Link

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University's men's basketball team will be out to avoid getting swept in the regular season series when it travels to West Palm Beach, Florida to take on Keiser University Thursday night in KU's Student Life Center.

While the game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start, the Lions men's game will actually tip-off 30 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding women's game between the programs. Per Keiser University health and safety protocols, no visiting fans will be allowed to attend the game. However, it will be streamed live online and will be able to be viewed for free.

Florida Memorial (5-8, 5-5 The Sun Conference) comes into Thursday game riding the emotional high that comes from earning a hard-fought, overtime victory at St. Thomas University this past Tuesday. FMU upended the Bobcats 93-92 thanks to near-buzzer-beating three-pointer by senior guard Aubrey Washington.

The clutch shot was Washington's only made basket on the night and it gave the Lions its second win over the Bobcats in the Battle of Miami Gardens this season.

FMU head coach Ansar Al-Ameen would also get 20-point nights from three of his players that; a 24-point and 17-rebound performance from senior center Mubashar Ali, 22 points from Sam Mack Jr., and 21 points and 7 boards from senior Cheikh Kebe.

Looking at the matchup with Keiser University; while the Lions have come up holding the short end of the proverbial stick in both of the previous matchups, both games were decided by just four points.

Florida Memorial rallied back from a halftime deficit and held a lead late in the game before falling to the Seahawks in the January 4th meeting and it fought through a seesaw battle with Keiser before being edged out during the January 14th matchup.

The Seahawks (10-7, 6-5) likes to run its offense through guard CoreVon Lott. The 6-foot-1 junior guard plays bigger and with more physicality than what his stature would typically dictate and is a shot-maker capable of scoring from all three levels of the floor. FMU has had mixed results defending Lott this season, keeping him relatively in check during the first meeting (13 points on 5-of-12 shooting) and allowing him to lead his team in scoring – as he knocked down five three-pointers – during the second contest.

Where Al-Ameen's team must do a better job is in defending Lott's supporting cast.

Keiser 6-foot-6 forward Shaquille Harris is averaging 15.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in the two games against the Lions and guard Antwan Claxton registered 13 points in both of matchups.

FMU's offense seems to have found a stalwart Mack Jr. He's scored at least 20 points in four out of the past six games, including three consecutive outings posting at least 22. Mack's ability to either breakdown defenders off the dribble or bomb shots from long range has made him a solid complement to Ali, who garners attention from multiple defenders just off his 7-foot size alone.

Ali was saddled with foul trouble in the most recent meeting against Keiser and was unable to give the Lions a much-needed lift on both ends of the floor in what was a very close game.

Mack and Ali's production notwithstanding, Florida Memorial is most potent when it gets tangible contributions from any combination of Kebe, Washington, Muhammad Gilchrist, and Terence Clayton.

Follow Florida Memorial University Athletics on social media
Instagram: @GoFMULions/@FMU_MBB | Twitter: @GoFMULions | YouTube: Official FMU Lions

Print Friendly Version