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Charles Bethel Jr.

Men's Basketball J.T. Wilcox, Sports Information Director

FMU Hopes To Find Success Against Southeastern Again Saturday

AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (5-12, 5-9) vs. Southeastern University Fire (10-11, 4-10)
When: Saturday, January 30, 2021
Where: Florida Memorial, Miami Gardens, Fla. | FMU Wellness Center
Tip-off: 4 p.m.* (30 minutes following women's game)
Last Meeting: Dec. 19, 2020, Win 72-69
Live Stream: Link
Live Stats: Link
 
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – It's not often that a regular season game can be considered a "must win". And even calling Florida Memorial University's men's basketball team's game this weekend a "must win" could be considered a bit heavy-handed.
 
While it may not be a complete "must win", it's definitely a game the Lions can't afford to lose.
 
Florida Memorial will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak and stay on solid ground in the Sun Conference standing race when it hosts Southeastern University Saturday afternoon in the FMU Wellness Center.
 
Saturday's men's game will be the second game of a typical conference women-men doubleheader. While the game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start, it will actually tip-off 30 minutes following the conclusion of the preceding women's game. No fans will be permitted to attend the games inside the Lions' Den, per University health and safety protocols, but the game will be streamed live online and can be viewed for free.
 
Florida Memorial (5-12, 5-9) dropped a tough game this past Thursday, after it rallied back from a 26-point deficit – coming within three – before falling 72-64 to Webber International University. Mubashar Ali led scorers with 25 points and Cheikh Kebe had a game-high 11 rebounds, but the Lions shot just 35 percent from the field and 23 percent from three-point range.
 
Shooting has been a source of frustration for the Lions and head coach Ansar Al-Ameen. Through the past four games, FMU has shot an average of 39 percent from the field and just 23 percent from beyond the arc and it only scored more than 66 points once in that span – when it scored 78 in an overtime loss to Warner University.
 
In hosting Southeastern, the Lions will be taking on the team that sits directly below them in the Sun Conference standings. The Fire (10-11, 4-10) had a bit of a precipitous fall in the standings when it lost 6-foot-7 forward Riley Minix to injury and has really struggled recently – losing its past six games by an average of 9.5 points.
 
FMU needs to make it seven straight losses for the Fire, as the result of Saturday's game could greatly impact its hopes of making the Sun Conference postseason tournament. Even with the conference expanding the number of teams that qualify for the tourney from six to eight, the Lions currently sit in the No. 8 spot and hold just a single game lead on the No. 9 Fire.
 
Both teams will have five conference games remaining following Saturday's matchup, but Florida Memorial – arguably – has the tougher remaining slate between the two. The Lions have three road trips – compared to two for Southeastern – in the span and FMU has matchups against the current top three teams in the conference remaining while three of the Fire's final conference tilts will be against teams currently in the bottom half of the standings.
 
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Players Mentioned

Cheikh Kebe

#13 Cheikh Kebe

F
6' 9"
Senior
Mubashar Ali

#21 Mubashar Ali

C/F
7' 0"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Cheikh Kebe

#13 Cheikh Kebe

6' 9"
Senior
F
Mubashar Ali

#21 Mubashar Ali

7' 0"
Senior
C/F