Women's Basketball 11/17/2021 1:51:00 PM J.T. Wilcox, Sports Information Director

Lions WBB Ready For Road Tilt At Warner University Thursday

AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (1-3, 1-0) at Warner University Royals (1-2, 0-1)
When: Thursday, November 17, 2021
Where: Warner University, Lake Wales, Fla. | Turner Athletic Center
Tip-off: 5:30 p.m.
Last Meeting: Feb. 6, 2021, Win 62-47
Live Stream: Link
Live Stats: Link
Tickets: General Admission $5 Adult/$2 Youth (Purchase)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University will be looking to continue its run of dominance over Warner University this week when it travels to Lake Wales, Florida to take on the Royals at 5:30 p.m. Thursday night in WU's Turner Athletic Center.

Thursday will also mark the second road conference doubleheader for FMU this season. The women's teams will open the action and the men's teams taking the floor 30 minutes following the women's game as Florida Memorial hopes to earn another sweep – winning both games like it did this past weekend at St. Thomas University.

The Lions have won 12 straight games against Warner by an average margin of 14.5 points, a trend they hope to continue while also picking up another early conference victory.

FMU has shown over the past week that it operates at its best when it can speed up the tempo of the game with its defensive pressure. In the win over the Bobcats this past Saturday – and even in the non-counting exhibition loss at NCAA Division-I Florida International University – the Lions forced more than turnovers and held the opponent below 42 percent shooting from the field.

Florida Memorial (1-3, 1-0 The Sun Conference) head coach Gregory Stanback has dialed up various pressing and trapping defenses that create what he calls "controlled chaos" – often thwarting the opposing team's offensive sets and creating easier scoring opportunities for the Lions thanks to turnovers.

The Lions' offense is still – on most nights – buoyed by senior guard Keaynna Tolbert, a 2021 All-Sun Conference First Team performer. Tolbert's ability to attack the rim and finish through contact makes her a consistent threat to opponents, as she either racks up points or gets multiple defenders in foul trouble.

The key for FMU has been getting consistent contributions from other players on the roster. Guard Aliyah-Deen Ahmad has seemingly found her niche in Stanback's system, operating as the team's key on-ball defender able to generate points on breakaways after steals.

While Florida Memorial waits on the healthy return of guard Jamari Tillman (lower extremity) and 2021 TSC Freshman of the Year Chantel Barnett (undisclosed), it can only hope that the tangible contributions it got from freshman Diamond Mays, who led the team with 14 points off the bench against St. Thomas, and Destiny Marin (10 points vs. STU) are signs of things to come opposed to just a proverbial flash in the pan.

In facing Warner University Thursday, it'll be a contrast of styles between the team. The Royals (1-2, 0-1) are a bigger team that is most successful when it can get the ball into the paint and finish over defenders with 5-foot-10 Jasmine Edwards, 6-foot-2 Haley Gantt, and 6-foot-2 Chanelle McDonald – who leads the team in scoring this season.

Where the Lions can create an advantage is with its defensive pressure. FMU's ability to create turnovers on the perimeter, especially since Warner has been susceptible to giving the away the ball this season (18 TPG), will limit the chances the Royals have at getting the ball inside to its frontcourt players and perhaps even play them off the floor because of the sped-up pace.

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

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