FMU MBB To Participate In Keiser Holiday Classic This Week

AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (4-4) at Edward Waters University Tigers (3-3)
FMU Lions (4-4) at Arizona Christian University Firestorm (6-1)
When: Tuesday-Wednesday, November 23-24, 2021
Where: Keiser University, West Palm Beach, Fla. | KU Student Life Center
Tip-off: Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. | Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.
Last Meeting: vs. EWU | Nov. 23, 2019, Win 101-88
vs. ACU | First Meeting
Live Stream: Link
Live Stats: Link

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University will continue what will be a busy seven-day stretch this week when it travels to West Palm Beach, Florida on consecutive days to play two games in two days in the Keiser University Holiday Classic beginning Tuesday.

The Lions will take on historically Black college/university (HBCU) rival Edward Waters University Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m. in KU's Student Life Center and faceoff against Arizona Christian University Wednesday night also at 5:30 p.m.

FMU will end up playing four games over the span of a week. Florida Memorial earned a hard-fought overtime win over Keiser University this past Saturday, will play the two midweek games in the tourney, and will conclude its week with a home tilt Saturday against NCAA Division-II opponent Barry University (Fla.).

The win over Keiser this past Saturday represented the progress Lions head coach Ansar Al-Ameen wanted to see in his program. In years past, FMU would falter in tough, close games – especially against conference foes – because its guards wouldn't be able to make enough "winning plays" down the stretch. This past weekend, it was two new Lions guards, Anfernee King and Corey Benton, that made the critical plays down the stretch that helped lift Florida Memorial (4-4) to the victory.

King ended up posting a team-high 17 points – 11 of which coming during the overtime period – while Benton finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.

The Lions will be looking to capture consecutive victories for the first time this season when it takes on Edward Waters Tuesday. The Tigers (3-3) enter as losers of their past two games – including a blowout loss at Miles College. Florida Memorial trails in the all-time series of meetings between the programs by a single game (6-7) but should be able to continue the recent successful trend as the Lions have won the past two meetings by 19 points combined.

Waiting for FMU on Wednesday will be Arizona Christian University, a strong program that won 24 games, won its conference title, and reached the National NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament this past season. The Firestorm (6-1) returned a large chunk of the roster from that successful team, including forwards Bryce Davis and Bobby Wilson and guard Angelo Johnson – the team's top three scorers this season and last season.

Whenever FMU has been successful this season, it has been behind strong outings from Benton and Brent Holcombe. Holcombe has seen his production regress to the mean, after scoring 20 points or more in four straight games the transfer senior big man has failed to total 10 points in the past two games.

Where the Lions can make up that missing frontcourt production is in continued progression of 7-foot senior center Mubashar Ali. Ali missed the first six games of the season due to for an undisclosed reason and is still working his way back into the form that earned him Sun Conference First Team All-Conference honors in each of the past two seasons.

As Ali rounds into shape and pairs well with Holcombe and Benton – or King or either freshmen guards Carington Campbell or Gary Adams – gives the Lions solid backcourt production, Florida Memorial should be successful this week.

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