COLUMBIA, KY – Florida National University men’s Basketball team suffered a tough loss to Lindsey Wilson College on Monday night (Oct. 28th) the contest was played at Biggers Sports Center (Lindsey Wilson College Gym) – Columbia, Ky.
INSIDE THE MATCH-UP:
Final Score: Florida National University 72, Lindsey Wilson College 104
Records: Florida National University (2-2), Lindsey Wilson College (2-0)
Location: Biggers Sports Center – Columbia, Ky.
Florida National University Starters: Jeffrey Hernandez , Jose Benitez, Hirotaka Ohashi, Kenneth Santos, Matteo Baggio
Lindsey Wilson College Starters: Reece Brooks, Matthew Eldridge, Malik Hart, Kel Stotts, Jordan Hamlette
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lindsey Wilson got off to a great start, building an 8-0 lead over the first three minutes of play.
- The Conquistadors battled back as they were able to cut the Blue Raider advantage to just two points at 15-13 with 13:20 to play
- LWC would push their lead back to eight points off on a Malik Hart two-pointer as they led 24-16 with just under eight minutes to play.
- Florida National would mount a 10-0 run over the next two minutes and 26 seconds of play as they took their first lead of the contest at 26-24.
- The Blue Raiders never wavered as they quickly regained the lead with a 9-0 run.
- Leading 33-26, Lindsey Wilson would see their lead once again depleted as the Conquistadors were able to cut the LWC advantage to just one point at 35-34 with just 22 seconds to play in the half
- Two made free throws and a buzzer-beater two by Eldridge would give LWC a 39-34 lead at halftime.
- Lindsey Wilson forced nine turnovers and six steals in the half as they scored 13 points off the Conquistadors’ mistakes.
- Out of the break, Lindsey Wilson was able to build their lead to 10 points as they opened on a 6-1 run.
- Leading 45-38, The Blue Raiders would catch fire from beyond the arc on two three’s, completing a four-point play on his last attempt. The scoring spurt gave LWC a 55-38 lead with 14:11 to play in the half.
- The Blue Raiders continued to knock down their shots as they pushed their lead to as many as 25 points at 68-43 with 11:23 on the clock.
- Lindsey Wilson would continue with their offensive prowess as they increase their advantage to 79-49 with just less than nine minutes to play. LWC managed to outscore the Conquistadors 40-15 over the first 11 minutes of the half.
- The Blue Raiders lead by as many as 33 points, their largest lead of the night, with six minutes to play before taking the game 104-72.
GAME STATS:
- FNU shot 37.0% from the field on 27-of-73 shooting overall but was hot from the field in the first half, hitting 49.00%.
- FNU shot 33.3% from downtown on 10-of-30 shooting.
- FNU recorded 57.1 FT% on 8-of-14 shooting overall.
- Lindsey Wilson College hit 50.7% of its shots from the paint and 41.2% from the long range.
- Applying the pressure on the defensive side, the Conquistadors forced 13 turnovers and recorded 5 steals.
FNU HIGHLIGHTS:
- Jose Benitez scored a team-high 18 points, and added 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
- Nico Rojas led the Conquistadors on the boards with amazing 14 rebounds and he also scored 8 points and recorded one block.
- Thomas Dillon came of the bench with 13 points and he also noted 4 rebounds and recorded one assist.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- FNU record now is 2-2 this season.
- FNU away record to 2-2.
- 7 players saw at least fourteen minutes of action for the Conquistadors.
- Lindsey Wilson College out-rebounded Florida National 35-34 in the contest.
TEAM LEADERS:
Florida National University
- Points: Jose Benitez (18)
- Rebounds: Nico Rojas (14)
- Assists: Hirotaka Ohashi (5)
Lindsey Wilson College
- Points: Reece Brooks (20)
- Rebounds: Malik Hart (10)
- Assists: Ryan Friday (6)
WHAT’S NEXT:
Florida National University men’s basketball team will now face Johnson & Wales University on Tuesday, November 5th at 8:00 Pm. The game will take place at North Miami, FL.
STAY CONNECTED:Follow FNU athletics on social Media:
Ruy Castelo Branco – FNU – Sports Information Director
About FNU: Florida National University opened its first class on January 4th, 1988, in the city of Hialeah, Florida, as Florida International Institute under the administration of Dr. José Regueiro, Dr. María C. Regueiro and Mr. Omar Sánchez. FNU Athletic Department has more than 250 student-athletes in 11 different sports. Established in 2013, FNU Athletics is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA).
The mission of the Florida National University Athletic Department is to provide assistance within an athletic structure that promotes the development of a well rounded education through structured sport and competition, to develop life skills of discipline, integrity, leadership, philanthropy and social responsibility, to elevate ethnic and cultural diversity within the athletic programs, to assure equitable opportunity for all staff and student-athletes, and to make the athletic program a durable source of pride for the student population, student-athletes, alumni, university, and community of FNU.
