JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (December 8, 2020) – A 21-3 run by the Privateers in the final seven minutes of the first half proved to be the difference as the Florida National Conquistadors (2-9) fell to New Orleans (1-3), 74-57, in the opening game of the BSN Sports Dolphin Classic.
Jeffrey Hernandez led all Conquistadors with 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the floor. He also drained three 3-points, to go along with four rebounds, three steals and one blocked shot. Joining Hernandez in double-digit scoring was senior Kenneth Santos, who added 14 points on 5-of-25 shooting with a game-high four treys. Santos also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to notch his third double-double of the season.
In the first half, the game produced three ties and four lead changes in the first 12 minutes. However, a bucket by Lamont Berzat with 8:30 on the clock gave UNO its final lead of the game (16-14). A Santos 3-pointer cut the Privateers’ lead to just one (18-17) with 7:30 left in the half but UNO used a 21-3 run to close out the half.
FNU outscored UNO in the second half 37-35 but it was not enough to overcome the 19-point first-half deficit.
For the game the Conquistadors shot 29.3 from the floor (22-of-75) and were 8-of-35 from 3-point range (22.9 percent). The Privateers ended the game shooting 52.5 percent from the field (32-of-61) but failed to hit any shots from downtown, going 0-of-13.
UNO held a 50-37 edge in rebounding and outscored FNU in the paint, 52-18.
The Conquistadors will return to action tomorrow with their second game of the BSN Sports Dolphin Classic taking on Jacksonville. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
