WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. ( Nov. 21, 2023) – Florida National University’s men’s basketball team is winless no more after a stellar 81-66 win over the Philander Smith College Panthers on Nov. 21. The Conquistadors used explosive offensive performances from Matthew Robinson and Ray Daniel Parrish to close out the Panthers at the Keiser University Thanksgiving Classic.
The first half was the stage for a breakout evening for Robinson. The sophomore was all over the floor and ended the period with 11 points on 5-9 shooting from the field. Girardi Cubillan was a helpful force from off the bench with eight points and three rebounds. The Conquistadors were moving the ball well with Cameron Johnson, Marcos Molina Jr. and Parrish dishing out three assists each. FNU went into the break with a steady 42-33 lead despite PSC’s Raymond Reece keeping things within striking distance with 18 points in 14 minutes of court time.
In the second half, FNU was able to keep the Panthers at bay with a 13-point masterclass from Robinson. The Conquistadors also kept their turnovers to a minimum with five, while PSC coughed up the ball eight times. A made layup by Robert Roberson made it a 56-50 ball game but solid free throw shooting from Robinson and Gary Adams brought FNU’s lead back to eight just when they needed it most. The Conquistadors went on to outscore PSC 23-16 from that point on to close out the game. FNU’s defense also held Reece to just five points in the half as Adams and Parrish combined for 14 points down the stretch.
Robinson recorded a team-high 24 points while Johnson and Parrish posted 12 and 16, respectively.
Up Next: The Conquistadors host Ave Maria on Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.
