LAKE WALES, Fla. (October 28, 2020) – Led by senior Jose Benitez (12 points) and junior Pride George (12 points), the Florida National men’s basketball team (0-2) were unable to knock off the Warner Royals (2-0), 75-56, on Tuesday evening.
The Conquistadors had three players score in double-figures. Along with Benitez and George, Hirotaka Ohashi posted 10 points versus the Royals. Benitez shot 3-of-9 from the floor and was 5-of-8 from the free-throw line. The native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, also grabbed six boards. George was 5-of-9 from the field, 2-of-4 from the charity stripe, and led the team with three steals. Ohashi, who was 3-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-3 from the line also dished out a game-high eight assists. Junior Jeffery Hernandez led the team with seven rebounds.
The contest was tightly contested early on as FNU trailed by on one (23-22) with 5:50 left in the first half. However, the Royals went on a 12-5 run to close out the half and take a 35-27 lead at intermission.
An 11-2 run by Warner in the first five minutes of the half put the Conquistadors in a 17-point hole. FNU showed no quit, trying to chip away at the lead. But, WU was able to maintain a double-digit lead for the remainder of the contest, defeating the Conquistadors, 75-56.
For the game, FNU shot 32.8 percent from the floor (20-of-61). Normally a strength of the Conquistadors, FNU had a tough night from beyond the arc, shooting 18.8 percent (6-of-32) from 3-point land. Warner converted 28-of-58 from the floor (48.3 percent) and shot 29.4 percent from downtown (5-of-17).
The Royals outrebounded the Conquistadors 48-24, including a 12-4 edge on the offensive glass.
The Conquistadors will return to action on Saturday, November 7, when they travel to Miami Gardens, Florida, to take on the St. Thomas Bobcats. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.
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.
