LAKELAND, Fla. — No. 15 Florida Southern College (1-0, 0-0 Sunshine State) defeated Alaska Anchorage (0-1, 0-0 Great Northwest) 88-76 on Saturday at Jenkins Field House to open the 2025-26 season, with a strong defensive effort highlighted by 13 steals.
Florida Southern opened the first half with a quick offensive start as
Elijah Walsh hit a 3-pointer with an assist from
Charlie Dalton. The momentum continued with Dalton's layup, extending their early lead. Despite turnovers, the Moccasins' defense, highlighted by
Amare Miller's blocks, helped maintain the advantage. Walsh,
Jasir Tremble, Khalil Ross, Dalton,
Brady Corso, and
Spencer Schomers all made their Moccasin debut today.
Midway through the half, the Mocs capitalized on several fast-break opportunities, including consecutive layups and a dunk by Walsh, further increasing their lead. However, Alaska Anchorage kept the game close with timely 3-point shooting, including a late basket from Cole Johnson.
As the half concluded, FSC responded to Anchorage's pressure with a 3-pointer from
Ameer Ramadan, closing the half with a narrow 42-41 lead.
Florida Southern started the second half with a narrow lead, but Miller quickly regained momentum with a layup, followed by a 3-pointer from Tremble. As the half progressed, Florida Southern extended their lead with a key 9-0 run, highlighted by Walsh's fast-break layup and Ross's free throws, which brought the score to 52-45.
Midway through the half, FSC maintained control with crucial defensive stops, including Miller's block and a defensive rebound, which allowed them to capitalize on transition opportunities. Corso's 3-pointer and Miller's subsequent 3-pointer extended the lead, pushing the scoreboard to 63-47, with effective ball distribution from Schomers and Dalton contributing to the offensive flow.
In the final minutes, the Moccasins continued their scoring efforts with a layup and a dunk by Miller, assisted by Ramadan, maintaining their advantage. The half concluded with Florida Southern holding a solid lead at 88-76, outscoring the Seawolves 46-35 in the half.
It is the second time these two schools have ever faced, the first time since 1990, when the Mocs won 80-68. Florida Southern begins the season with a 1-0 record. Alaska Anchorage starts 0-1 overall.
In their next game, FSC will host UVA Wise on Sunday, Nov. 2. The matchup will tip off at 5:45 p.m. at George W. Jenkins Field House in Lakeland, Florida for their final game in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
