LAKELAND, Fla. —
Brady Corso led No. 15 Florida Southern College men's basketball (3-1, 0-0 Sunshine State) to a 95-63 victory over Savannah State University (0-2, 0-0 SIAC) at Jenkins Field House on Saturday night.
Florida Southern secured the victory with a strong offensive performance, led by Corso's 24 points. The Mocs shot 54.2% from the field and capitalized on 22 fast-break points. The home team forced 19 turnovers, converting those into 29 points, while maintaining a lead throughout the contest.
"Tonight was another positive step for us," said head coach
Mike Donnelly. "This game was a concern because we knew how hard Savannah State would play, but I was pleased with our focus and intensity level. Our guys are getting more comfortable playing in our system and with each other as well; which is a great sign."
Florida Southern began the first half with a strong start, capitalizing on turnovers and fast breaks.
Elijah Walsh's early dunk, assisted by
Ameer Ramadan, set the tone at 18:09. The home team then extended their advantage with a 12–0 run, highlighted by Corso's three-pointer at 15:03, assisted by
Donovan Smith.
Florida Southern maintained defensive pressure, recording nine steals, which effectively disrupted the Tigers' offense. Although SSU found some success with their bench contributing 20 points, Florida Southern's consistent scoring and control of the paint, with 24 points, ensured they closed the half with a 45–31 lead.
Florida Southern opened the second half with a strong offensive display, highlighted by Corso's early 3-pointer at 19:23, extending their lead. Walsh contributed with a fast-break 3-pointer at 18:11, fueled by a steal, helping to maintain momentum. The home team continued to capitalize on turnovers and rebounds, with
Amare Miller delivering key defensive stops, including a block at 16:46 and a dunk at 16:34, further increasing the score gap.
As the half progressed, the Mocs continued to dominate offensively, with Smith and
Riley Buccino each adding 3-pointers to widen the lead. The team effectively utilized assists, with Ramadan and
Khalil Ross contributing to the scoring effort. In the final minutes, the Mocs had court appearances from
Raphael Tawill and
Luke McGinnis, the latter making his collegiate debut, with a steal from McGuiness to record the team's 13th of the game. The half concluded with Florida Southern leading 95–63, having outscored SSU by 18 points in the second half.
Corso led the team with 24 points, converting 7 of 11 field goals and sinking 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. Miller contributed 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting and added two blocks. Walsh scored 14 points while collecting seven rebounds and recording three steals. Smith added eight points and matched Walsh with three steals.
Looking ahead, Florida Southern will host Staten Island on Tuesday, Nov. 18. The matchup is set for 7 p.m. at George W. Jenkins Field House in Lakeland, Florida.
