LAKELAND, Fla. — No. 15 Florida Southern College men's basketball (4-1, 0-0 Sunshine State) secured a decisive 98-77 victory over the College of Staten Island (2-2, 0-0 ECC) on Tuesday night at Jenkins Field House. The Moccasins' fast break offense contributed 25 points, while their defense forced 16 turnovers.
"We had some really good stretches tonight when I thought we played hard and executed," said head Coach
Mike Donnelly. "But we also had some inconsistent moments which we need to fix in order to keep improving. I believe our team has a lot of upside, but we need to stay committed to playing hard and doing all the necessary little things that impact winning."
The game began with Florida Southern College setting an early pace, as
Ameer Ramadan opened the scoring with a jumper in the paint. Florida Southern capitalized on turnovers, with
Amare Miller securing a steal that led to
Charlie Dalton's layup. The home team maintained momentum with a balanced attack, highlighted by Ramadan's three-pointer assisted by Dalton.
Florida Southern extended their lead with a 13–2 run midway through the half, including a
Spencer Schomers fast-break three-pointer, stretching their advantage to a 22–10 margin. Despite CSI's attempts to cut into the lead, Florida Southern's defense held firm, with Miller recording multiple rebounds and a steal.
As the first half concluded, Florida Southern maintained control with key plays from
Khalil Ross and
Elijah Walsh, including a fast-break dunk by Walsh. The home team closed out the half leading 46–28, showcasing strong offensive execution and defensive pressure.
The second half opened with the Dolphins' Aaron Goldstein narrowing the gap early, but the Mocs responded with a scoring surge. Walsh's dunk and
Brady Corso's three-pointer, both assisted, extended the lead. Despite CSI's efforts to close in, including a three-pointer by Eric Tynes, Florida Southern maintained control through key defensive rebounds and timely assists.
Midway through, Florida Southern capitalized on turnovers with scoring contributions from Miller and Dalton, who facilitated a fast-paced offensive burst. CSI attempted a comeback with a few successful free throws and layups, but the Mocs' defensive stops and successful field goals, including another three-pointer by Corso, sustained the margin.
As the half progressed, Florida Southern further solidified their lead with Miller's layup and a three-pointer by
Raphael Tawil. The Dolphins managed a late burst with threes from Jaice Martabano and Andrew Benedict, but the Mocs closed out the half strongly.
Luke McGinnis added a three-pointer in the final seconds, his first collegiate points, ensuring a comfortable advantage at 98-77 by the half's end.
Miller scored 15 points and recorded 11 rebounds, contributing significantly on defense with three steals and two blocks. Corso led with 19 points, sinking five 3-pointers and adding two steals. Ramadan added 15 points and provided six assists while collecting two steals. Dalton finished with 11 rebounds and led the team with seven assists, complementing his defensive effort with three steals.
In their next game, the Moccasins will face Winona State on Friday, Nov. 28, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Century Retail Thanksgiving Classic inside Jenkins Field House.Â
