LAKELAND, Fla. — No. 25 Florida Southern College men's basketball (9-3, 2-1 Sunshine State) fell to Bentley (6-3, 1-1 NE10) 82-66 on Friday night at Jenkins Field House in the opening night of the Mocs Christmas Classic.
"We are not playing at our standard and expectation level right now," stated Mocs' head coach
Mike Donnelly. "But we just need regroup quickly and focus on Lees-McRae tomorrow."
Florida Southern College began the first half by quickly establishing an early lead with
Charlie Dalton's layup and
Amare Miller's three-pointer, setting the score at 5–2. The team maintained momentum with a string of successful plays, including a three-point fastbreak by
Ameer Ramadan, assisted by
Elijah Walsh, extending the advantage to 10–6. Despite there being multiple lead changes and ties throughout the half, FSC managed to stay competitive by matching Bentley's scoring.
As the half progressed, Miller continued to be effective, contributing with both a jumper and a dunk. The Moccasins led 22–13 at the midway point, but Bentley responded by tightening the gap through scoring runs, eventually overtaking the Mocs. Despite a consistent effort from Florida Southern, including defensive stops and scoring from various players, Bentley closed the half strong, leading 44–35 at the end of the first half.
Bentley opened the second half with a strong offensive push, extending their lead early. The Moccasins struggled to convert on multiple opportunities, missing several shots in the paint and from beyond the arc. Miller contributed with a defensive rebound and a block, while
Riley Buccino and
Brady Corso managed to connect on key perimeter shots, but it was not enough to shift the momentum significantly.
Despite continuous efforts, including Dalton's fast-break points and
Spencer Schomers' defensive plays, the Mocs found themselves trailing throughout the half. The Falcons capitalized on turnovers and second-chance opportunities, maintaining their lead. The half concluded with Bentley holding a 38-31 advantage for the half, extending their overall lead to 82-66 at the end.
Miller scored 26 points and collected 14 rebounds, leading the team's efforts. Corso added 10 points, including two 3-pointers. Ramadan contributed with seven points and four assists. Schomers recorded two blocks, highlighting his defensive impact.
In their next game, Florida Southern will host Lees-McRae on Saturday, Dec. 20, at 7:30 p.m. The matchup will take place at George W. Jenkins Field House in Lakeland, Florida.
