WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida Southern (17-6, 9-4 Sunshine State) was defeated by No. 12 Palm Beach Atlantic (19-3, 11-3 Sunshine State) 86-78 on Wednesday night at Rubin Arena. Despite a strong effort with 12 three-pointers and 17 assists, the Moccasins were unable to secure the win as the Sailfish dominated the paint with 48 points.
"Tough game and disappointing loss," stated Mocs' head coach
Mike Donnelly. "I thought we played at a high level in the first half. We battled and played hard enough to win tonight, but we were just never able to get into a real offensive flow and rhythm in the second half. We had too many turnovers and made some poor decisions, especially in transition. We just need to regroup and get ready to play another tough road game at Rollins on Saturday."
Florids Southern opened the game with an early fast-break layup by
Amare Miller, setting a competitive tone.
Jasir Tremble contributed significantly with assists and a key 3-pointer that helped keep the scoring close. The team capitalized on turnovers with multiple steals, notably from Miller and
Ameer Ramadan, which were converted into points, helping Florida Southern maintain momentum through the first half.
Throughout the half, FSC effectively matched PBA's scoring efforts, with
Charlie Dalton and
Elijah Walsh each adding crucial 3-pointers. The team displayed strong rebounding, both offensively and defensively, to support their scoring efforts. Despite multiple lead changes and ties, the Moccasins ended the half in a 45–45 deadlock, setting up an intense continuation of the game.
Florida Southern began the second half with a key defensive play when Tremble recorded a steal at 18:55. Miller contributed significantly with a layup at 18:01, leveling the score at 47. Despite turnovers, Walsh provided a crucial assist during this stretch. After falling behind, the team managed to narrow the gap with a three-pointer from
Spencer Schomers at 15:21, bringing the score to 53-56.
As the half progressed, the Mocs found momentum with a jumper from Schomers followed by a fast-break dunk by
Khalil Ross, reclaiming the lead at 57-56. A critical series saw Tremble extending the lead to 64-59 with a three-pointer and subsequent free throws, maintaining a competitive edge. Despite this, the Sailfish countered with a scoring run to regain the lead.
The Mocs kept the game tight, with Miller securing important rebounds and Tremble adding to the score with a jumper at 8:51. However, PBA capitalized on turnovers and fast breaks to edge ahead. Florida Southern's late efforts, including
Brady Corso's three-pointer in the final minute, brought the score close, but the half concluded with PBA leading 86-78.
Miller recorded a double-double, finishing with 14 points and 14 rebounds, while also contributing four assists. He reached 500 career rebounds tonight between his time at Florida Southern and UNC Pembroke. He now sits at 505 rebounds in his career.
Tremble led the team in scoring with 17 points, making three 3-pointers and adding six assists. Corso contributed 13 points, including three shots from beyond the arc. Ramadan collected eight points and two steals, showcasing defensive capabilities.
Looking ahead, FSC will face off against Rollins on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. The matchup will take place at the Harold & Ted Alfond Sports Center in Winter Park, Florida.
