David Drucker/ Staff Writer
The men’s basketball team (2-0) defeated Florida Memorial College on Monday, Nov. 17 in a 67-51 victory. The Panthers improved to 2-0 on Lime Court as they prepare for their first road trip of the season.
At the initial tip-off, Florida Memorial was able to keep the contest close. In the first 10 minutes, the Lions kept the game within reach.
However, the Panthers stepped up and outscored the Florida Memorial 15-6 in the last 10 minutes of the half. At halftime, Florida International University commanded a 35-18 dominating lead.
The second half provided a nice opportunity for the Panthers to play their reserves. Although the Lions would outscore the Panthers 33-32 in the second half, most of those points were added once the game was already out of reach. At the final buzzer, the Panthers took the contest 67-51.
FIU’s veterans got the job done during the game. Senior forward Daviyon Draper led the Panthers in scoring with 19 points. Senior center Adrian Diaz was dominant on the boards against a smaller Lions team.
Through two games, Diaz and Draper lead the team in scoring by averaging 16.0 and 15.5 points per game respectively.
Head Coach Anthony Evans used this initial soft stretch of scheduling to play his newcomers. Junior Vincennes University transfer Donte McGill played 27 minutes on Monday, recording nine points and six rebounds. Freshman seven-foot-one center Nate Brown Bull saw action for the first time.
Next up for the Panthers is their first road trip of the season at the James Madison University Men Against Breast Cancer Classic in Harrisonburg, Va. Their first opponent will be JMU on Friday, Nov. 20 at 3:30 p.m.
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