FNU BEATS KEISER IN A TOUGH BATTLE ON THE ROAD

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:

Score: Keiser 77, Florida National 79
Records: Keiser (4-9), Florida National (9-7)
Location: Student Life Center, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Keiser Starters: Radulovic (G), Fisher (G), Orlic (F), Gedeon (F), Matic (F)
Florida National University Starters: Jeffrey Hernandez , Jose Benitez, Antonio Sims , Kenneth Santos, Nico Rojas

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HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening minutes were fast-paced and back-and-forth, and with Keiser leading 12-11 with 16:32 on the clock, the Seahawks got some separation with an 8-2 spurt highlighted by two buckets in the paint to make it 20-13 with 12:01 left in the first half.
Florida National responded and began a 7-0 run to knot it up, but after the Keiser timeout the Seahawks’ produced a score from Matic up close.
Florida National once again went on a bit of a spurt, netting six consecutive points to lead it 26-22 with 9:21 on the clock.
The Conquistador lead swelled to its largest of the game, ten points, 36-26 with 3:54 remaining until the break, but Gedeon’s layup made it 36-28.
The Seahawk run extended into the start of the second half, as the Seahawks scored the first four points to go ahead 45-38.
After Florida National outscored the Seahawks 8-4 during a brief stretch and were within one possession at 49-46, five unanswered Keiser points gave the hosts their largest lead of the game, 54-46 with 15:19 remaining.
The Conquistadors slowly began to work their way back into it, and tied it up at 60 after a three-pointer with 10:46 showing on the clock.
The teams countered one another and remained tied at 69-69 with just 4:18 remaining, but three Conquistador free-throws gave Florida National a 72-69 edge.
Keiser fought to regain a lead at 75-74 with 1:49 left following a hard drive and finish from Orlic.
The Seahawks forced a missed shot on Florida National’s next possession, but an offensive rebound and stick back from Rojas with the foul made it 76-75 FNU with 1:23 to play.
Rojas missed the free-throw, and after two empty possessions for each team Javen Soto tied it at 76-76 by sinking the first of two free-throws with 39 seconds remaining.
FNU grabbed the 78-76 lead after another Rojas basket, and after Keiser advanced the ball the Seahawks called timeout with 12 seconds left.
The Conquistadors forced a Keiser turnover however, and after Keiser intentionally fouled, FNU was able to split the free-throw attempts to push its lead to three points, 79-76.
Keiser pushed the ball up quickly and had the opportunity to potentially tie the game, but Ryan Kroll was fouled with two seconds remaining on a non-shooting foul.
Kroll made the first and then missed the second to give Keiser the opportunity for an offensive rebound and tying basket, but after Gedeon corralled the loose ball, time ran out before the Seahawks could beat the buzzer with an attempt in the 79-77 defeat.

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STATS OF THE GAME:

FNU shot 43.8% from the field on 28-of-64 shooting overall.
FNU shot 32.0% from downtown on 8-of-25 shooting.
KU hit 50.9% of its shots from the paint and 28.6% from the long range.
Applying the pressure on the defensive side, the Conquistadors forced 20 turnovers and recorded 11 steals.

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TURNING POINT
Florida National’s Nico Rojas produced two buckets down the stretch from inside the paint, and though Keiser had an opportunity to tie or go in front in the waning moments, the visitors held on in the neck-and-neck battle that featured nine ties and 15 lead changes.

Game Notes

Keiser still holds the 6-3 advantage in the all-time series with Florida National.

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Team Leaders
Keiser
Points: Gedeon (25)
Rebounds: Gedeon (12)
Assists: Fisher, Radulovic (4)

Florida National
Points: Fagan (19)
Rebounds: Dillion (8)
Assists: Sims (3)