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Florida National University

Scoreboard

Cameron Johnson versus St. Thomas at the free-throw line
Brenda Bogle
41
Florida National (FL) FNU 0-1
78
Winner Keiser KU 1-0
Florida National (FL) FNU
0-1
41
Final
78
Keiser KU
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Florida National (FL) FNU 16 25 41
Keiser KU 39 39 78

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Brenda Bogle

Johnson’s double-digit evening overshadowed by 37-point loss to Keiser

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 24, 2024) — Florida National's men's basketball team (0-1) opened the 2024-2025 season with a tough 78-41 loss to the Keiser University Seahawks (1-0). The Seahawks entered their home opener receiving votes in the NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll and were able to sour FNU's long-awaited return to the hardwood.

Florida National's potentially explosive offense was held to 23% shooting from the floor in the loss, while sophomore Cameron Johnson was the lone Conquistador to post double-digit points with 16. The last time these two teams met on the Countess de Hoernle Student Life Center court, FNU fought for an 87-84 win in the final seconds of the game. This surely motivated Keiser as they looked to avenge this loss early on Thursday night.

KU ended the first half ahead 39-16 thanks in part to an 11-16 performance from the charity stripe. Center Vincent Miszkiewicz dominated the paint against an undersized FNU squad, posting six points from the free-throw line and six boards in the frame. FNU had no answer to the Seahawks' power and length under the rim, giving up eight offensive boards and trailing 31-16 overall in the rebounding race. Notably, Caelum Ethridge and Gary Adams combined for five points while Johnson entered the break with six points on 2-2 shooting from the floor. 

The second half saw Keiser put real distance between itself and the Conquistadors. Eleven different players for KU recorded at least one point in the box score before the final whistle was blown in West Palm Beach, Fla. To its credit, FNU continued to press Keiser on the open floor but did not get any kind of offensive movement in the half-court. Florida National had just two assists in the final half, while Keiser's offense rotated the ball for 12 second-half assists.  

Despite the loss, FNU did see some good production off the bench from Gabriel Casillas and Ralph Laurent. Casillas knocked down a couple of threes in the final minutes, while Laurent recorded four of his six points for the evening in the period. 

Up Next: Florida National makes a short trip to Miami Gardens, Fla., to take on the NAIA's No.22-ranked FMU Lions on Oct. 29 at 6 p.m.

 
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