Fire Drop Contest to the Knights Despite Second-Half Push

TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla.- After trailing by as much as 17 with just five minutes remaining in the contest, the Southeastern University Fire men's basketball team strung together a late-game comeback to tie the contest with just 37 seconds remaining but were bested by Middle Georgia State by a score of 81-79 to move to 1-1 on the season.
 
The Fire played the entirety of the 40 minutes without holding the lead after the Knights opened the contest with four consecutive three-point shots, taking a 12-3 lead. The Fire were outshot in the first 20 minutes with the Knights posting a field goal percentage of 54% and a three-point percentage of 56%. Reggie Mesidor collected 13 points in the first half after going 5-6 from the field and a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc while the Fire would conclude the half shooting 45% from the field and holding a 49-37 deficit.
 
Down 73-54 with nine minutes remaining in the contest, the Fire began chipping away at the deficit. Mesidor threw up back-to-back three pointers with under three minutes remaining and another shot from distance by Jalen Mull would bring the contest to 79-77 with 1:29 on the clock. A big-time defensive rebound by Mesidor set up the game-tying jumper by Riley Minix with 37 seconds left to play. The Knights responded with a jump shot of their own with 11 seconds on the clock and were able to hold the lead despite two late opportunities for the Fire, knocking off the No. 17 ranked Fire 81-79.
 
The Fire ended the contest shooting 47% from the field and 34% from three-point range.
 
Mesidor led the Fire offense with 23 points going 9-11 from the field and 5-6 from three. Minix posted his second consecutive double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds while Sean Shore recorded 21 points and eight rebounds.
 
The Fire will look to their home opener on November 5^th against Florida National University at 7 p.m.