MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The SEU Men's Basketball team earned a gritty Sun Conference road victory on Saturday afternoon, overcoming a halftime deficit to defeat Florida Memorial 65–60 and improve to 4–1 overall and 1–0 in league play. The Fire used timely shooting, a critical second-half defensive stand, and a major lift from their bench to secure their third straight win.
Southeastern trailed 32–25 at the break after an uneven opening twenty minutes that saw the Fire shoot just 2-for-12 from three while allowing Florida Memorial to knock down 52% of its first-half attempts. But the tone shifted dramatically coming out of the locker room. SEU clamped down defensively, holding the Lions to 35.7% second-half shooting and just 1-of-11 from beyond the arc, paving the way for a 40-point surge that flipped the game.
The Fire's comeback was fueled by a breakout second-half performance from
Anthony Kangah, who delivered all 16 of his points after halftime, going 3-of-6 from the field and 8-of-9 at the line while adding two assists and a rebound. Kangah sparked multiple scoring swings, hitting a pair of threes early in the half and then calmly converting crucial free throws as SEU continued its push.
Alongside him, veteran forward
Nathan Mikkelson was steady from start to finish. Mikkelson totaled 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting, grabbed five rebounds, and hit 5-of-9 from the line, including late free throws that sealed the win. His tip-in with 11:07 remaining and go-ahead free throws at the 5:25 mark were pivotal moments in the Fire's takeover.
SEU's bench played a decisive role, outscoring FMU's reserves 28–13. In addition to Kangah's surge,
Jarin Edwards provided a key spark with nine points on 3-of-5 shooting, four rebounds, and a pair of assists. His mid-range jumper at the 10:28 mark brought the Fire within four, and his layup at 5:46 tied the game at 52–52, setting up the closing run.
Defensively, Southeastern forced Florida Memorial into prolonged scoring droughts and difficult late-shot-clock attempts. FMU shot just 13% from three and produced only three points off turnovers. SEU's rebounding edge on the glass—33–30 overall, including 11 offensive boards—created much-needed second-chance opportunities that helped close the gap.
With the win secured, Southeastern turns its attention back home as it prepares to host the College of Coastal Georgia on Wednesday, November 19 at 7:30 p.m. inside The Furnace, looking to build momentum in its return to conference play.
