FAMU Rattlers Open Season With Road Win at Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- The Jacksonville University men's basketball team (0-1), battled Florida A&M (1-0) in an electric atmosphere inside Swisher Gymnasium on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, the Dolphins didn't come up with the result they'd hoped for, coming back from multiple deficits to settle for a 65-50 defeat.

David Bell and Jace Hogan led the scoring efforts JU with 12 points apiece while Bell added nine rebounds to nearly secure his first double-double in the Green and White. DeAnthony McCallum dropped seven points in his debut and knocked in the lone three ball of the night for Jacksonville. In all, 11 Dolphins saw the floor in the season opener, six of whom made their debuts in front the JU faithful.

Things started slowly for JU while Florida A&M heated up from the floor, eventually going on to shoot 48.4 percent from the floor in the first half. Turnovers plagued both sides throughout the game, but it bit the Dolphins early on in the form of a 21-point halftime deficit. The shooting woes for JU resulted in just six different scorers with no more than four points.

The second half saw some improvement while the Dolphins continued to struggle from long range. The team managed to shoot 31.3 percent but FAMU stayed hot, going 50 percent from the floor to keep the Dolphins at an arm's length. JU posted an 11-0 run midway through the half but that was as close as they'd come in this one. In the end it was FAMU that came away with the victory.

BOX SCORE

The Dolphins now turn their attention to a road trip out west where they will square up with Northern Arizona (Nov. 10) and Grand Canyon (Nov. 12). That trip will feature the first two of five-straight on the road, all of which will take place over an eight-day span.

JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY DOLPHINS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS