#23 MOCS 6-0

[E.T.]

SIMMS SETS THE TONE AS FLORIDA SOUTHERN DOWN SOUTHEASTERN  

LAKELAND - Michael Simms scored 24 points and had 10 rebounds, and Arnaldo Abreu scored a career-high 16 off the bench as #23 Florida Southern coasted to a 91-63 win over cross-town rival Southeastern.

Southeastern (6-5) scored the first points of the game on a quick steal by Joey Gunter and layup by Kyle Mitchell. However, it was all Florida Southern after that as the Moccasins (6-0) hit five of their first seven shots and scored 12 consecutive points. Dale Parsons, who scored 15 for the Mocs, started the barrage with a jumper before a Simms 3-pointer gave FSC the lead.

That was the first of six 3-pointers for the junior guard from Chicago, all of them coming in the first half when he scored 18 of his 24 points. When Mitchell broke the Mocs' 12-0 run with his own 3-pointer, Simms answered for Florida Southern by connecting on three more 3-point field goals over the next two minutes. When the Fire cut their 15-point deficit down to nine with 10 minutes on the clock, Simms again slammed the door with a bomb from behind the arc and this time the Moccasin lead remained in double digits the rest of the night.

At one point the Mocs were held scoreless for nearly four minutes, but they still went to the locker room with a 44-25 lead. Their lead fluctuated between 15 and 22 for the first 17 minutes of the second half before a game ending 10-3 run provided the final 28-point margin.

After going six-for-eight from the floor in the first half, Simms was relatively quiet in the second but still posted his second 20-point game of the season. The 10 rebounds were a career-high but were second on the team to Blake Williams' 12. Williams continued his solid early-season play with eight points, five assists and two steals.

Abreu, who's previous career-high of 15 points had come in last year's win over Southeastern, split his 16 points with eight in each half. The sophomore forward was eight-for-nine from the floor to lift his shooting percentage for the year to .759. Hurley Dunbar was the fourth Moccasin in double figures with 10 points and Allen Gilberry was again strong off the bench with nine points, six boards, and five assists.

Southeastern also had four players in double figures, led by Lakeland High School's Israel Galloway who scored 13 to go along with 10 rebounds. Gunter scored 12 and had five steals, while Mitchell and Anthony Turner each chipped in with 11. The Fire never dug out of their early hole though, shooting just 24 percent in the first half and 33 percent in the game.

Florida Southern will play an alumni game on Saturday at 5:30 before returning to regular season action on Wednesday, December 7 when they play an early Sunshine State Conference game at Saint Leo.

[E.T.]

MEN'S BASKETBALL IMPROVES TO 6-0 ... After wins this week over Palm Beach Atlantic (95-70) and Southeastern (91-63), the Moccasins are 6-0 for the fourth time in the last six years. They have scored over 90 points in each of the last three games, with six players in double figures against Palm Beach Atlantic and four against Southeastern.  After a 24-point, 10-rebound effort against Southeastern, Michael Simms (Chicago, Ill./Waubonsee CC) leads the Mocs with an average of 18.3 points per game.  He and Dale Parsons (Toronto, Ontario/Weber State) have each made 16 three-pointers.  Parsons is averaging 17.3 points and shooting 88.9% from the free throw line (24-27).  Hurley Dunbar (Stuart/Martin County HS) is averaging 11.2 points, while Blake Williams (Cocoa Beach/Daytona Beach CC) is the team's top rebounder, averaging 10.3.  Arnaldo Abreu (Tampa/Robinson HS) had a career-high 16 points in 15 minutes off the bench against Southeastern.  The Moccasins take a break from regular season action Saturday, when they play a team of FSC alums at 5:30 p.m. in an exhibition game at Jenkins Field House.  Regular season competition resumes next Wednesday night with the Sunshine State Conference opener at Saint Leo.

MEN'S BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET ... The men's team's Sunshine State Conference games, home and away, will be broadcast live on the Internet this season.  Jim Henderson again will provide the play-by-play, as he did last season.  The first Internet broadcast will be Dec. 7, when the Moccasins open the SSC schedule at Saint Leo.  To listen to the broadcasts, go to the men's basketball web site, click on the broadcast link, and follow the directions.