PULASKI, Tenn. - The No. 18th-ranked University of Mobile Men's Basketball team suffered a tough 98-91 defeat to the unranked Tennessee Southern Firehawks in a high-stakes SSAC matchup on Saturday, Dec. 7, dropping the first conference game of the season in the process. UT-Southern seized control early and never looked back, handing Mobile its third loss of the season and dropping the Rams' overall record on the year to 8-3.
Rams Drop First SSAC Game
The Firehawks came out firing on Saturday, shooting an impressive 55.9% from the field, including 57.1% from beyond the arc. The balanced attack overwhelmed the Mobile defense, with key performances from Mike Bell Jr., who led all scorers with a career-high 31 points, and Vito Vujovic, who added 26 points and eight rebounds.
Mobile's Trent Moye and Ezra McKenna were standout performers in the loss, combining for 51 points. Moye contributed 30 points, including four three-pointers, while McKenna added 21 points and seven rebounds. Despite their efforts, the Rams struggled to contain UT-Southern's hot shooting and playmaking, as the Firehawks tallied 21 assists on 33 made field goals throughout the full 40 minutes.
The Firehawks surged to a 16-point lead in the first half, fueled by a barrage of three-pointers from Bell and Vujovic. However, the Rams outscored the Firehawks 58-52 in the second half, but the early deficit proved too steep to overcome. UT-Southern scored 36 points in the paint and hit 12 three-pointers, compared to Mobile's 11.
Back to the Pharr
Mobile will look to regroup as the Rams prepare for a non-conference game against Truett McConnell University (Ga.) in Pharr Gymnasium on Saturday, Dec. 14. Saturday's game is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CT and is the lone home game during the month of December.
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About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted, and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
