LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Auburn University at Montgomery men's basketball team saw five players score in double figures and got a key block by
Malachi Rhodes to help seal a 68-65 win over Florida Southern College.
The Warhawks swept the weekend with wins over Saint Leo and Florida Southern, which marks the first time since the 2015-2016 season that AUM has won back-to-back games to start the year.
Jalen Gaston led all Warhawk scorers with 15 points. Freshman
Chappelle Whitney was a perfect 3-for-3 from downtown and added 13 points,
Jalil Robinson added 13 points,
Gilbert Croley totaled 11 points, and
Deven Tucker chipped in 10 points and 10 rebounds.
THE WARMUP
Score: AUM 68, FSC 65
Records: AUM 2-0 (0-0 GSC) | FSC 3-1 (0-0 SSC)
Series: AUM leads 2-0
Location: Lakeland, Fla. | George Jenkins Fieldhouse
Get Social: Twitter & Instagram - @AUMWarhawksMBB
HIGHLIGHTS
- AUM began the game on a 20-9 run to the first media timeout helped by three-pointers from Croley, Robinson, and Gaston.
- Florida Southern responded with an 18-7 run of its own to tie the game 27-27 with 6:39 to play in the half.
- Chappelle Whitney nailed two three-pointers in the final two minutes of the first half, including one with two seconds left before the break, but the Mocs held a 40-35 advantage.
- A Whitney layup tied the game at 49-49 with 13:09 to play, but Florida Southern went right back in front until another Whitney three-pointer tied the game 57-57.
- Three minutes elapsed with no baskets before the Mocs wiggled in front 64-6 with 2:02 to go.
- A jumper and a pair of free throws from Robinson capped a 5-0 run to put the Warhawks up 65-64.
- Another Robinson jumper broke a tie with 50 seconds left in the contest, and Malachi Rhodes blocked a potential tying layup for the Mocs with 10 seconds to play.
- Robinson added one more free throw with two seconds left, and Florida Southern's desperation heave fell just short.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Robinson scored the final seven points of the game to help the Warhawks escape with a win.
- AUM out-rebounded Florida Southern 52-32, including 25-9 on the offensive glass.
- The 52 total rebounds for the Warhawks marks the most since they put up 52 against Spring Hill on November 25, 2018. The 25 offensive rebounds mark the first 20-plus offensive rebound effort since AUM notched 21 against West Alabama on January 12, 2022.
- Gaston scored in double figures for the 22nd time in 31 career games for AUM.
- Deven Tucker posted the first double-double of his career.
FROM THE BENCH
- "That's a big weekend for the Warhawks," said head coach Michael Cheaney. "Winning two games in Florida is very tough and I am very proud of my guys. When you have three guys out, we keep saying [time for the] next guy to step up and they have done that so far. Extremely proud of the fight we showed for 40 minutes."
UP NEXT
The Warhawks travel to Mobile, Ala. on Tuesday, November 21 to face off against Spring Hill College
-#WeAreAUM-
For the latest on AUM Athletics, find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
