MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (FEBRUARY 25, 2025) – The St. Thomas University Bobcats saw their Sun Conference Tournament run come to an early end, falling to Florida Memorial University 67-65 in a tightly contested quarterfinal matchup on Tuesday night.
The Bobcats had the ball with 3 seconds remaining, and were able to advance the ball past half court and call timeout.
However, their attempt at the game winning shot came up short, with Dalon Dean's 3 point attempt being tipped at the buzzer.
Despite a strong effort from Dean, who led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting, the Bobcats were unable to overcome the efficient shooting and balanced attack of the Lions. Florida Memorial (24-47 FG, 51.1%) capitalized on their opportunities, out-shooting St. Thomas (25-59 FG, 42.4%) from the field and making key defensive plays down the stretch. Their defensive presence allowed them to put pressure on the Bobcats, and were able to go up late in the game with a layup from Latavious Mitchell.
The game remained close throughout, with the Bobcats holding their own in the rebounding battle (32-31) and sharing the ball effectively (19 assists). However, their struggles from beyond the arc (9-34 3PT, 26.5%) and the falling short from the free-throw line (6-9 FT, 66.7%) proved costly in the final minutes.
Dean was the offensive catalyst for St. Thomas, draining five three-pointers and keeping the Bobcats in contention. Daniel Ogoro added 17 points while also dishing out seven assists and grabbing four rebounds. Cearius Warren provided a strong presence in the paint with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, resulting in a double - double
Florida Memorial's balanced scoring attack was led by Mohamad Diallo, who contributed 14 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting. Jason Danso and Calvin Payton each added 11 points, while Latavious Mitchell's inside presence (12 points, 8 rebounds) helped the Lions maintain control in key moments.
The Lions shot a solid 50% from three-point range (7-14) and 75% from the free-throw line (12-16), taking advantage of their opportunities. Defensively, they forced 12 St. Thomas turnovers and made key stops late in the game to seal the victory.
With the loss, St. Thomas' season comes to a close, while Florida Memorial advances to the Sun Conference semifinals, keeping their championship hopes alive. The Bobcats will now shift their focus toward offseason preparations in hopes of making a deeper tournament run next year.
