Florida College (FL) fell to Ave Maria (FL) 99-80 on Nov. 1, 2026, in Ave Maria, Fla. Ave Maria built a 57-30 halftime lead, leaving Florida College with a substantial deficit to overcome. Florida College answered with 50 points in the second half, but the comeback attempt fell short.
Ave Maria shot 42.3% from the field, compared with 37.1% for Florida College. The hosts also held a 50-34 rebounding advantage and finished with nine assists. Florida College recorded four assists, while both teams committed 12 turnovers.
Stosh leads Florida College
Joseph Stosh led Florida College with 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Jafeth Martinez added 13 points, Sam Massaquoi scored 11, and Aiden Wall and Justin Kruszewski each finished with nine points. Sterling Washington led Florida College with two assists.
George Sabatini led Ave Maria with 21 points, while Alex Sherwood collected nine rebounds. Rico Byrd recorded four assists for Ave Maria. The hosts also held advantages in bench points, 48-33, and points in the paint, 50-28.
Second-half response falls short
Florida College improved its offensive production after halftime, scoring 50 points after managing 30 in the first half. Ave Maria scored 42 points after the break and maintained enough separation to secure the 19-point victory. The 27-point halftime deficit remained the decisive margin despite Florida College’s stronger second-half effort.
The rebounding difference gave Ave Maria a 16-board advantage for the game. Ave Maria also finished ahead in second-chance points, 17-13. Florida College’s 34 rebounds and 37.1% shooting were not enough to erase the early disadvantage.
FSB Take
Florida College’s 50-point second half provided a meaningful offensive response after the slow opening period. The first-half deficit, combined with Ave Maria’s rebounding edge, left too much ground to make up. Florida College’s next improvement must come in limiting early separation and creating more possessions on the glass.
Source: Original report