Sharks Stalled Early in 76–54 Road Loss

Miami Dade ran into an early wave it never fully shook off Wednesday night, falling 76-54 at Daytona State as the Falcons used a fast start and a physical presence at the rim to control the matchup.

The Sharks' first few possessions had the right energy. Randy Smith jumped a passing lane for an early steal, and Anthony Breland got Miami Dade on the board with a pull-up jumper before David Verstraeten finished a dunk to keep it close (5-4). But Daytona State's length immediately became a factor. Seydina N'Diaye swatted away a pair of early looks, and the Falcons turned stops into momentum plays that stretched the lead quickly.

Daytona State's run came in waves. After Adrian Shackleton and Tyrese Lacey steadied the offense, the Falcons got a spark off the bench and from the perimeter. CJ Hall buried a three, then Janiel De Los Santos knocked down back-to-back triples as Daytona State exploded out to a 22-9 advantage. Miami Dade found a brief response late in the half, with Ernesto Rodriguez providing instant offense. The San Salvador native hit a jumper, then a three, then added a free throw as the Sharks tried to claw back. Still, Daytona State answered every push, closing the half in front 42-25.

Miami Dade showed better fight coming out of the locker room. Randy Smith attacked the gap and earned two free throws, and Verstraeten jumped a passing lane for a steal as the Sharks tried to turn defense into pace. But Daytona State kept the margin comfortable, and when Alex Harper drilled a three early in the second half, the Falcons pushed the cushion back to 46-27.

Breland continued to be Miami Dade's steady source of offense, mixing tough finishes with timely shots, including a three at the 14:54 mark that trimmed the deficit and gave the Sharks a small jolt. Yet the Falcons' size and depth kept showing up in the box score and in the flow of the game. Daytona State finished with a 46-34 rebound edge and blocked 10 shots, repeatedly erasing attempts at the rim and turning missed opportunities into extra possessions. 

Breland led Miami Dade with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, knocking down 2-of-3 from three and a perfect 6-of-6 at the line, while adding eight rebounds. Verstraeten finished with 11 points and six boards. The Sharks shot 32.1% from the floor (17-for-53) and went 4-for-17 from deep.

For Daytona State, Noah Mendy paced the way with 17 points, while Shackleton added 14 and Lacey chipped in 10 as the Falcons improved to 17-4 overall and 6-1 in conference play. 

The Sharks now take the next few days off before going on the road to Hillsborough on February 4th. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm.