FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Jacksonville University men's basketball team (13-17, 6-9 ASUN) battled FGCU (10-20, 7-8 ASUN) on Thursday night and nearly pulled out a comeback victory behind a career-effort from Mo Arnold but the home side was able to hang on, 73-67. 

Arnold scored 18 points to match his career-high and pulled down a new career-high 10 rebounds to secure the first double-double. The freshman added two assists and two steals while shooting 8-12 from the floor and 1-1 from long range. Arnold was making his 12th start of the season, 10th-straight, and did not dissapoint as the lead guard for JU with Aamahne Santos out nursing a foot injury. The freshman logged 33 minutes and secured his third double-digit scoring effort of the season. 

David Bell and Diante Wood joined Arnold in double-figures, each with 10 while DeAnthony McCallum added nine, Destin Barnes scored seven and Kevin Norman pitched in six off the bench. Trey Sides started in place of Santos and scored two points to go with four rebounds, two assists and and two turnovers. Bryce Workman logged nearly 13 minutes of action and scored five points to go with four rebounds. 

The game was tied up at half, 38-38, and Jacksonville was surgical on the offensive end. The Dolpins shot 48.4 percent on 15-31 shooting with 18 of those points coming in the paint. Jacksonville had gotten FGCU in early foul trouble and went on to draw nine fouls in the opening frame. 

Jacksonville continued to out-shoot FGCU in the second half and wound up shooting a better percentage for the game but a nearly eight-minute stretch without a field goal midway through the second half ultimately doomed the Dolphins in this one. By the end of that stretch JU trailed by just nine, a credit to the stout defense played on the other end but the Dolphins couldn't buy a bucket on the other side as the Eagles began protecting the rim at an elite level. 

The Dolphins trailed by eight with 1:21 to play in the game and cut the deficit to just two by the 23-second mark following an FGCU miss and transition layup by Arnold. That was as close as JU came in this one. McCallum drew a questionable block call at mid-court attempting to take a charge that could have easily been called the other way. Instead, FGCU was able to escape by making free throws down the stretch to hold its lead. 

Still plenty to play for on Saturday afternoon when the Dolphins visit Stetson at 1 p.m. It can all play out this way:
Scenario 1) JAX loss @ Stetson = 7 seed
Scenario 2) JAX win + North Alabama win @ FGCU = 7 seed
Scenario 3) JAX win + FGCU win vs. North Alabama = 6 seed
Scenario 4) JAX win + FGCU win vs North Alabama + Lipscomb win vs. Liberty = 6 seed

First Round Destination as a result of each scenario
Scenario 1) @ North Florida
Scenario 2) @ North Florida
Scenario 3) @ Stetson
Scenario 4) @ Lipscomb