Second-Half Surge Sends Miami Dade to 68–56 Loss at Home

The Miami Dade Sharks dropped its third straight game on Friday night, falling 68–56 to Pensacola State College after a strong opening half couldn't carry over into the final 20 minutes.

Miami Dade controlled much of the first half and went into the break with a 37–34 advantage, fueled by active rebounding and balanced scoring. Anthony Breland and David Verstraeten helped set the tone early, while Leeroy Nijean provided a spark on the glass as the Sharks consistently generated second-chance opportunities to stay in front.

Pensacola State flipped the momentum coming out of halftime, tightening up defensively and holding Miami Dade to just 19 points in the second half. The Pirates used a combination of transition baskets and timely perimeter shooting to slowly pull away, opening up a double-digit lead midway through the period that the Sharks were unable to overcome.

Miami Dade struggled to find a rhythm offensively in the final half, shooting just 34.4 percent from the field and 3-of-26 from beyond the arc for the game. Breland and Verstraeten led the Sharks with 13 points apiece, while Nijean added 10 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double effort.

Pensacola State was led by Deven Bates, who finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists, while Ethan McDonald added 16 points on four made three-pointers. Miami Dade will look to regroup and snap its skid when it returns to action next week for the MDC Christmas Classic.