Preview: Daytona State Falcons at Miami Dade Sharks

MIAMI (Interstat) — A Citrus Conference men’s junior college basketball matchup on Saturday features teams heading in opposite directions as the Daytona State Falcons visit the Miami Dade Sharks.

The Falcons (18-6 overall) enter the contest with one of the league’s top records, while the Sharks (8-10) look to build momentum from a recent victory and improve their standing.

Daytona State aims to bounce back from a 77-88 road loss at Florida Southwestern State on Feb. 21. In that game, Adrian Shackleton contributed 14 points in 18 minutes off the bench. The versatile guard/forward has been a key contributor, including a 13-point, 11-rebound, five-assist performance in a win over Indian River State on Feb. 18.

Miami Dade snapped a three-game skid with an 85-83 road win at Polk State on Wednesday. The Sharks will rely on guard Randy Smith, who is coming off a 21-point outing in a 73-68 win over Santa Fe on Feb. 21. Smith’s scoring punch will be vital for a Miami Dade offense that has struggled at times this season.

The teams last met on Jan. 28 in Daytona Beach, where the Falcons dominated in a 76-54 victory. Daytona State has won seven of its last ten games, with its only losses in that stretch coming in overtime at Eastern Florida State and in the recent defeat to Florida Southwestern.

Miami Dade’s season has been marked by inconsistency, with several narrow losses, including one-point defeats to Indian River State and Eastern Florida State in February. Their conference record places them in the lower half of the standings.

For Daytona State, controlling the interior and leveraging their depth will be priorities. For Miami Dade, protecting home court and finding secondary scoring behind Smith will be crucial to pulling an upset.

Tip-off is set for Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Miami Dade College. The Falcons’ next game is at home against Hillsborough on Monday, March 2.