ESTERO, Fla. - Karl Smesko passes out minutes like Ebenezer Scrooge passes out quarters.
 
The Florida Gulf Coast University women's basketball coach uses playing time as his ultimate bargaining chip. It's his way of letting the players know that they will be rewarded for solid play and penalized for sloppiness.
 
And he means it, just ask junior center Jasmine Lee.
 
Lee made her first start of the season in Saturday afternoon's 96-35 victory over Clearwater Christian College, due in large part to her productive play off the bench.
 
Lee only scored three points and grabbed five rebounds in 26 minutes, but her start was Smesko's way of letting his team know he's always watching, always coaching. No matter the score. No matter the situation.
 
"All (starting) spots are always open," said Smesko after his team improved to 6-0. "Whoever practices well is going to play. Jasmine has been playing well in the opportunities we've given her. It wasn't because of poor play on somebody else's part."
 
FGCU took control early against the overmatched Cougars (3-6), school population 688, opening a double-digit lead five minutes into the game and never looking back. Rebecca Stewart led FGCU with 18 points. Trish Fleming added 17 and center Robyn Swain had season-highs in both points (14) and rebounds (16).
 
"We've been pushing Robyn to be more aggressive, especially on offense" Smesko said. "She's a lot more athletic than people give her credit for."
 
Smesko substituted liberally throughout the game. All eleven players saw significant playing time, with all but one breaking the scoring column. Five Eagles finished the game in double figures.
 
"We have three goals," said sophomore forward Noreen McCallum, who scored eight points and collected four rebounds in 21 minutes. "We want to out-smart them, out-hustle them and out-play them. We're trying to play as a team. Coach is really big on defense, that's the kind of team we want to be known as."
 
Jenny Goodson led the Cougars with 13 points and April Oosterman added 12. But the Cougars, a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association, never really challenged the bigger, stronger Eagles. FGCU's 96 points marked a season-high.
 
FGCU has a week off for finals before hosting St. Francis Joilet (IL) next Saturday night at 7 at Alico Arena.