NASHVILLE, TENN. – Redshirt-freshman Amber Rechis (Martin, Tenn./Westview HS) scored a game-high 17 points as the FGCU women's basketball team drained 13 three-pointers en route to a 76-59 win over Lipscomb Saturday night at Allen Arena.

With the win, FGCU improves to 16-2 overall (8-0 A-Sun), while the Bisons fall to 3-15 (1-6 A-Sun) on the season. The Eagles are now off to their best start to open conference play in program history (8-0).

The Eagles, who lead the nation in three-point field goals per game (12.2), knocked down 13-of-36 shots from behind the arc. The Green and Blue have drained double digit three-pointers in 14 of their 18 games this season and now have 220 triples as a team. Six different players made at least one trey for the Green and Blue, led by Rechis' 5-of-7 night.

Rechis scored 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from behind the arc and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe, while also adding a pair of assists and a rebound. Redshirt-junior Brittany Kennedy (Spokane, Wash./Lewis and Clark HS/Oregon State) chipped in with 12 points, a career-high eight steals, five assists and three rebounds in 23 minutes. Senior Courtney Chihil (Tipp City, Ohio/Alter HS) finished with nine points, six rebounds and four steals.  

Anna Bowers led Lipscomb with 15 points and nine boards in the loss.

FGCU used a 16-4 run to open the game, highlighted by five points from Kennedy and capped by a Chihil triple. After an Anna Bowers layup cut the Green and Blue's lead down to four points (16-12), the Eagles used a 13-4 spurt to push their lead back to double digits (29-16) with 5:18 left in the half. Trailing the Eagles 32-20 (3:46), the Bisons outscored FGCU13-4 over the final three minutes of the half to go into the intermission trailing 36-33.

FGCU shot 11-of-31 (35.5 percent) from the floor and 4-of-18 (22.2 percent) from behind the arc in the opening frame, while Lipscomb hit 38.5 percent (10-of-26) of their shots from the field and were forced into 10 turnovers in the first half.

In the second half, FGCU came out on fire. The Eagles outscored LU 31-9 over the first 11:15 of the second half to grab a 67-42 advantage. The Green and Blue would never look back as they went on to pick up the 76-59 conference win.

FGCU will return to the court on Saturday, Jan. 21, when they take on the Stetson Hatters (16-4, 7-1 A-Sun). Tip off in DeLand, Fla. is set for 1:00 p.m.