ESTERO, Fla. – On the strength of a fourth-different leading scorer in as many games to start the season, the FGCU men's basketball team (4-0) opened the second half on a 20-2 run and never was challenged again Monday night en route to a 58-43 win over Marist (0-3) in the opening round of the Gulf Coast Showcase at Germain Arena.

Suspended for the season's first three games, redshirt junior Julian DeBose (Washington, D.C./St. John College HS) made his first appearance for FGCU since transferring from Rice and had an immediate impact by pouring in a game-high 15 points – all of which came in the second half.

With the victory, FGCU advances to play San Francisco in the semifinals of the second-annual Gulf Coast Showcase Tuesday at Germain Arena at 8:30 p.m. San Francisco defeated Hawaii in the second evening game Monday, 88-73. With a win over the Dons, the Eagles would advance to the championship game on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.
 
For the second time this year, redshirt sophomore Marc-Eddy Norelia (Orlando, Fla./Olympia HS) recorded a double-double as the Tulane transfer netted 11 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds – all of which came on the defensive end. The senior backcourt duo of Brett Comer (Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park HS) and Bernard Thompson (Conyers, Ga./Rockdale County HS) also tallied 11 points each as the two had scored, respectively, 28 and 34 points in FGCU's previous two games.
 
After heading to the halftime break tied at 21-21, FGCU exploded at the start of the second half, and it began with DeBose as the 6-4 guard scored the first six points of the stanza. The first came on a baseline 3-pointer and the next three came on an and-1 dunk finish following an offensive rebound from Demetris Morant (Miami, Fla./Bishop Gorman HS/UNLV).
 
DeBose went on to score eight of FGCU's first 13 points of the second half, and following a Morant dunk at the 9:43 mark the Eagles had opened up an 18-point lead, 41-23. After shooting just 28.6 percent (8-28) from the field in the first half, the Eagles connected at a 56-percent clip in the second half (14-25). Meanwhile, Marist didn't have anyone reach double-figure scoring as the Green and Blue locked in at the defensive end and limited the Red Foxes to 32-percent shooting (16-50) for the night.
 
"Once we got our footing we were OK, but I thought at the beginning of the game Marist controlled the pace," said FGCU head coach Joe Dooley. "It was the first time for us not playing in our home arena so we need to address that and play a little bit better, especially from the start. Julian gave us a really big lift and once we got some defensive stops and contests we were able to get out and run in transition which helped us quite a bit."
 
After being out-scored in the paint, 12-10, in the first half, FGCU put its patented Dunk City attack on display and threw down four slams in the final 20 minutes to aid in out-scoring Marist in the paint in the second half, 20-4.
 
With the win, FGCU begins a season 4-0 for the first time since the 2003-04 season which was the program's second year. Additionally, FGCU becomes the first Atlantic Sun Conference school to start a campaign with four straight wins since former member UCF did it in 2004-05.
 
Comer, who had issued double-figure assists in each of the first three games – one of only two players in the nation with three such contests – dished out only five Monday but also had four steals and grabbed six rebounds to aid in a 42-34 FGCU rebounding edge. The Eagles, who have now out-rebounded three of their first four opponents, trailed at the half in that category, 24-23, before out-rebounding Marist in the second half, 19-10.
 
Manny Thomas, Phillip Lawrence and Nick Colletta led Marist with nine points each, while Eric Troug added eight and Chavaughn Lewis contributed six.
 
The Eagles were without the services of leading rebounding and second-leading scorer Jamail Jones (Atlanta, Ga./Montverde Academy) as the Marquette transfer served the first of a three-game suspension for a violation of team rules. Jones entered the contest averaging 14 points and 9 rebounds per game. Additionally, FGCU was without highly-regarded redshirt freshman Logan Hovey (Orlando, Fla./Paul J. Hagerty HS) as the forward is day-to-day with an injury.
 
Presented and hosted by bd Global, the Gulf Coast Showcase features a quality field of eight mid-major programs. In addition to FGCU, Marist, San Francisco and Hawaii, the field includes Fresno State, Green Bay, East Carolina and Evansville. Included in the eight teams are five squads which won at least 20 games from a season ago.
 
San Francisco (21-12), Fresno State (21-18), Green Bay (24-7) and Hawaii (20-11) join FGCU (22-13) as the 20-win teams from last season in the field. In terms of postseason trips a season ago for the eight-team field, San Francisco, Green Bay and FGCU all participated in the NIT, while Fresno State played in the CBI (College Basketball Invitational) and East Carolina (17-17) appeared in the CIT (College Insider Tournament).
 
Tickets to all remaining games are still available and can be purchased by visiting the Germain Arena CenturyLink Box Office or online at Ticketmaster.com.
 
GAME NOTES: Prior to the game FGCU moved up to No. 16 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Poll … Lewis issued four of Marist's seven assists … Morant grabbed eight rebounds for FGCU … Thompson issued four assists … FGCU went 10-15 from the free-throw line … the Eagles had a 21-9 advantage in points off turnovers, their largest margin of the season.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
General-admission tickets for all FGCU men's basketball games at Alico Arena are still available and can be purchased by logging on to FGCUAthletics.com/Tickets, in person at the Alico Arena Ticket Office or over the phone at 239-590-7145. For up-to-the-minute information and behind-the-scenes access to the men's basketball program, follow @FGCU_MBB on Twitter and Instagram, and "Like" us on Facebook at /FGCUMBB.
 
COACH DOOLEY 
FGCU is led by second-year head coach Joe Dooley, who coached three all-conference selections during his first season and guided FGCU to its first Atlantic Sun Conference Regular-Season Championship and first trip to the NIT. Prior to arriving in SWFL, Dooley spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Kansas under head coach Bill Self. During those 10 seasons, Kansas produced 300 wins, nine straight Big 12 regular-season titles, six Big 12 Tournament championships, six NCAA Sweet 16s, five NCAA Elite Eight appearances and two Final Fours, including the 2008 National Championship.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visitwww.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.