FORT MYERS, Fla. – With another impressive defensive performance, the FGCU women's basketball team defeated the University of Hartford 64-44 Saturday night at Alico Arena. With the team's fifth-consecutive win, the Eagles finish nonconference play with a 12-4 record, while the Hawks fall to 4-9.
 
Both teams shot under 30 percent in the first two quarters, resulting in a low halftime score that favored FGCU, 24-17. The Eagles picked up the pace in the third quarter and used a 10-3 run to extend their lead to double figures. Despite dismal 3-point shooting in the first half, the Eagles converted nine long-range shots in the second half, while forcing nine Hartford turnovers to increase the advantage to double figures. The Green and Blue extended its lead again in the fourth quarter with a 62.5 percent success rate with six made 3-pointers on just eight attempts. With the strong final period, the Eagles moved the lead to 20 points and ultimately earned a 64-44 victory.
 
"I thought our defense was consistent and good throughout the game," said head coach Karl Smesko. "We had a good team defensive effort and limited their offensive opportunities. We obviously shot it very poorly in the first three quarters but [Taylor] Gradinjan really got us going in the fourth quarter to put it away."
 
Taylor Gradinjan (Cudahy, Wisc./Cudahy High School) led all players with a season-high 21 points. The sophomore went 4-for-4 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter and finished with a career-best six long-range makes. Kaneisha Atwater (Fort Pierce, Fla./Fort Pierce-Westwood High School/VCU) added 11 points for FGCU, while Whitney Knight (Winston-Salem, N.C./R.J. Reynolds High School) produced another well-rounded effort with eight points, nine rebounds, six steals and two blocks.
 
As a unit, the Eagles finished the night with a 37.1 percent success rate from the field and a 27.5 percent mark from 3-point range. The team shot 28.3 percent through the first three quarters, but held the Hawks to a 24.3 percent rate in the same time frame. Both teams increased their efficiency in the final quarter with Hartford finishing with a 34 percent clip.
 
The Green and Blue started 0-for-15 from 3-point range but finished the game with 11 makes from distance on 40 attempts. The Eagles outrebounded Hartford 33-31 and forced 18 Hawk turnovers while producing just seven miscues themselves.
 
The Eagles and Hawks held a 10-10 tie after the first quarter with neither team shooting over 25 percent in the early goings. The Green and Blue went 0-for-9 from 3-point range in the first stanza and allowed Hartford to two long-range makes.
 
Atwater began the second quarter with intensity for the Eagles, driving to the basket to give the team a 12-10 lead. After another three minutes without a point, Gradinjan knocked down the team's first long-range shot to break the dry spell and give FGCU a five-point lead. The Eagle defense prevented Hartford from scoring for nearly six minutes as the Hawks went 0-for-8 to open the period. A jumper near the four-minute mark cut FGCU's lead back to three points at 15-12, but a 5-1 FGCU run pushed the home team's lead to seven points at halftime.
 
The Eagles went just 9-for-32 in the first half but held Hartford to a 23.1 percent success rate to hold onto a 24-17 advantage at the break.
 
Hartford scored first in the second half but the Eagles quickly produced a 5-0 run to push the lead to double figures midway through the third quarter. After trading points late in the quarter, FGCU took its largest lead yet at 38-25 with a 3-pointer from Sydnei McCaskill (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips High School/Georgia) and a free throw by Atwater.
 
Gradinjan sparked the offense in the final quarter with a putback layup on the team's first possession. Knight followed with a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to put the home team ahead 43-25 with eight minutes left to play. The Hawks responded with a quick layup but Gradinjan knocked down another three to put the team ahead 19 points a minute later. The teams traded points again before Gradinjan nailed back-to-back long-range makes at the midpoint of the quarter to extend FGCU's advantage to 54-31.
 
The Hawks produced an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 15 points and forced FGCU into a timeout with 3:30 left to play. Following the breather, the Eagles constructed a 10-point streak with another three from Gradinjan, five points from Jessica Cattani (Muskego, Wisc./Muskego High School) and a layup by Tayler Goodall (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North High School). The 10-point run gave the Eagles a 25-point lead at 64-39. The Hawks added five more points in the final minute but the Eagles held onto the heavy advantage and earned their fifth-straight victory.
 
The team concludes the nonconference slate with a record of 12-4 for its second-consecutive season with 10 nonconference wins. FGCU begins its quest for another Atlantic Sun Conference championship next Saturday, Jan. 9 as the Eagles host rival Stetson University in the A-Sun opener. Tipoff at Alico Arena is set for 4 p.m.

Game Notes: Gradinjan scored a season-high 21 points to lead all players with a career-best six made 3-pointers…Knight now holds sole possession of third place in the A-Sun all-time block list with 252 blocks…Kady Schrann (York, Pa./York Catholic High School/Vanderbilt) made her return to the court after sitting out for 14 games with injury…the Eagles were without senior Jaime Gluesing (Solon, Ohio/Solon High School) who missed the game with illness.
 
For up-to-the minute information on the FGCU women's basketball team, stay tuned to FGCUAthletics.com and follow the official Twitter of FGCU women's basketball at @FGCU_WBB.
 
TICKET SALES
Season tickets for the 2015-16 season are still available but selling quickly. Ticket packages range from $133 for general admission to $366 for club-level seating. A complete breakdown is below. Fans can secure their season tickets by calling the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by emailing tickets@fgcu.edu.
 
For reserved seating, membership to the Eagles Club may be required depending on priority level. The Eagles Club is the official booster organization for FGCU Athletics which provides financial support for each of the Eagles' 15 Division-I programs. For a detailed seating map and additional ticket information, visit FGCUAthletics.com/Tickets.
 
Priority 1: $266
Priority 2: $166
General Admission: $133
 
Faculty and staff members as well as alumni association members interested in season tickets receive a 20 percent discount on packages. Combination packages with the FGCU men's basketball team are also available through the Ticket Office.
 
Single-game tickets for all FGCU women's basketball games are also on sale. Fans can purchase tickets online at FGCUAthletics.com, over the phone at 239-590-7145 or in person at the Alico Arena Box Office.
 
SMESKO
Head coach Karl Smesko earned his fifth-consecutive Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year award after a successful 2014-15 campaign. Under his direction, the team compiled with a Division I program best record of 31-3, including a 14-0 mark in conference action and earned its first-ever national ranking. The team earned its third NCAA Tournament appearance as a seven seed and won its first ever DI NCAA Tournament gave against No. 10 Oklahoma State. With 31 wins in the 2014-15 season, Smesko has guided the Eagles to 11-straight 20+ win seasons. He maintains a record of 357-71 at FGCU for a win percentage of 83.4 with a mark of 130-13 (91 W%) in Atlantic Sun contests and has led the team to a 67-1 record in conference play in the last four seasons. The six-time Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year earned his 400th career win this season in just 493 career games, two games faster than UConn's Geno Auriemma and holds a career record of 418-98 (80.8 W%). Smesko ranks among an elite list of just four active Division I coaches with a career win percentage of .800 or higher, joining Auriemma, Baylor's Kim Mulkey and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer in the esteemed group.
 
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 visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.