STATESBORO, Ga. – A pair of three-game winning streaks will be on the line Sunday at 3 p.m. when the FGCU men's basketball team visits Georgia Southern looking to pick up its first road victory of the young season. The contest will be the first of a home-and-home series as the two sides will play each other again in 10 days at Alico Arena.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
FGCU and Georgia Southern both return a majority of their rosters from last year. FGCU lost just one starter from last season's team, while GS brings back all five. The Green and Blue brought back 83 percent of their points and 87 percent of their rebounds, while Georgia Southern returned 94 percent of its scoring and rebounding. Both teams also have just two seniors on their rosters this year.
 
Georgia Southern is connecting at a 35.2-percent rate from 3-point range this year as the Eagles (GS's nickname as well) average 9.1 3-pointers made per game. That attack will be tested against FGCU's strong perimeter defense as it ranks 27th in the country by holding opponents to just 28 percent from the beyond the arc on the year. Last season, FGCU finished 12th in the country by limiting foes to only 30.4 percent from 3.
 
TWEETABLES
1) The Eagles will be in search of their 150th all-time Division-I win since joining the NCAA's top division in 2007-08 (149-151).
2) FGCU posted D-I program records in points (120), FGs (47), FG% (67.1), assists (29) and win margin (60) in its 120-60 victory over NAIA member Ave Maria Tuesday.
3) The 120 points (6th-most in the nation this year) were the most by any ASUN team since Lipscomb scored 121 in November of 2008.
4) FGCU leads the ASUN in field goal percentage (49.8) and field goal percentage defense (42.6). FGCU's +8.4 scoring margin is also the best in the league.
5) FGCU has played the 25th-hardest schedule in the country. At some point this year, five of FGCU's six D-I opponents have been ranked in the AP or mid-major poll.
 
3-POINT IMPROVEMENT
Last year, just 20 percent of FGCU's total points came from 3-pointers – ranking 344th in the nation out of 351 D-I teams – as the Eagles shot 35.3 percent from long range. So far this season, 32.8 percent of FGCU's total points have come off 3-pointers.
 
The Eagles rank 14th in the nation and lead the ASUN by shooting 41.7 percent from 3-point range so far this year. FGCU is averaging 8.3 made 3-pointers per game – its highest since joining the ASUN in 2007-08.
 
FGCU opened the year with four-straight performances of 40 percent or better from the 3-point line – the first time at any point of a season that has occurred in the program's non-conference history against D-I opponents.
 
#DEPTHCITY
Last year, FGCU had 10 different players reach double-figure points in a game (tied for the 3rd-most in the nation; Georgia Southern: 11). Already this year in just seven games, the Eagles have had nine players reach double-figure points (Reggie Reid: 9-point game). Below is a list of players who have scored 10 or more points in a game, how many times they have led (or tied) the team in scoring and their season high.
 
Brandon Goodwin (5 – includes two ties): 24
Zach Johnson (2 – includes one tie): 24
Antravious Simmons (1 tie): 18
Christian Terrell (1): 16
Rayjon Tucker: 14
RaySean Scott Jr.: 14
Demetris Morant: 14
Kevin Mickle: 13
Marc-Eddy Norelia: 10
 
SCOUTING GEORGIA SOUTHERN
^ Georgia Southern was receiving votes in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 each of the first three weeks of the season before falling out this week.
^ The Eagles were predicted to finish 4th in the Sun Belt Conference, behind UT Arlington (which FGCU defeated in its home opener, 85-72), Little Rock and Georgia State.
^ GS has won three-straight games after dropping road contests at NC State (81-79), Mercer (80-67) and Akron (75-67). In its most recent win, GS scored 94 points to take down Savannah State by 19 points.
^ The game against FGCU will be just Georgia Southern's second home contest of the year as eight of the Eagles' first 10 games occur away from home.
^ Tookie Brown (14 PPG, 4.1 APG) was selected as a Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference First Team player, while Mike Hughes (11.3 PPG, 4 RPG) landed on the preseason second team. However, so far this year it's been sophomore Ike Smith who is leading the offensive charge with 21.1 points per game.
 
MORE AVE MARIA
In addition to the aforementioned record-breaking numbers that FGCU posted in its most recent game against Ave Maria, the Eagles set D-I program records in bench points (66) and points in the paint (68), in addition to securing 38 points off turnovers.
 
NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Of FGCU's 13 D-I non-conference opponents this season, seven finished last year ranked in the top 130 of the RPI, and three were in the top 50. All seven of those teams won at least 20 games and made postseason appearances in 2015-16.
 
The Eagles started the year with a challenging stretch of four-straight opponents which last year won at least 20 games and played in the postseason:
 
vs. RV Florida: 21-15; 45 RPI; NIT
UT Arlington: 24-11; 107 RPI; CIT
@ Baylor: 22-12; 27 RPI; NCAA
@ #13 Michigan State: 29-6; 12 RPI; NCAA
Total: 96-44; 48 Avg. RPI; 4 Postseason Appearances
 
In total, five of FGCU's first six D-I opponents this year won at least 20 games a season ago and played in the postseason.
 
In addition to two mid-major ranked wins (then-#5 UT Arlington; then-#19 Long Beach State), the Eagles have played games against Florida (now #24 in the AP Top 25), at Baylor (now AP #9) and at Michigan State (then AP #13). Against the Bears, it was a one-possession game with less than 2 minutes remaining before the Eagles fell short, 81-72, and versus the Spartans, FGCU controversially came up one point short, 78-77 (more info later in this release).
 
MOST WINS IN FLORIDA
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, FGCU has the 3rd-most wins among D-I schools in the state of Florida (entering games on Dec. 2):
 
1) Florida: 80
2) Miami: 74
3) FGCU: 69
4) North Florida: 65
5) Florida State: 64
6) FIU: 47
7) Jacksonville: 43
8) UCF: 42
9) Bethune-Cookman: 35
10) USF: 34
11) Stetson: 33
12) FAU: 29
13) Florida A&M: 25
 
As FGCU has moved among some of the preeminent teams in the state, it has done so with Florida talent. Of returning team members from last year's squad, Florida natives were responsible for 68 percent of FGCU's points and 70 percent of the Green and Blue's rebounds.
 
RECAPPING MICHIGAN STATE
With 1.6 seconds remaining in a 78-77 game on Nov. 20 at Michigan State, Terrell (Jackonsville, Fla./Providence HS) threw an in-bounds pass from under the Spartans' basket to Simmons (Miami, Fla./VCU/South Miami HS) at the FGCU free throw line. However, despite the ball not being touched by any player, the game clock hit zero just as Simmons touched the ball.
 
The play was designed for him to take a dribble and attempt a game-winning layup, but when he heard the horn as soon as he caught the ball – after time had already expired – he threw the ball toward the basket and did not make the shot.
 
FGCU coaches were told by the referees that the play could not be reviewed with video to see if the clock started early, and only to see the time related to a made or missed shot. However, on pages 101 and 102 of the official NCAA Men's Basketball Rule Book for 2015-16 and 2016-17 (Rule 11-C-2), the rule appears to state that video replay could have been utilized to correct a timing mistake:
 
"Determine whether the shot clock malfunctioned or a timing mistake occurred in failing to properly start, stop, set or reset the shot clock" (shot and game clock are the same with less than 30 seconds remaining).
 
The head referee Bo Boroski, Big Ten officials, ASUN Conference officials and FGCU Athletics officials all issued statements regarding the incident, with the Big Ten acknowledging an on-court official started the clock too early; however, the final score of 78-77 would remain.
 
View all statements by clicking here.
 
ASUN PRESEASON FAVORITES | Complete Poll And Teams
The Eagles received six of eight 1st-place votes in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll and garnered 62 points to finish 12 ahead of 2nd-place North Florida, which collected the other two 1st-place votes. NJIT was picked 3rd, just three points behind the Ospreys, while Lipscomb was slotted 4th. Stetson, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State and USC Upstate rounded out the poll in spots 5-8, respectively.
 
In addition to the team honor, redshirt senior Norelia (Orlando, Fla./Tulane/Olympia HS) was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Conference Team, redshirt sophomore Johnson (Miami, Fla./Norland HS) was also a preseason team pick and redshirt senior Morant (Miami, Fla./UNLV/Bishop Gorman HS) was tabbed as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
 
ANOTHER DANCE?
^ FGCU posted a record 31-point win, 96-65, in the First Four this past March over fellow 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson.
^ The Eagles will be looking for their fifth postseason appearance in only six years of D-I eligibility: 2013 NCAA, 2014 NIT, 2015 CIT, 2016 NCAA. FGCU is believed to be the only D-I team in NCAA history to make four postseason appearances in its first five years of eligibility.
 
POSTSEASON NUMBERS
With the win over FDU, FGCU secured its third NCAA Tournament victory in four years. The Eagles are the only current ASUN member which has won an NCAA Tournament game, and are responsible for three of the league's seven all-time NCAA Tournament victories, dating back to the ASUN's initial appearance in March Madness in 1981.
 
Additionally, FGCU is one of only two teams all-time with three wins in just five NCAA Tournament contests, with the other being Cleveland State. The only schools with more than three NCAA victories all-time have played at least nine games to get those four wins.
 
IN THE TOP 10 PERCENT
FGCU is one of just 31 teams in the nation to have won at least 20 games and played in the postseason each of the last four years, ranking the Eagles among the top-10 percent of clubs in the nation (351 D-I teams).
 
Furthermore, FGCU is one of just eight schools in the country to have its men's and women's teams win at least 20 games in four-straight seasons: Duke, Louisville, Kentucky, BYU, Baylor, UConn and Saint Mary's.
 
BAHAMIAN SUMMER
FGCU spent Aug. 5-10 at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, playing three exhibition games and bonding as a team off the court. The Eagles won their three games by scores of 92-89, 113-58 and 87-69. In their first game, because of foul trouble and an injury-shortened bench, the Green and Blue finished the contest with just three players (watch).
 
BY THE NUMBERS
FGCU has the following records under the direction of Dooley:
 
Leading At The Half: 52-4 (.929)
Holding Opponent Below 40% FG: 41-4 (.911)
Grabbing More Rebounds: 58-11 (.841)
Scoring Between 70-79 Points: 45-11 (.804)
Scoring At Least 80 Points: 27-3 (.900)
 
RE-TWEETS
1) FGCU is the only D-I team in the state of Florida which has posted three-straight 20-win seasons (four-consecutive for the Eagles).
2) FGCU posted its largest comeback in the program's D-I era against UT Arlington on Nov. 16 as the Eagles erased a 16-point deficit (one shy of matching the all-time mark set in 2005-06).
3) FGCU set D-I single-season program records last year in points per game (77.2), rebounds per game (40.6) and field-goal percentage (47.9).
 
THE GROWTH OF FGCU
After starting their D-I transition with five-straight losing seasons, the Eagles have now posted four-consecutive 20-win seasons. After not finishing higher than 6th place in the ASUN the first five years, FGCU has finished no worse than a tie for 2nd each of the past four seasons.
 
2007-08: 10-21, 6-10 ASUN (T-8th)
2008-09: 11-20, 7-13 ASUN (9th)
2009-10: 8-21, 5-15 ASUN (T-10th)
2010-11: 10-20, 7-13 ASUN (7th)
2011-12: 15-17, 8-10 ASUN (T-6th)
2012-13: 26-11, 13-5 ASUN (2nd)
2013-14: 22-13, 14-4 ASUN (T-1st)
2014-15: 22-11, 11-3 ASUN (2nd)
2015-16: 21-14, 8-6 ASUN (T-2nd)
2016-17: 4-3, 0-0 ASUN
D-I Total: 149-151, 79-79 ASUN
Last 4 Years: 95-52, 46-18 ASUN
 
NATIONAL RANKS
FGCU finished in the top 25 in the nation in a trio of key categories last year: 3-point percentage defense (12th, 30.4), rebounds per game (14th, 40.6) and field-goal percentage (23rd, 47.9).
 
LOCKING IN ON D
Since Dooley took over FGCU in 2013-14, FGCU has held 31 teams to 60 points or fewer. The Sweet Sixteen team in 2012-13 held 13 opponents to 60 points or fewer, but prior to that – in five seasons of D-I history – FGCU teams had only held opponents to 60 points or fewer 20 times.
 
The Eagles have led the ASUN in scoring defense in two of Dooley's three years with FGCU and finished 2nd in the other season.
 
HOME SUCCESS
FGCU is 63-11 (.851) at Alico Arena since 2012-13. The Eagles are 4-0 at home so far this year, went 16-4 last year, 13-4 in 2014-15, 15-2 in 2013-14 and 15-1 in 2012-13.
 
Versus ASUN foes during the regular season since 2012-13, FGCU is 29-3 at The Nest. The Green and Blue had won 21 straight regular-season games at Alico Arena against ASUN competition before losing to North Florida in the home regular-season finale at 2014-15.
 
NEXT UP
FGCU will break for final exams before returning to action at home in the second game of a doubleheader with the women's team on Friday at 8 p.m. against Siena. The Saints – from the Capital Region of New York – won 21 games last year and played in the CBI.

SOCIAL CENTRAL
For up-to-the-minute information and behind-the-scenes access to the men's basketball program, follow @FGCU_MBB on Twitter and Instagram, Like us on Facebook at /FGCUMBB and watch us on Snapchat at FGCU_MBB.
 
COACH DOOLEY 
FGCU is led by head coach Joe Dooley, who is in his 4th season with the Eagles in 2016-17 and has coached eight all-conference selections over his first three campaigns. Dooley guided FGCU to a 4th-straight 20-win season and 4th-consecutive postseason appearance in 2015-16 as the Eagles claimed the ASUN Tournament Championship and won their First Four NCAA Tournament game in 31-point record-setting fashion. He led FGCU to its first ASUN Regular-Season Championship and first trip to the NIT in 2014, and in 2015 he led the Eagles to a berth in the CIT. 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. Dooley is in his 8th season overall as a head coach and has a record of 126-93 (.575), and in his 3+ years with FGCU is 69-41 (.627).
 
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.