DUNK CITY, Fla. – Sitting alone atop the ASUN Conference standings, the #19 mid-major ranked FGCU men's basketball team finally tips off the home portion of its league schedule Thursday at 7 p.m. when the Eagles put their seven-game winning streak on the line against USC Upstate inside Alico Arena.
 
WHAT TO KNOW
Thursday is Youth Night and Super Hero Night. All kids 12 and under will be admitted free of charge, and everyone in attendance is encouraged to wear their best super hero outfit, with prizes being awarded to those with the best outfits. Tickets are still available at FGCUTickets.com, by visiting the Alico Arena Ticket Office or by calling 239-590-7145. If they haven't already, students are encouraged to pick up their free tickets in advance throughout the day on Thursday at the ticket office.
 
OPENING TIP ITEMS
The Eagles opened conference action with three-straight road wins – all 2nd-half comebacks – for the first time in program history, and will now begin a stretch of six of their next eight – and seven of their final 11 – games being contested inside the friendly confines of The Nest.
 
FGCU is in the top-25 nationally in field goal percentage (3rd, 52.1), rebound margin (22nd, +7.2), assists per game (23rd, 17.2), 3-point percentage defense (23rd, 30.2) and 3-point percentage (25th, 39.7).
 
FGCU gets a majority of its offensive production in the low blocks as the Eagles rank 2nd in the nation in points in the paint at 42.9 per game, bested only by Kentucky (43.9). Helping fuel that low-post production is a re-emergence of Dunk City as FGCU is averaging 4.6 dunks per game, far surpassing the average of 4 per game thrown down by the original Dunk City Sweet Sixteen team in 2012-13.
 
Dunk City has also morphed into Depth City this year as FGCU has incredibly had a different leading scorer in each of the past six games: Antravious Simmons (18, Florida National), Christian Terrell (20, FAU), Demetris Morant (20, Florida Tech), Brandon Goodwin (20, Stetson), Marc-Eddy Norelia (21, Kennesaw State) and Zach Johnson (23, Lipscomb). Six different players have already scored 20 or more points in a game this year for the Eagles, and 10 have tallied at least 13 points in a contest.
 
TWEETABLES
1) Zach Johnson was named ASUN Player of the Week after averaging 18.5 points in a pair of games last weekend and blocking the potential game-tying shot at Kennesaw State.
2) FGCU will be looking to start an ASUN season 4-0 for the third time in the last four years.
3) The Eagles have won their last three games by a combined eight points, the smallest total in three-straight wins in program history (previous: 9 in 2014-15).
4) Marc-Eddy Norelia is 42 points shy of reaching 1,000 for his career. He would be the 7th player in program history to reach the milestone.
5) Demetris Morant is averaging a double-double (13.9 points, 10.1 rebounds) over the past nine games. He has posted four double-doubles in that time, and missed three more by a single rebound.
 
WINNING STREAK
The current seven-game winning streak is tied for the 3rd-longest in the program's Division-I era (2007-08). A victory Thursday would represent the 2nd-longest streak in the D-I era, bested only by a 10-game run during the ASUN schedule in 2014-15. The all-time program record is 14-straight wins, set in 2003-04 and again in 2006-07.
 
HOME SUCCESS
FGCU is 67-12 (.848) at Alico Arena since 2012-13. The Eagles are 8-1 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 a dominant 29-3 (.906) at The Nest, with the lone losses coming to Lipscomb (2012-13), North Florida (2014-15) and Jacksonville (2015-16).
 
SERIES HISTORY: FGCU Leads, 14-5
FGCU's .737 winning percentage against USC Upstate is its highest against any current ASUN member. The Eagles have won nine of the last 10 meetings overall, including an active stretch of seven straight in the regular season. The lone only in that stretch came in the 2015 ASUN Championship semifinal, when the Spartans clipped the Eagles at The Nest, 63-62. Upstate has not defeated FGCU at Alico Arena in the regular season since December of 2011, and overall the Eagles own a 7-3 edge versus the Spartans at home.
 
COACHING CONNECTION
Upstate is led by head coach Eddie Payne, who is in his 15th season with the Spartans and has a long history with FGCU head coach Joe Dooley. Dooley and Payne were both assistants at South Carolina from 1988-91 before Dooley served as Payne's assistant once he accepted the head coaching job at East Carolina from 1991-95. Dooley then took over for Payne as ECU's head coach from 1995-99 following Payne's departure to take the head coaching job at Oregon State.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Field Goal Percentage: FGCU leads the ASUN with a .521 field goal percentage, while USC Upstate leads the league in field goal percentage defense at 41.9.
Rebounding: Both teams rank 1st and 2nd in the ASUN in rebound margin, with FGCU checking in at +7.2 and Upstate at +3.8.
Assist/Turnover: Both squads also lead the ASUN in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.3 each.
 
SCOUTING USC UPSTATE
^ Upstate opened its ASUN schedule with three-straight home games, defeating NJIT (75-65) and Jacksonville (73-66), and losing to North Florida (73-65).
^ The Spartans were predicted to finish in last place in the ASUN, but so far have posted the 3rd-most wins by a league member and return five starters from a season ago.
^ 7-footer Michael Buchanan is the only player in the nation who is averaging less than 25 minutes per game and averaging a double-double (15 points, 10.1 rebounds).
^ Buchanan ranks 8th in the nation in field goal percentage at 63.5. FGCU's Morant would rank 3rd in the nation at 73.5, but he has not yet reached the NCAA minimum to qualify (5 made field goals per game; he currently averages 4.5).
 
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
FGCU is currently 72 in the RPI – the only ASUN team in the top 200. The Eagles have already played four top-50 RPI opponents (Baylor (2), Florida (4), Michigan State (39) and UT Arlington (46)) and gone 1-3 against the group. FGCU also has a narrow road loss to RPI 66 La Salle (84-80), and a win and a loss against Georgia Southern (RPI 81).
 
The Eagles rank ahead of several prominent programs in the RPI – a key determining factor in the Selection Committee's NCAA Tournament seeding – including Michigan (77), Indiana (88), Georgetown (94) and Syracuse (134), among others. In his latest Bracketology on Monday, ESPN's Joe Lunardi predicts the Eagles as a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
 
FGCU was down just one point with under 3 minutes to play at previously #1-ranked Baylor before falling short, 81-72, lost to #19-ranked Florida despite holding a five-point lead with 15 minutes remaining and overcame a double-figure 2nd-half deficit to defeat UT Arlington – one of only two teams (#4 Gonzaga) to have beaten #23-ranked Saint Mary's – convincingly, 85-72. Additionally, FGCU controversially lost, 78-77, at Michigan State (more info later in this release).
 
ASUN RANKINGS
Several FGCU players rank among the top-10 performers in the ASUN:
 
Points Per Game
Brandon Goodwin: 6th, 16.4
 
Rebounds Per Game
Demetris Morant: 5th, 7.8
 
Assists Per Game
Brandon Goodwin: 4th, 4.1
Zach Johnson: 10th, 3.2
 
Blocks Per Game
Demetris Morant: 1st, 1.7
 
Field Goal Percentage
Demetris Morant: 1st, .735
Rayjon Tucker: 5th, .545
Antravious Simmons: 7th, .543
Brandon Goodwin: 8th, .536
 
Free Throw Percentage
Brandon Goodwin: 8th, .784
 
3-Point Percentage
Rayjon Tucker: 4th, .465
Christian Terrell: 6th, .438
Zach Johnson: 8th, .421
 
Assist/Turnover Ratio
Reggie Reid: 4th, 2.4
Christian Terrell: 5th, 2.3
Brandon Goodwin: 10th, 1.8
 
MARC-EDDY NORELIA UPDATE
Redshirt senior Norelia (Orlando, Fla./Tulane/Olympia HS) returned to the FGCU lineup last Thursday after missing the previous six games due to personal reasons. He came off the bench against Kennesaw State, scored a team-high 21 points and grabbed six rebounds in 25 minutes. He followed it up with a 14-point, 8-rebound performance in 30 minutes off the bench on Saturday at Lipscomb.
 
Norelia did not travel with the team or partake in practice from Dec. 14-28, but rejoined practice on Dec. 29. He sat on the bench versus Florida Tech on Dec. 31, but did not dress; did dress at Stetson on Jan. 7. The forward is a Preseason All-ASUN Conference selection and team's leading returning scorer (17.1) and rebounder (9.3) from a season ago.
 
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, Norelia 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.
 
YOUTHFUL EAGLES
FGCU is getting the job done again this year with a youthful group as 82 percent of its total points, 72 percent of its rebounds and 93 percent of its assists have come from non-seniors.
 
ON RECORD PACE
Through the first 19 games of the season, redshirt junior Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS) has totaled 312 points – 18 more than what Norelia had at the same juncture last year when he set the program's single-season scoring record with 597 points.
 
Norelia also set the single-season program record with 234 made field goals last year. Through 19 games this year, Goodwin has 112 made field goals – just three fewer than what Norelia had at the same juncture last season.
 
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, 27.9 percent of FGCU's total points have come off 3-pointers.
 
The Eagles are nearing a single-season program record as they are averaging 7.3 made 3s per game (current record: 7.8 in 2011-12).
 
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). Already this year, the Eagles have again had 10 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 (10 – includes 3 ties): 26
Zach Johnson (4 – includes 2 ties): 24
Rayjon Tucker: 23
Marc-Eddy Norelia (1): 21
Christian Terrell (3): 20
Demetris Morant (2): 20
Christian Carlyle: 19
Antravious Simmons (2 – includes 1 tie): 18
RaySean Scott Jr.: 14
Kevin Mickle: 13
 
BY THE NUMBERS
FGCU has the following records under the direction of Dooley:
 
Leading At The Half: 59-4 (.937)
Holding Opponent Below 40% FG: 45-4 (.918)
Grabbing More Rebounds: 66-12 (.846)
Scoring Between 70-79 Points: 49-11 (.817)
Scoring At Least 80 Points: 33-4 (.892)
 
RE-TWEETS
1) 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).
2) The Eagles posted D-I program records in points (120), field goals made (47), field goal percentage (67.1), assists (29) and win margin (60) in its 120-60 victory over NAIA member Ave Maria on Nov. 29.
3) Morant pulled down the 4th-most rebounds in single-game D-I program history (most in a regulation game) with 17 against Georgia Southern on Dec. 13.
4) The 11 non-conference wins were the most in program history, and the three 100+ point games already marks the first time in single-season D-I history that has occurred.
5) FGCU had two separate 4+ game winning streaks in D-I non-conference history for the first time.
6) FGCU has already won three games by one point for the first time in a single season, and it has had a record four games decided by a single point already this year.
7) The Eagles are 6-3 on the road this year already after going just 4-8 away from Alico Arena last season.
8) Incredibly, all 15 of FGCU's players has a positive plus/minus ratio, and every scholarship player is at least +25 on the year.
 
FLORIDA NATIONAL PERFORMANCE
During its game against Florida National on Dec. 22, FGCU set a single-game D-I program record with 30 assists (tied again a game later versus Florida Tech), and matched a record with 68 points in the paint set earlier this year versus Ave Maria. Additionally, FGCU's 107 points were the 3rd-most in the program's D-I era and 2nd-most in a regulation game. The Eagles also connected at a 66.7-percent clip (44-66) from the floor, the 2nd-best performance in a game in D-I program history.
 
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 Jan. 18):
 
1) Florida: 87
2) Miami: 81
3) FGCU: 79
4) Florida State: 74
5) North Florida: 69
T-6) Jacksonville: 51
T-6) UCF: 51
8) FIU: 48
T-9) Stetson: 37
T-9) Bethune-Cookman: 37
11) USF: 36
12) FAU: 32
13) Florida A&M: 27
 
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). 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.
 
GAME-WINNERS THIS YEAR
FGCU has already hit three game-winning shots this year. The first came on Nov. 25 when Terrell (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence HS) hit a contested layup with 2.4 seconds left in overtime to give the Eagles a 68-67 win against Long Beach State.
 
The second came on Dec. 20 when Goodwin hit a floater in the paint with 12 seconds remaining to hand FGCU a 79-78 win at Louisiana Tech. LA Tech entered the contest with a dominant record of 71-2 at home since February of 2012 – with the .973 winning percentage over that time being the best in the nation.
 
The final one came on Jan. 7 when Goodwin hit three free throws with .6 of a second left to give the Eagles an 89-88 win at Stetson. FGCU trailed by eight points with just under 70 seconds remaining before mounting an incredible comeback.
 
LOCKING IN ON D
Since Dooley took over FGCU in 2013-14, FGCU has held 33 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. This year, the Eagles are again leading the ASUN, holding opponents to just 70.7 points per game.
 
RECAPPING MICHIGAN STATE
With 1.6 seconds remaining in a 78-77 game on Nov. 20 at Michigan State, Terrell 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.
 
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.
 
ANOTHER DANCE?
^ FGCU posted a record 31-point win, 96-65, in the First Four last March over fellow 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson.
^ The Eagles will be looking for their 5th 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. With the men's and women's teams both already with 14 wins this year, the Eagles are positioned to make that five-straight seasons.
 
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).
 
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: 14-5, 3-0 ASUN
D-I Total: 159-153, 82-79 ASUN
Last 4+ Years: 105-54, 49-18 ASUN
 
NEXT UP
FGCU remains at home when it welcomes NJIT (9-10, 1-2 AUN) to Alico Arena for a 7 p.m. tipff on Saturday, Jan. 21. The game will be the second of a doubleheader featuring the FGCU women against the Highlanders at 4 p.m.

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 136-95 (.589), and in his 3+ years with FGCU is 79-43 (.648).
 
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.