DUNK CITY, Fla. – Sitting alone in 1st place in the ASUN Conference standings, the FGCU men's basketball team returns home to Alico Arena Saturday for a league contest with Jacksonville at 7 p.m.
 
WHAT TO KNOW
The game is the second part of a doubleheader with the FGCU women's team facing Jacksonville at 4 p.m. in a rematch of last year's ASUN Championship Final. Both teams are 5-0 and tied for 1st place in the league.
 
Saturday is a redout, with all fans in attendance encouraged to wear red. Red FGCU hats ($10) and scarves ($15) will be available for purchase, with all proceeds going to the American Heart Association.
 
Additionally, the annual Chris and Brianne Sale Laces of Love drive will take place. Fans are encouraged to bring a pair of new shoes or sneakers to be donated by Laces of Love to Southwest Florida children in need.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
FGCU moved atop the ASUN standings with a thrilling 86-82 win at North Florida Wednesday night. The Eagles are one game clear of USC Upstate, Lipscomb and North Florida, with Saturday matchup versus Jacksonville marking the midway point of the conference season.
 
At UNF, redshirt junior Brandon Goodwin hit his third game-winning shot of the year already, drilling a baseline 3-pointer with 34 seconds left to break an 80-80 tie. Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS) then made a steal and converted a breakaway layup with a few seconds left to seal the victory for the Eagles.
 
OPENING TIP ITEMS
FGCU leads the nation in points in the paint at 42.8 per game (2nd, Kentucky: 42.6), and is 3rd in the country in field goal percentage at 51.5. Through its first six ASUN games, the Eagles are out-scoring their opponents in the paint by an average of 44.6 to 27.5 per game. Jacksonville averages just 32.4 points per game in the paint, and in ASUN contests averages only 30.3.
 
Helping fuel that low-post production for FGCU is a re-emergence of Dunk City as the Eagles are averaging 4.5 dunks per game, surpassing the average of 4 per game thrown down by the original Dunk City Sweet Sixteen team in 2012-13. The Eagles already have 100 dunks this year, the most since that iconic 2012-13 squad threw down 148.
 
TWEETABLES
1) FGCU has already set a program single-season record by having 11 games decided by five points or less, and the Eagles are 8-3 in those contests (previous record: 10 games).
2) The Eagles committed a season-low eight turnovers at North Florida Wednesday and finished with a 21-11 edge in points off turnovers.
3) Jacksonville is one of just four ASUN teams since 2012-13 to have defeated FGCU at home in the regular season (30-4).
4) Marc-Eddy Norelia is 22 points shy of 1,000 for his career. He would become just the 7th player in program history to reach the milestone.
5) FGCU owns an ASUN-best 7-3 road record this year – including 4-0 in the league – after going just 4-8 away from Alico Arena last season.
 
CONTRASTING STYLES
While FGCU has an advantage in the low blocks on Jacksonville, the Dolphins – like most ASUN teams – present a formidable challenge from beyond the arc. JU ranks 7th in the nation in 3-pointers made with 227, and are 4th in the country at 42 percent from 3-point range.
 
The Eagles use that low-post offense to fuel their high field goal percentage, which in ASUN games is a league-best 49.9. Meanwhile, JU ranks last in the conference in ASUN games in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot 50.4 percent.
 
DEFENDING THE ARC
To win the ASUN in 2016-17, defending the 3-point line is imperative. Of the league's eight members, four rank in the top 30 in the nation in 3-pointers made, and three are in the top 12.
 
FGCU's strength typically lies in its perimeter defense as the Eagles lead the ASUN in 3-point percentage defense overall, allowing opponents to connect at just a 31.3-percent clip. However, in ASUN games only, FGCU is 7th.
 
After limiting teams to 28.1 percent from beyond the arc in its challenging non-conference schedule, ASUN opponents are shooting 39 percent from 3-point range against the Eagles through the first six games of the campaign. Three of those opponents (Lipscomb, 6th; USC Upstate, 12th; North Florida, 30th) rank in the top 30 in the country in 3-pointers made.
 
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE
^ Jacksonville was tabbed for a 6th-place ASUN finish in the league's preseason poll.
^ The Dolphins went 12-5 in their non-conference schedule, but have opened the league slate with wins over NJIT and Stetson and losses to North Florida, USC Upstate, Lipscomb and Kennesaw State.
^ JU averages 80.2 points per game, but is coming off a 103-92 win in regulation over Stetson on Wednesday. The Dolphins also scored 95 points against Lipscomb at home, but dropped that contest – also in regulation – by a 112-95 score.
^ J.R. Holder leads the JU offensive attack with 18 points per game, and is one of five players who have made between 29 and 52 3-pointers on the year. Tanner Rubio leads the nation in 3-point percentage at 52.6 (50-95).
^ Holder is one of four different players for the Dolphins who have scored at least 30 points in a game this year: Holder (39), Darius Dawkins (41), Darien Fernandez (36) and Rubio (31). Every one of those performances except Holder's occurred against an ASUN opponent.
^ The Dolphins rank 11th in the nation in total steals (186) and lead the ASUN in league games by averaging 8.2 per contest. Fernandez is 8th in the country with 56 steals.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Jacksonville Leads, 11-8
Jacksonville is one of only two current ASUN teams (Lipscomb) which has a winning record against FGCU. The Eagles' .421 winning percentage against the Dolphins is the worst among any current ASUN member. JU has won three of the last four meetings, including three in a row in the regular season. The Eagles haven't lost four-straight regular-season games to an ASUN foe since North Florida (2010-12).
 
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
FGCU is 68-13 (.840) at Alico Arena since the start of the 2012-13 season, including a 9-2 mark this year. In ASUN games, the Eagles have been even more dominant, posting a 30-4 (.882) mark against league foes in the regular season in that same timeframe.
 
#DEPTHCITY
Dunk City has morphed into Depth City this year as FGCU incredibly had a different leading scorer in each its six games from Dec. 22-Jan. 14: 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.
 
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 (12 – includes 3 ties): 26
Zach Johnson (4 – includes 2 ties): 24
Rayjon Tucker: 23
Marc-Eddy Norelia (1): 21
Christian Terrell (4): 20
Demetris Morant (2): 20
Christian Carlyle: 19
Antravious Simmons (2 – includes 1 tie): 18
RaySean Scott Jr.: 14
Kevin Mickle: 13
 
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Of FGCU's 13 D-I non-conference opponents, seven rank in the top 100 of the RPI. FGCU is currently 89 in the RPI – the only ASUN team in the top 175. The Eagles have already played three top-50 RPI opponents (Baylor (1), Florida (11) and Michigan State (50)) and four more ranked from 51-100 (UT Arlington (51), La Salle (86) and twice against Georgia Southern (87)). FGCU is 2-2 against that group with a win over UT Arlington, a narrow road loss to La Salle (84-80) and a win and a loss against Georgia Southern.
 
FGCU was down just one point with under 3 minutes to play at previously #1-ranked Baylor before falling short, 81-72, lost to #25-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 (#3 Gonzaga) to have beaten #21-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: 7th, 16.4
 
Rebounds Per Game
Demetris Morant: 5th, 7.6
 
Assists Per Game
Brandon Goodwin: 4th, 4.0
Zach Johnson: 10th, 3.2
 
Blocks Per Game
Demetris Morant: 1st, 1.6
 
Field Goal Percentage
Demetris Morant: 1st, .740
Rayjon Tucker: 5th, .568
Brandon Goodwin: 8th, .533
 
Free Throw Percentage
Brandon Goodwin: 8th, .787
 
3-Point Percentage
Rayjon Tucker: 3rd, .478
Christian Terrell: 7th, .417
 
Assist/Turnover Ratio
Reggie Reid: 6th, 2.3
Christian Terrell: 8th, 2.2
 
MARC-EDDY NORELIA
Redshirt senior Norelia (Orlando, Fla./Tulane/Olympia HS) returned to the FGCU lineup on Jan. 12 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 two days later at Lipscomb, and has played in every game since.
 
Norelia – who has 10 offensive rebounds in the five games since returning after not having a single offensive rebound in his first seven games of the year – 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 22 games of the season, Goodwin has totaled 361 points – 22 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 22 games this year, Goodwin has 129 made field goals – just five 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, 26.4 percent of FGCU's total points have come off 3-pointers.
 
The Eagles are shooting 38.4 percent from 3-point range to rank 48th in the nation. The single-season program record for 3-point field goal percentage is 37.4 in 2011-12.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
FGCU has the following records under the direction of Dooley:
 
Leading At The Half: 60-4 (.938)
Holding Opponent Below 40% FG: 45-4 (.918)
Grabbing More Rebounds: 66-13 (.835)
Scoring Between 70-79 Points: 49-11 (.817)
Scoring At Least 80 Points: 35-4 (.897)
 
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 had nine steals last Saturday against NJIT, the most against a D-I opponent this year.
8) Incredibly, all 15 of FGCU's players has a positive plus/minus ratio, and every scholarship player is at least +10 on the year.
9) The Eagles' first four ASUN games were decided by a total of 10 points – the smallest differential for a four-game stretch at any point in program history.
 
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. 27):
 
1) Florida: 88
2) Miami: 82
3) FGCU: 81
4) Florida State: 76
5) North Florida: 71
6) Jacksonville: 52
7) UCF: 51
8) FIU: 49
9) Stetson: 38
10) Bethune-Cookman: 37
11) USF: 36
12) FAU: 33
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 four 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.
 
Goodwin then hit three free throws with .6 of a second left to give the Eagles an 89-88 win at Stetson at Jan. 7. FGCU trailed by eight points with just under 70 seconds remaining before mounting an incredible comeback.
 
The most recent game-winning effort came on Jan. 25 when Goodwin again won it for the Eagles, knocking down a baseline 3-pointer with 34 seconds left to break an 80-80 tie at North Florida en route to an 86-82 triumph.
 
LOCKING IN ON D
Since Joe 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 70.8 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 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 both the men's and women's teams having 16 victories already this year, the Eagles are positioned to make that five-straight seasons.
 
BAHAMIAN SUMMER
FGCU spent Aug. 5-10 of last summer 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: 16-6, 5-1 ASUN (1st)
D-I Total: 161-154, 84-80 ASUN
Last 4+ Years: 107-55, 51-19 ASUN
 
NEXT UP
FGCU will remain at home when the Eagles welcome North Florida on Monday, Jan. 30, for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The contest will be the second between the two sides in six days. Tickets are still available and can be secured by logging on to FGCUTickets.com, by calling the Alico Arena Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 or by visiting the box office during regular business hours.

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 138-96 (.590), and in his 3+ years with FGCU is 81-44 (.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.