DUNK CITY, Fla. – Coming off a second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance a season ago, the FGCU men's basketball team begins its highly-anticipated 2017-18 season against defending Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Illinois State at Alico Arena on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m.
 
WHAT TO KNOW – BLUE OUT; Wear Blue
Prior to the game – which is presented by Powerade – the 2017 ASUN and NCAA tournament banners for the men's basketball team will be lowered from the rafters. At halftime, the women's basketball team will receive its 2017 NCAA Tournament rings, and one lucky student will attempt a half-court shot to win free tuition.
 
New this year, concession prices have been lowered to make the gameday experience more enjoyable and affordable for everyone. Also, select marquee games – starting with Saturday – will have a designated "Dirty Bird Only" student section where those who are not members of the Dirty Birds will not be permitted to occupy the normal student section, but instead a section higher up in the arena. To become a Dirty Bird member or renew a current membership, log on to JoinDirtyBirds.com.
 
OPENING TIP ITEMS
^ The game features the 2017 ASUN regular-season champions in FGCU and the 2017 MVC regular-season champions in Illinois State. The teams won a combined 54 games last year, while FGCU played in the NCAA Tournament and Illinois State participated in the NIT.
^ FGCU is installed as the preseason ASUN favorites, predicted to return to the NCAA Tournament for a third-straight year. Meanwhile, ISU picked up a 1st-place vote and was tabbed for a 4th-place finish in the always-competitive MVC.
^ Last season, FGCU claimed its first outright ASUN regular-season title (12-2) and second overall. The Eagles set a program Division-I regular-season record with 23 wins and tied the all-time victory mark of 26, finishing one triumph shy of matching the program's all-time mark. Additionally, the Green and Blue recorded the first single-digit loss season in the D-I era (since 2007-08).
^ The Eagles made their third NCAA Tournament appearance in five years (six seasons of eligibility) and earned a program-best No. 14 seed. Despite losing its leading rebounder and shot blocker in Demetris Morant early in the 2nd half with an ankle injury, FGCU went on to fall to 3rd-seeded Florida State – the second-tallest team in the nation – by just six points, 86-80.
 
TWEETABLES
1) FGCU set D-I program single-season records in points per game (79.4), rebound margin (+5.4) and field goal percentage (.499) last year.
2) Brandon Goodwin was named the unanimous ASUN Preseason Player of the Year, while Zach Johnson joined Goodwin as a unanimous selection to the 10-player ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team.
3) The Eagles led the country in points in the paint last year at 41.3 per game, in addition to finishing 3rd in the nation with 159 dunks.
4) FGCU is 75-14 (.843) at Alico Arena since the start of the 2012-13 season, including a 16-3 mark last year.
5) First-year FGCU assistant coach David Cason is a 1996 Illinois State graduate. Cason led the MVC in assists as a junior and senior, and remains the school's leader in career assists per game (6.0).
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Defensive Battle: FGCU finished last year ranked 5th in the nation in field-goal percentage at .499, while Illinois State ranked 5th in the country in field-goal percentage defense by holding opponents to just .379. In terms of 3-point percentage, FGCU finished last year ranked 13th in the nation by holding opponents to just a .306 clip from beyond the arc. Both teams ranked in the top 100 in the country and held their opponents below 70 points per game on average last season with FGCU at 69.3 and Illinois State at 61.3 – 7th-best in the nation.
 
Rebounding: Illinois State has won its last 15 games in which it has out-rebounded its opponent. FGCU finished last year with a record of 17-4 when it out-rebounded its foe, and under 5th-year head coach Joe Dooley the Eagles are 71-14 (.835) when grabbing more rebounds than its opposition. The Green and Blue ranked 34th in the nation last year in rebound margin at +5.4.
 
SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE
^ Illinois State shared the Missouri Valley regular-season championship last year with Wichita State as both teams posted 17-1 records in conference play. The Redbirds lost in the MVC Tournament Final to the Shockers, but played in the NIT and picked up a win over UC Irvine before falling at home to UCF, 63-62.
^ The Redbirds defeated D-II Lewis, 79-52, in an exhibition game on Sunday.
^ Phil Fayne is one of seven players returning to their schools for the 2017-18 season after making 59 percent of their shots, scoring at least 300 points, pulling down at least 200 rebounds and blocking at least 40 shots.
^ Illinois State lost five of its top-six scorers from a season ago, with Fayne as the only returner after averaging 9.1 points per game and ranking 2nd on the team with 6.3 rebounds per contest.
^ Illinois State is 104-65 over its last five seasons. That is the most wins, and highest win percentage (.615), of any D-I school within the state of Illinois.
 
WHAT'S BACK
FGCU returns its entire starting backcourt with redshirt senior Goodwin (629 points), redshirt junior Johnson (393) and senior Christian Terrell (337). That trio represents 85 percent of FGCU's returning points (1,359 of 1,685). The Eagles also bring back redshirt senior Antravious Simmons (5.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg), who started 11 games a season ago.
 
Additionally, the Green and Blue have sophomore classmates RaySean Scott Jr. (career-high 14 points at then-#14 Michigan State last November) and Christian Carlyle (career-high 19 points versus Florida Tech last December), along with walk-ons Joshua Ko (Kailua, H.I./Pittsburgh/Kalaheo HS) and Dolan Mahoney (Bradenton, Fla./IMG Academy).
 
WAITING IN THE WINGS
Saturday will mark the highly-anticipated debut in the Green and Blue of Cape Coral native Ricky Doyle, who transferred back to Southwest Florida following his sophomore season at Michigan in 2015-16. While with the Wolverines, the 6-10, 250-pound forward played in 67 of a possible 68 games during his two seasons, starting 30 contests. He averaged 4.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and shot 62.4 percent from the field. Doyle reached double-figure points in 10 games, with seven of those coming against BCS opponents.
 
Furthermore, fellow 6-10 forward Michael Gilmore transferred to FGCU in January of 2017 from Miami, where he was sitting out after transferring there from VCU in the summer of 2016. A Jacksonville native, Gilmore has to sit out two semesters per NCAA transfer rules, and will be eligible to begin playing with the Eagles in December following completion of the fall semester. He will be eligible for the duration of the 2017-18 season and the entire 2018-19 campaign. Gilmore – who scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds for VCU against Oklahoma in the 2016 NCAA Tournament – was teammates at VCU with Simmons (Miami, Fla./VCU/South Miami HS) for the fall portion of the 2014-15 campaign.
 
NEWCOMERS
While the backcourt is intact for the Eagles, the frontcourt has several new faces. While the bodies are new, the group is talented and has high-level experience already in their collegiate careers. In addition to Doyle and Gilmore, FGCU welcomes 6-10 redshirt sophomore Brady Ernst (Clinton, Iowa/Indian Hills CC/Iowa State/ Clinton HS) and 6-9 freshman Brian Thomas (Kennesaw, Ga./Kell HS). In the backcourt, point guard Darnell Rogers and 3-point specialist Dinero Mercurius (Orlando, Fla./Daytona State/UTRGV/USF/Faith Baptist Christian HS) will give depth to Goodwin, Johnson and Terrell.
 
WHAT'S GONE
FGCU graduated Demetris Morant (10.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg) and Marc-Eddy Norelia (8.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), while Rayjon Tucker (7.7 ppg), Reggie Reid (2.9 ppg) and Kevin Mickle (1.9 ppg) transferred.
 
Morant led the conference in blocks (48) en route to being named ASUN Defensive Player of the Year. He paced the league in field goal percentage (.756; would have ranked 2nd in the nation if he had qualified with the minimum amount of makes), and finished as the 3rd-most efficient offensive player in the country by averaging 1.25 points per possession.
 
Norelia – who missed 10 games due to injury or personal reasons – landed on the ASUN All-Tournament Team after securing two of his three double-doubles on the year in the championship. He left as just the third player in program history with 1,000 points (1,084) and 600 rebounds (614).
 
HEAD COACH JOE DOOLEY
Dooley enters his 5th season as the head coach of FGCU in 2017-18. Dooley has guided the Eagles to at least 20 wins and postseason appearances in each of his first four campaigns with the team. Last season, he became the first coach in program history to be named ASUN Coach of the Year, and was also tabbed as the NABC District 3 Coach of the Year. Under his guidance, FGCU was statistically the 4th-best team in the country in scoring on possessions immediately following timeouts last season, averaging 1.059 points per possession.
 
Dooley is nearing in on 150 career wins as a head coach and 100 with FGCU. In eight full seasons as a head coach, he is 148-98 (.602), and with the Eagles he is 91-46 (.664). Just the third head coach in the program's D-I era, Dooley already holds the record for most wins.
 
MILESTONE TRACKER
FGCU enters the 2017-18 season well within reach of several milestone victory marks.
 
All-Time Record: 285-195 (15 More Wins For 300)
All-Time Record In D-I Era: 171-156 (29 More Wins For 200)
All-Time Record At Home: 191-60 (9 More Wins For 200)
All-Time Record vs. ASUN Opponents: 91-81 (9 More Wins For 100)
 
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
The contest against Illinois State is the first of an incredible six non-conference games for the Eagles against teams that finished in the top 40 of the RPI last year. Each of those teams won at least 25 games and played in the postseason:
 
Nov. 11: vs. 39 Illinois State (28-7, NIT)
Nov. 21: @ 34 Middle Tennessee (31-5, NCAA)
Dec. 2: vs. 34 Middle Tennessee
Dec. 9: @ 40 UT Arlington (27-9, NIT)
Dec. 22: @ 29 Wichita State (31-5, NCAA)
Dec. 27: @ 31 Rhode Island (25-10, NCAA)
 
Each of those NCAA Tournament opponents won a March Madness game last year, and the other two claimed three total victories in the NIT. Those opponents went a combined 142-36 (.798 winning percentage) last season and posted an average RPI of 34.
 
RANKINGS RUNDOWN
FGCU begins the year ranked #12 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Top 25. They are joined in the poll by UT Arlington at #9, while Illinois State, Siena and Lipscomb (all 2017-18 opponents) are each receiving votes.
 
In the Associated Press and/or USA Today Coaches Poll, Wichita State starts the campaign ranked #7 in the country, while Middle Tennessee and Rhode Island (again all 2017-18 opponents) are both receiving votes.
 
Additionally, on Wednesday, ESPN's Joe Lunardi released his preseason Bracketology, which has FGCU predicted as a 14 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament. Along with the Eagles, Lunardi also has Wichita State (2 seed), Rhode Island (9), Middle Tennessee (12) and UT Arlington (13) all included in his initial Bracketology.
 
MEN'S & WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SUCCESS
FGCU is one of only seven schools in the country which have had its men's and women's teams win at least 20 games in five-straight seasons, joining: Duke, Louisville, Kentucky, Baylor, BYU and Saint Mary's.
 
Additionally, with both the men's and women's teams winning at least 26 games last season, FGCU is one of only two non-Power 5 schools in the nation to boast that claim (Bucknell). In total, only nine schools had both its men's and women's basketball teams record at least 26 victories a year ago: Duke, Notre Dame, Michigan, South Carolina, Gonzaga, Baylor and Florida State.
 
BUILDING A TRADITION
FGCU is believed to be the only men's D-I program in NCAA history to make five postseason appearances in its first six years of eligibility (2013: NCAA; 2014: NIT; 2015: CIT; 2016: NCAA; 2017: NCAA).
 
The Eagles are also one of just 23 teams in the nation to have won at least 20 games and made postseason appearances in each of the past five seasons. Of those 23 teams, only six are mid-major schools, as FGCU joins Vermont, Belmont, New Mexico State, Iona and UC Irvine to hold that distinction.
 
62 INCHES
At just 5-foot-2-inches, Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Believe Prep/ Shiloh HS/Indian Land HS) is by far the smallest D-I player in the nation. The next smallest player is Mount St. Mary's Junior Robinson at 5-5.
 
Rogers is believed to be the smallest scholarship D-I men's basketball player in history. While not confirmed due to many teams not being able to verify early-year rosters, only one player has been confirmed as smaller than 5-2, and that was Dayton's Keith Braswell at exactly 5 foot. However, Braswell was a walk-on during his one season with the Flyers in 1994-95.
 
More recently, Malcolm Reid – a 5-2 walk-on at Southeastern Louisiana in 2015-16 – matched Rogers' height, but he once again was also a walk-on. Darnell's father, Shawnta, stood at 5-4 and put together a heralded career at George Washington, ultimately culminating in him winning Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year in 1999.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
FGCU enters the 2017-18 season riding a nine-game road winning streak, which is tied for the 2nd-longest run in the nation (Vermont) behind only an 11-game stretch by last year's national runner-up Gonzaga.
 
The Eagles finished a program-best 7-0 on the road in the ASUN last year, surpassing the previous single-season record for wins of five. FGCU is the first ASUN institution to go undefeated on the road in conference action since former league member Samford went 8-0 in 1998-99.
 
Overall, FGCU was a program-best 10-3 away from Alico Arena last season, with all three losses coming by single digits.
 
MOST WINS IN FLORIDA
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, FGCU has the 2nd-most wins among D-I schools in the state of Florida
 
1) Florida: 100
2) FGCU: 91
3) Miami: 90
4) Florida State: 85
5) North Florida: 77
6) UCF: 61
7) Jacksonville: 55
8) FIU: 51
9) Bethune-Cookman: 43
10) Stetson: 41
11) USF: 37
      FAU: 37
13) Florida A&M: 30
 
FGCU is the only D-I team in the state of Florida which has posted four-straight 20-win seasons (five-consecutive for the Eagles). As FGCU has moved among some of the preeminent teams in the state, it has done so with Florida talent. Last year, Florida natives were responsible for 80 percent of FGCU's points and 75 percent of the Green and Blue's rebounds and assists.
 
This season, eight of FGCU's 13 scholarship players hail from the Sunshine State, and including walk-ons there are 11 total players from Florida on the 2017-18 roster.
 
LOW-POST FORCE
FGCU led the country in points in the paint per game last year at 41.3. Included in that average were a pair of D-I program record performances of 68 points in the paint versus Ave Maria and Florida National.
 
2016-17 Points In The Paint Leaders
1) FGCU: 41.3
2) Utah: 41.1
3) North Carolina: 39.9
4) VCU: 38.2
5) Kentucky: 37.3
 
#DUNKCITY
Helping fuel that low-post production was FGCU finishing 3rd in the nation with 159 dunks – 11 more than the original Dunk City Sweet Sixteen team in 2012-13.
 
2016-17 Team Dunk Leaders
1) Florida State: 183
2) Kentucky: 179
3) FGCU: 159
4) USC: 154
 
2016-17 Individual Dunk Leaders
1) Tacko Fall (UCF): 106
2) Bam Adebayo (Kentucky): 101
3) Demetris Morant (FGCU): 97
 
BY THE NUMBERS
16: FGCU erased a 16-point 1st-half deficit in its home opener last year against UT Arlington en route to an 85-72 win. It marked the largest comeback in the program's D-I history; one point shy of tying the all-time mark of 17 set in 2005-06.
39: The Eagles are 39-4 (14-2 last year) when scoring at least 80 points.
66: The Eagles set a D-I program record by scoring 66 points off the bench last year against Ave Maria.
68: FGCU is 68-4 (18-0 last year) under head coach Joe Dooley when leading at the half.
 
LOCKING IN ON D
Since Dooley took over FGCU in 2013-14, FGCU has held 35 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 three of Dooley's four years with FGCU and finished 2nd in the other season. Last year, the Eagles paced the conference by holding opponents to just 69.3 points per game – exactly six points better than any other team.
 
FAMOUS LINEAGE
FGCU has a pair of players related to Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers in Gilmore and walk-on Ryan McAdoo (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews HS). Gilmore is the nephew of Artis Gilmore, a six-time NBA All-Star, while McAdoo is the son of Bob McAdoo, a five-time NBA All-Star and NBA MVP in 1975.
 
2016-17 RE-TWEETS
1) The Eagles won 11 non-conference a season ago – the most in program history.
2) FGCU had two separate 4+ game winning streaks in D-I non-conference history for the first time.
3) FGCU won three games by one point for the first time in a single season, and it had a record four games decided by a single point.
4) Incredibly, all 15 of FGCU's players had a positive plus/minus ratio, and every scholarship player was at least +40 on the year.
5) FGCU recorded three 100+ point games last season, marking the first time in single-season D-I history that occurred.
 
THE GROWTH OF FGCU
After starting their D-I transition with five-straight losing seasons, the Eagles have now posted five-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: 26-8, 12-2 ASUN (1st)
D-I Total: 171-156, 91-81 ASUN
Last 5 Years: 117-57, 58-20 ASUN
 
GOODWIN'S RECORD-SETTING 2016-17
Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS) was the unanimous ASUN Newcomer of the Year, in addition to being named ASUN First Team, ASUN Tournament MVP and setting a league record by securing six ASUN Newcomer of the Week honors. He was also named to the NABC All-District First Team after setting a program record by scoring 629 points. He hit three game-winning shots and led FGCU in scoring (18.5) and assists (4.1).
 
HOME RECORD INFO
In addition to the aforementioned overall success at home, in ASUN games FGCU has been even more dominant, posting a 34-5 (.872) mark against league foes in the regular season since 2012-13.
 
NEXT UP
FGCU faces a quick turnaround when the Eagles head just outside New York's capital to face Siena on Monday, Nov. 13. The Saints open their season Friday night at the College of Charleston. FGCU defeated Siena at home last year, 73-69, but the Saints – who finished 17-17 – went on to reach the MAAC Championship Final before falling just short to Monmouth, 89-85.
 
IRMA RELIEF DONATIONS
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, many individuals and families throughout Southwest Florida are still in desperate need of assistance. To aid in those relief efforts, FGCU Athletics will be collecting donations at all Eagle home games for the immediate future. Donation items most needed include: non-perishable food, clothing, household items and first-aid supplies. Additionally, those unable to attend upcoming home games can drop off donations in canisters located in the Alico Arena lobby. All donations will be given to those hardest hit in Lee and Collier counties.
 
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 5th season with the Eagles in 2017-18 and has coached eight all-conference selections in that time. He has led FGCU to 20+ win seasons and postseason appearances in all four years: 2014 NIT; 2015 CIT; 2016 NCAA; 2017 NCAA. Dooley was named the 2017 ASUN Coach of the Year and the 2017 NABC District 3 Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to a D-I program record 26 wins. In eight seasons overall as a head coach, Dooley has a record of 148-98 (.602), and in his four years with FGCU is 91-46 (.664). 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 FourPrios, 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 visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.