DUNK CITY, Fla. – Behind 21 points from Brandon Goodwin and a career-high 27 from Zach Johnson, the FGCU men's basketball team posted an impressive 98-87 season-opening victory over Illinois State Saturday afternoon at Alico Arena in front of a sellout crowd.
 
The matchup pitted the defending ASUN and Missouri Valley champions against each other, and in an unexpected high-scoring affair it was the host Eagles who posted the most points in a season opener in program history.
 
Johnson (Miami, Fla./Norland HS) scored 14 in the 1st half and 13 in the 2nd half while adding four rebounds and four assists in 39 minutes. Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS) posted one of his best all-around games as the unanimous ASUN Preseason Player of the Year flirted with a triple-double as he grabbed a game-high-tying eight rebounds and passed out a team-best seven assists.
 
FGCU shot 49.2 percent (32-65) from the floor, while Illinois State connected at a 50.8-percent rate (33-65). Last year, the Eagles ranked 5th in the nation in field-goal percentage at 49.9, and Illinois State finished 5th in the country in field-goal percentage defense by limiting foes to just 37.9.
 
In addition to the field-goal percentage performances, FGCU held two key, difference-making statistical advantages. The first came on the glass, as the Eagles – who were 34th in the nation last season in rebound margin – picked up where they left off by rolling to a +24 edge, 48-24, and finishing with a 15-2 edge in second-chance points. Additionally, the Green and Blue marched to the free-throw line 37 times compared with ISU's 16 trips, making 27 (73 percent) while the Redbirds made seven (44 percent).
 
The Eagles led the nation in points in the paint last year (41.3 per game), and they continued that on Saturday as they tallied 48 compared with Illinois State's 34.
 
"When you play a team this early in the year that's as skilled as Illinois State, you're going to put yourself in harm's way defensively," said FGCU head coach Joe Dooley of giving up 87 points. "There will definitely be some teachable moments when we look back at the tape. But there's certainly some good things that we can take from this. We had really good performances up and down the lineup, and almost everyone contributed – especially at the offensive end."
 
Leading by just one, 83-82, with a little more than 4 minutes remaining in the game, Christian Terrell hit a transition 3-pointer. Dooley immediately called a timeout, and out of that break, Antravious Simmons (Miami, Fla./VCU/South Miami HS) recorded a steal and pushed ahead to Johnson, who was fouled and made both to extend the lead to six. From there, the Green and Blue led by no fewer than three the rest of the day and closed the game on a 9-1 run.
 
Terrell (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence HS) finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, and fellow Jax native Christian Carlyle (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny HS) tallied 11 points. The sophomore made his first career start and recorded double-digit points against a Division-I opponent for the first time, in addition to securing a career-high eight rebounds.
 
Redshirt junior transfer Dinero Mercurius (Orlando, Fla./Daytona State/UTRGV/USF/Faith Baptist Christian HS) scored just two points in the 1st half, but finished with 11 on the afternoon. Those nine 2nd-half points came in a 1-minute-and-30-second timeframe as he stepped up and hit three 3-pointers in the span of four FGCU offensive possessions in an important stretch early in the 2nd half.
 
FGCU's previous high for points in a season opener was 90 in the program's first-ever game in 2002-03 versus Puerto Rico-Bayamon. Making the offensive performance even more impressive for the Eagles is that Illinois State – which went 28-7 last season and finished with an RPI of 39 – concluded last year 7th in the nation by limiting opponents to just 61.3 points per game.
 
FGCU faces a quick turnaround when the Eagles head just outside New York's capital to face Siena on Monday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. The Saints opened their season Friday night at the College of Charleston, falling to the Colonial Athletic Association preseason favorites in overtime, 68-60.
 
The Eagles 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.
 
NOTEWORTHY: FGCU is now (76-14, .844 winning percentage) at Alico Arena since the start of the 2012-13 season … the Eagles led at the half, 45-42, and are now an incredible 69-4 under Dooley when leading at intermission … FGCU finished with a 21-3 edge in fastbreak points … attendance was 4,335 – just above Alico's seating capacity of 4,333.
 
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 8+ seasons overall as a head coach, Dooley has a record of 149-98 (.603), and in his 4+ years with FGCU is 92-46 (.667). 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.