AKRON, Ohio - Nasrin Ulel scored a game-high 18 points to lead the FGCU women's basketball team to an 82-63 win over Akron in the finale of the Akron Classic at James A. Rhodes Arena on Saturday.

With the win, FGCU has started the season 4-0 for the first time since 2010-11, and each victory has been decided by at least 18 points. The Eagles will be back in action on Monday at Siena beginning at 7 p.m.

Ulel (Murrietta, Calif./Murrietta HS), who averaged 18 points, three rebounds and three assists over the past two games, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Akron Classic. She shot 13-for-27 from the field, including a 9-for-15 performance from 3-point range. Tytionia Adderly was also named to the All-Akron Classic team after averaging nine points, 7.5 rebounds, two assists and 3.5 steals per game. She shot 8-for-15 from the field.

"I thought we had some really good moments in each game (of the Akron Classic)," FGCU head coach Karl Smesko said. "The first half of each game we really shared the ball. We shot it at a high percentage. It was fun playing that way. At the same time, we haven't been able to maintain it for four quarters. So, that's something where we have to be able to play at that level for a longer time."

Adderly (Jupiter, Fla./Cardinal Newman HS) started the game with back-to-back layups off passes from Ulel and Erica Nelson (Kansas City, Mo./Lee Summit North HS). Ulel added a layup and a free throw to give FGCU the game's first seven points.

The defense then held Akron to a season-best nine points over the duration of the quarter as FGCU opened up a 15-point lead. 

Midway through the second quarter, Lisa Zderadicka hit a 3-pointer from the right wing to push the lead to 20. Ulel then closed the half with another one from long distance to give FGCU a 47-26 lead.

The first 20 minutes saw FGCU finish 16-for-32 from the field, including an 11-for-22 performance from the 3-point line. Seven different players made at least one 3-pointer, led by Ulel's 3-for-3.

In the second half, Taylor Gradinjan scored a game-high 10 points while shooting 3-for-3 (2-for-2 from 3-point range). In fact, she opened the half with a layup and followed with a steal and a free throw before finding Ulel for her fourth 3-pointer.

Gradinjan (Cudahy, Wis./Cudahy HS) then knocked down a 3-pointer to push the lead to 25 with 4:51 left in the third. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Jessica Cattani, including one with the shot clock expiring, highlighted a 10-0 run moments later that gave the Eagles a 30-point lead. China Dow closed the run with a steal and a fast break layup.

A pair of free throws from Cattani (Muskego, Wis./Muskego HS) gave FGCU a 73-41 lead, its largest of the game, through three. Akron started chipping away at the deficit in the fourth, but wasn't able to get any closer than 19.

Ulel led FGCU in scoring for the fourth straight game. The sophomore finished with 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting (5-for-6 from 3-point range). Gradinjan added a season-high 16 points on 5-for-7 shooting (4-for-6 from 3-point range). She now has 938 points as she looks to become just the ninth player in program history at the Division-I level to compile 1,000 career points. With her four 3-pointers on Saturday, she now has 222 in her career, which vaults her past Shannon Murphy (219, 2007-11) for third most in the Division-I era. 

Cattani and Dow (Louisville, Ky./Christian Academy of Louisville) added 11 points apiece. Cattani's output is a season-high, and she added three rebounds and two assists, while Dow tied her season-high in scoring and had four rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Adderly and Zderadicka (Vienna, Austria/HAK Korneuburg) each tallied nine points. Adderly also tied her season-high in scoring and had a team-high five rebounds, while Nelson added a team-high three steals.

NOTES
FGCU has now made 59 3-point field goals through four games. That's nine more than the total number of free throws the team has converted and more than half of the team's total number of field goals made (113). They are outscoring opponents by an average of 24.3 points while allowing just 59.5 points per game.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the-minute information and behind-the-scenes access to the women's basketball program, follow @FGCU_WBB on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook at /FGCUWBB.

COACH SMESKO
FGCU head coach Karl Smesko rallied the 2016-17 Eagles to their seventh-straight 25-win campaign, which culminated in the team's fourth NCAA tournament appearance in six seasons of eligibility. The seven-time ASUN Coach of the Year was named the espnW Mid-Major Coach of the Year in 2015-16 following a run that witnessed the Eagles finish a best-ever 33-6. Over a five-year stretch starting in 2011-12, FGCU racked up four ASUN seasons with a perfect record and capped the run with back-to-back 30 plus win seasons. In 2014-15, the team earned its first top-25 ranking and another NCAA Tournament trip as a seven seed, where FGCU won its first ever NCAA Division-I Tournament game against No. 10 Oklahoma State. With 26 wins in 2016-17, Smesko has guided the Eagles to 13-straight 20-win seasons.  He maintains a record of 408-82 (.833) at FGCU, including a 160-15 (.914) mark in ASUN play. Over the past six seasons, he has guided FGCU to a 93-3 (.969) record in conference play. Smesko earned his 400th career coaching win in 2014-15 in just 493 career games, two games faster than UConn's Geno Auriemma. He holds a career head coaching record of 469-109 (.811). Smesko ranks among an elite list of just four active Division I coaches with a career win percentage of .800 or higher, joining Auriemma, Baylor's Kim Mulkey and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer in the esteemed group.

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.

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.