DUNK CITY, Fla. – The FGCU men's basketball team (6-2) started the game on a 27-0 run and was never remotely threatened as the Eagles won their fourth-straight game Wednesday night, cruising to a 115-61 win over Webber International (3-3) at Alico Arena to conclude the Homewood Suites FGCU Shootout.
 
The 115 points are the 4th-most in single-game program history (since 2002-03; record: 123) and the 2nd-most in the Division-I era (since 2007-08; record: 120). FGCU's 57 rebounds are tied for the 5th-most in program history (record: 62) and represent the 2nd-most in the D-I era. Additionally, the Green and Blue passed out 29 assists – tied for the 4th-most all-time, and just one shy of matching the record.
 
The Eagles shot 65 percent (26-40) from the floor in the 1st half, building a 63-21 halftime lead after holding edges in points in the paint, 42-14, points off turnovers, 20-4, and fastbreak points, 20-2. The 63 points are the most in an opening half for FGCU in the D-I history of the program, surpassing the 57 the Eagles tallied the last time they played Webber (Jan. 5, 2016).
 
At the 9:56 mark of the 1st half, Christian Terrell knocked down a 3-pointer from the left-elbow extended for his 1,001st career point, becoming just the 8th member of the program's 1,000-point club and only the 6th player in the D-I era.
 
Terrell (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence HS) had a double-double in the 1st half with 16 points and 10 rebounds – his second double-double of the year and fourth of his career. He finished the night with 18 points, leading seven FGCU double-figure scorers as the Eagles shot a blistering and season-best 55.6 percent from the floor (45-81).
 
Joining the senior guard with a double-double was fellow backcourt mate Brandon Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS) with 14 points and a season-best 10 assists in just 25 minutes of action.
 
Zach Johnson (Miami, Fla./Norland HS) scored 16, Christian Carlyle (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny HS) netted a season-best 13 points, 5-2 freshman Darnell Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Shiloh HS/Believe Prep/Indian Land HS) tallied a career-establishing 11, while RaySean Scott Jr. (Compton, Calif./Compton HS) and Ricky Doyle (Cape Coral, Fla./Michigan/Bishop Verot HS) each delivered 10.
 
"We had good energy and really shared the ball to begin the game," commented FGCU head coach Joe Dooley. "We didn't necessarily shoot it great from 3-point range – particularly in the 1st half – but for the most part the guys made the right plays and we didn't get too sloppy. We thought we guarded pretty well in the 1st half, but our defense was a little concerning in the 2nd half. Those are some things that we're going to try and correct.
 
"But it was good to get some guys minutes that haven't had a chance to play a lot," Dooley continued. "It's a shame some of the guys we wanted to get some minutes were hurt, so that didn't help them, but hopefully this will help those other guys."
 
After leading the nation in points in the paint a season ago (41.3 per game), FGCU continued that trend again on Wednesday as the Eagles out-scored their eighth-straight opponent in the paint to open the year, dominating the Warriors to a tune of 70-28 – the most points in the paint in a game in the program's D-I history. Dunk City lived up to its moniker as the high-flying Eagles threw down 13 slams on the night.
 
FGCU – ranked #13 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll – finished with its fifth rebounding margin of at least +15 this year (5-0 record in those games), holding a 57-20 edge on the glass, leading to a 29-6 edge in second-chance points. Brady Ernst (Iowa/Indian Hills CC/Iowa State/Clinton HS) came off the bench to lead the Eagles with a season-best 11 rebounds to go along with seven points.
 
With the win, FGCU extends its record to an incredible 80-14 (.851) at Alico Arena since the start of the 2012-13 season, including a perfect 5-0 mark this year.
 
The program single-game scoring record of 123 came on Dec. 19, 2003, against Illinois Institute of Technology, while the D-I record of 120 occurred versus Ave Maria on Nov. 29, 2016.
 
Webber International – an NAIA member (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) – played the game as an exhibition, while the contest counts toward FGCU's overall record and statistics, but does not have any affect on the Eagles' RPI. The Warriors played two ASUN members this year, falling in a close game at Stetson (98-89) and at Jacksonville (88-70) – with the latter contest tied with just seven minutes remaining.
 
The Babson Park-based school (Orlando area), was led offensively by Garrett Woodmansee with 15 points. Johnathan Childs and Tommie Luke each added 12 points for the Warriors, who shot 39.1 percent (25-64) from the floor for the night. After shooting 30 percent (9-30) in the 1st half, Webber connected at a 47.1-percent clip (16-34) in the 2nd half.
 
FGCU will remain at home and face Middle Tennessee (4-1) on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. The Eagles and Blue Raiders – who have both won NCAA Tournament games the previous couple of years – faced each other on Nov. 21 in Murfreesboro, with Middle Tennessee claiming an 85-72 win.
 
Middle Tennessee stunned Michigan State as a 15 seed in the NCAA Tournament two years ago, and knocked off Minnesota as a 12 seed last season. The Blue Raiders – who went 31-5 in 2016-17 and are the preseason Conference USA favorites – were receiving votes in each of the first two Associated Press Top 25 polls of the campaign.
 
NOTEWORTHY: This is the first time in the D-I era and just the second time in program history that FGCU has scored 70+ points in each of its first eight games to start a season (2003-04, 12 straight) … Brian Thomas (Kennesaw, Ga./Kell HS) has now missed the last five games with a fractured left (non-shooting) hand … Dinero Mercurius (Orlando, Fla./Daytona State/UTRGV/USF/Faith Baptist Christian HS) injured his shoulder seconds after checking into the game against Denver on Friday and has not played since, remaining day-to-day … FGCU scored 24 points off turnovers compared with seven for Webber … it marked the second-straight game FGCU never trailed … the all-time NCAA record for a scoring run to start a game is 44-0 by Southern University against Champion on Dec. 30, 2013.
 
SOCIAL CENTRAL
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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 154-100 (.606), and in his 4+ years with FGCU is 97-48 (.669). 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.
 
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.