Matchup: FGCU (6-2) at Abilene Christian (3-2)
Rankings: FGCU: #4 - CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll
Where: Abilene, Texas | Moody Coliseum
When: Sunday, Dec. 3 | 3 PM ET
Game Notes: here
Watch: here
Listen: here
Live Stats: here
Series: First ever meeting
Coaches: Karl Smesko (16th Season at FGCU - 410-84; 19th Season Overall - 471-111) | Julie Goodenough (6th Season at Abilene Christian - 108-46; 397-266 overall)
Twitter: @FGCU_WBB | Instagram: @FGCU_WBB | Facebook: /FGCUWBB

ABILENE, Texas - The FGCU women's basketball team (6-2) is on the road in the Lone Star State to face Abilene Christian (3-2) on Sunday at 3 p.m. in a first-ever matchup between the two programs. Both teams made the postseason last year with the Eagles playing in the NCAA Tournament and the Wildcats playing in the WNIT.

THE GREEN AND BLUE
FGCU (6-2) has not played since a Nov. 25 loss to Belmont, which doesn't favor Abilene Christian. With four or more days to prepare for an opponent, Karl Smesko is 153-25 (87.4 percent). Last season, he was 10-4 in such games.

Lisa Zderadicka (Vienna, Austria/HAK Korneuburg), who is a graduate transfer from Houston Baptist, dropped a career-high 26 points against the Wildcats on March 4 of last year. She also set career-highs in field goals made (10) and field goals attempted (20) in that game. On top of that, she needs just 17 points to reach 600 in her NCAA career.

Taylor Gradinjan (Cudahy, Wis./Cudahy HS) is just 19 points away from reaching 1,000 in her career. She would be just the ninth player in the Division-I era to accomplish the feat and only the 10th player overall since the start of the program in 2002-03.

Rosemarie Julien (Port St. Lucie, Fla./Treasure Coast HS) enters Sunday averaging just over 15 points over the past four games. Her play led to her second career ASUN player of the week award.

Nasrin Ulel (Murrietta, Calif./Murrietta HS), who averaged just over 20 PPG through the season's first four games, has scored 15 total over the past four. However, she is leading the team in 3-point field goal percentage at 21-for-39 (.538).

China Dow (Louisville, Ky./Christian Academy of Louisville) has scored in double-figures in 3 of the past 5 games, including a season-high 26 in the team's win over #21 DePaul. The transfer from Middle Tennessee State is just nine points away from 750 in her NCAA career.

Erica Nelson (Kansas City, Mo./Lee Summit North HS) is coming off a career-high 19 point performance in the team's loss to Belmont on Nov. 25. She finished 7-for-15 from the field in that game.

SCOUTING ABILENE CHRISTIAN
The Wildcats enter Sunday's tilt having lost two straight on the road to Southern Methodist and Arkansas following three straight wins to open the season at home. 

Abilene Christian has had four different players lead the team in scoring through the first five games, led by two such outings from Dominique Golightly, who had 22 in a win over Idaho and 24 in the loss at Arkansas.

In fact, Golightly leads ACU in scoring at 14.8 per contest while pulling down six rebounds per game. Sara Williamson is the team's second leading scorer at 9.8 per contest, while leading the team with 13 steals. Alyssa Adams leads the team at 6.2 rebounds per game, and Breanna Wright has a team-high 21 assists - although three players have at least 15 apiece.

Abilene Christian finished 23-9 overall last year, including a 16-2 record in the Southland Conference. The advanced to the WNIT, where they took down Oklahoma State in the opening round before falling to Southern Methodist.

UP NEXT
Following Sunday's matchup, FGCU returns home for a three-game stretch beginning Tuesday with a game against undefeated NAIA program Southeastern University. Following that, the Eagles face #22 Kentucky on Dec. 8 and Ave Maria on Dec. 10.

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 410-84 (.830) 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 471-111 (.809). 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.