ARLINGTON, Texas – Two of the nation's premier mid-major programs will square off Saturday in a matinee affair as FGCU travels to UT Arlington for a 3 p.m. Eastern (2 p.m. local) matchup between top-20 nationally-ranked teams in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll.
 
OPENING TIP ITEMS
^ FGCU is ranked #16 in the poll, while UT Arlington enters at #2 behind only last year's national runner-up Gonzaga. The Eagles will be looking to snap a two-game losing skid, while the Mavericks will be searching for a bounce-back victory after falling to a quality Northern Iowa team on the road Thursday night, 62-58.
 
^ The two programs met for the first time last year, and FGCU erased a 44-28 deficit with less than a minute remaining in the 1st half en route to an 85-72 win in its home opener. The 16-point deficit overcome by FGCU was the largest in the program's Division-I history (since 2007-08), and one shy of matching the all-time record (17 in 2005-06).
 
^ UT Arlington will be FGCU's fourth matchup already this season against a team which finished in the top 40 of the RPI (40), won at least 25 games (27-9) and played in the postseason a year ago (NIT). FGCU is the preseason favorite to claim its third-straight ASUN Conference title, while UTA is the preseason choice to defend its Sun Belt Conference crown.
 
^ The Eagles led the nation in points in the paint last year, and they have picked up this season right where they left off 2016-17. FGCU has out-scored nine of its first 10 opponents in the paint:
 
Illinois State: 48-34 (+14)
@ Siena: 50-16 (+34)
@ Bowling Green: 44-32 (+12)
@ Middle Tennessee: 34-32 (+2)
Denver: 35-32 (+3)
Navy: 36-32 (+4)
St. Francis Brooklyn: 48-24 (+24)
Webber International: 70-28 (+42)
Middle Tennessee: 30-46 (-16)
FAU: 42-34 (+8)
Total: +127 / +12.7 Margin Per Game
 
TWEETABLES
1) FGCU has allowed five opponents to score 80 or more points this season – tied with the 2010-11 team for the most in program history through 10 games.
2) The 92 points FGCU allowed to FAU on Tuesday were tied for the most in a regulation game under Joe Dooley (92 at Lipscomb on Feb. 27, 2014), and the most surrendered by the Eagles in any regulation game since Belmont scored 95 on Jan. 16, 2012.
3) Christian Terrell needs just one rebound to become the 6th player in program history with 1,000 career points and 400 career rebounds.
4) The Eagles shot 50.7 percent from the floor against FAU – their 2nd-highest shooting percentage in a loss in Division-I non-conference history (61.4 percent at TCU on Nov. 11, 2011).
5) FGCU allowed a season-high 25 second-chance points to FAU. Through the first eight games of the year, the Eagles were +43 in second-chance points, but in the last two contests they are -31.
 
#DEPTHCITY
FGCU has had nine different players already this year reach double-figure points in a game – tied for the most in the nation. Additionally, the Eagles have had six different players score at least 15 points in a game – tied for the 2nd-most in the country (UT Martin, 7).
 
In each of the previous two years, FGCU had 10 different players score double-figure points in a game. Below is a list of players who have scored 10 or more points in a game this season, how many times they have led (or tied) the team in scoring and their season high.
 
Zach Johnson: 27 (2)
Brandon Goodwin: 26 (5 – 1 tie)
Christian Terrell: 20 (4 – 1 tie)
Christian Carlyle: 18
RaySean Scott Jr.: 15
Antravious Simmons: 15
Dinero Mercurius: 14
Darnell Rogers: 11
Ricky Doyle: 11
 
In a further testament to the depth, every scholarship player for FGCU has a positive plus/minus ratio on the year – one season after every single player on the roster finished with a positive plus/minus ratio (while a player is on the court, the points scored by FGCU compared with the opponent).
 
STILL SORTING IT OUT
Ten games into the season, FGCU has already used six different starting lineups – tied for the 2nd-most in the nation:
 
1) UT Martin: 8 In 9 Games
2) FGCU: 6 In 10 Games
Monmouth: 6 In 7 Games
Bryant: 6 In 9 Games
Oakland: 6 In 9 Games
UC Irvine: 6 In 10 Games
 
FGCU has started the same backcourt every game this year with Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS), Johnson (Miami, Fla./Norland HS) and Terrell (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence HS), but its frontcourt has alternated the aforementioned six times. Conversely, UT Arlington has had the same starting lineup in all but one game this year.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
FGCU boasts the following top-30 national rankings both as a team and individually:
 
Team:
13th – Total Rebounds (406)
16th – Free Throws Made (172)
30th – Rebound Margin (+8.2)
 
Individual:
4th – Terrell, Field-Goal Percentage Among Guards (.602)
11th – Johnson, Total Steals (23)
15th – Goodwin, Free Throws Made (56)
 
REBOUNDING EMPHASIS
In its four losses, FGCU is averaging 35.5 rebounds per game, has a -5 rebounding margin and is -39 in second-chance points.
 
In its six wins, FGCU is averaging 44 rebounds per game, has a +17 rebounding margin and is +52 in second-chance points.
 
UNCHARATERISTIC DROPOFF
Entering this season – in four years under Dooley – FGCU had surrendered a double-figure lead and lost a game just four times. Already this year, the Eagles have lost three double-figure leads (and dropped the game): 13 at Bowling Green, 12 vs. Middle Tennessee and 14 vs. FAU.
 
The three double-figure leads lost through just 10 games are already the most in a single season since the 2012-13 team – which reached the Sweet Sixteen – surrendered five such advantages, including an 11-point edge in the aforementioned Sweet Sixteen against Florida.
 
FGCU has lost consecutive double-figure point leads against Middle Tennessee and FAU. It's just the third time in program history (2002-03, 2012-13) that the Eagles have given up back-to-back double-figure point leads.
 
NOTEWORTHY
^ This is the first time in the D-I era and just the second time in program history (since 2002-03) that FGCU has scored 70+ points in each of its first 10 games to start a season (2003-04, 12 straight).
^ After not shooting better than 30 percent from 3-point range in any of the first four games of the year, FGCU has connected at better than a 35-percent rate in each of the last six games.
^ Johnson is one steal shy of becoming just the program's 10th player – and 5th in the D-I era – to record 100 career steals.
^ Johnson failed to record a rebound and did not issue an assist against FAU – just the third time in the redshirt junior's career that has occurred, and one of the other two instances also came against FAU (Dec. 28, 2016). The other was versus Massachusetts (Dec. 13, 2015).
^ In every game that he has come off the bench this year (with the exception of injuring his shoulder seconds after entering versus Denver), Dinero Mercurius has made three or more 3-pointers.
^ Three of FGCU's four losses this year have come by five points or less: 83-80 on a last-second 3-pointer at Bowling Green, 81-76 against Middle Tennessee (6th in the RPI at the time; Goodwin missed the last of three free throws with two seconds remaining which would have tied the game at 77-77) and 92-86 versus FAU (FGCU had the ball with a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds).
^ Entering this season, FGCU was 68-4 when leading at the half under Dooley. The Eagles are now 74-6 when leading at the break as they have lost halftime leads this season at Bowling Green (43-40) and versus FAU (45-34).
^ FGCU allowed FAU to score 58 points in the 2nd half on Tuesday – the most the Eagles have allowed in their D-I history behind only a 59-point performance by Mercer on Jan. 17, 2008.
^ FGCU's 98 points against Illinois State were the most in a season opener in program history. The previous high was 90 in the program's first-ever game in 2002-03 versus Puerto Rico-Bayamon.
 
SCOUTING UT ARLINGTON
^ The Mavericks have lost their two games this year by a combined five points – 77-76 at then-#25 Alabama and 62-58 at Northern Iowa, which entered Thursday's game ranked 26th in the RPI.
^ In addition to its #2 mid-major ranking, UT Arlington is receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls. The Mavericks are ranked 42nd in the RPI entering Saturday's game.
^ UTA won the Sun Belt Conference regular-season crown last year by two games over Georgia State thanks to a 14-4 league record. The Mavs lost in the tournament semifinals to Texas State, but played in the NIT and defeated BYU and Akron before falling in the quarterfinals to CSU Bakersfield.
^ The Mavericks have three players in the top 10 of the national statistics: Erick Neal (1st, 10.3 apg), Johnny Hamilton (3rd, .741 FG%) and Kevin Hervey (10th, 23.4 ppg).
^ Hervey is the reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year and the preseason pick to repeat this season. He was named an AP Honorable Mention All-American last year, and is averaging more than 20 points per game this season, in addition to 8 rebounds per contest, leading the Mavs with 22 made 3-pointers and shooting 48.5 percent from the floor.
^ UTA has won 17-straight regular-season home games. Over the past three years, the Mavericks are 31-3 inside College Park Center.
 
1K FOR CT
With a 3-pointer on Nov. 29, registered his 1,001st career point, becoming just the 8th member of the program's 1,000-point club (players who have totaled at least 1,000 points exclusively with FGCU). Additionally, the senior became only the 6th person to reach the milestone mark in the D-I era.
 
ODDS & ENDS
FGCU scored 80 or more points in each of the first three games of the season for the first time in the D-I era of the program … freshman Brian Thomas (Kennesaw, Ga./Kell HS) has missed the last seven games with a fractured left (non-shooting) hand … Mercurius (Orlando, Fla./Daytona State/UTRGV/USF/Faith Baptist Christian HS) injured his shoulder seconds after checking into the game against Denver on Nov. 24 and missed three complete games before returning last Saturday against Middle Tennessee and making a season-high four 3-pointers … under Dooley, the Eagles are 42-7 when scoring at least 80 points … the win over Siena on Nov. 13 marked Dooley's 150th career victory … the 33-point road win (86-53) was tied for the largest victory away from home in FGCU's D-I history, and was tied for Siena's largest home defeat in its D-I history (since 1976-77).
 
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
FGCU will play six non-conference games 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) | W, 98-87
Nov. 21: @ 34 Middle Tennessee (31-5, NCAA) | L, 85-72
Dec. 2: vs. 34 Middle Tennessee | L, 81-76
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.
 
RECORD-SETTING NIGHT
As part of its 115-61 win over Webber International on Nov. 29, FGCU ranked in the top 5 in single-game program records in several categories:
 
8-8: Goodwin tied a record by making at least eight free throws (8-8) without a miss.
29: Assists to rank tied for 4th all-time and tied for 3rd in the D-I era.
45: Made field goals – the 3rd-most in program history and 2nd-most in the D-I era.
57: Total rebounds – the 5th-most all-time and 2nd-most in the D-I era.
63: The most 1st-half points in the D-I era (previous: 57 vs. Webber International on Jan. 5, 2016).
70: Points in the paint to represent the most in the D-I era (unavailable for prior years).
115: The 4th-most points (record: 123) all-time, and the 2nd-most in the D-I era (120).
 
MILESTONE TRACKER
FGCU is well within reach of several milestone victory marks this season.
 
All-Time Record: 291-199 (9 More Wins For 300)
All-Time Record In D-I Era: 177-160 (23 More Wins For 200)
All-Time Record At Home: 196-62 (4 More Wins For 200)
All-Time Record vs. ASUN Opponents: 91-81 (9 More Wins For 100)
 
RANKINGS RUNDOWN
In addition to the rankings in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll for UT Arlington and FGCU, Illinois State, Bowling Green and Navy (2017-18 FGCU opponents) are receiving votes. Each of FGCU's first four opponents this year were ranked or receiving votes in either the mid-major or AP polls.
 
In the Associated Press and/or USA Today Coaches Poll, Wichita State is ranked #6 in the country, while UT Arlington and Rhode Island are both receiving votes.
 
Additionally, in Joe Lunardi's latest ESPN Bracketology, FGCU is predicted as a 14 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament. Along with the Eagles, Lunardi also has Wichita State (3 seed), Rhode Island (9), Middle Tennessee (12) and UT Arlington (12) all included in his initial Bracketology.
 
ASUN PRESEASON FAVORITES
The Eagles are the defending ASUN regular-season and two-time defending tournament champions. FGCU is installed as the preseason ASUN favorites, predicted to return to the NCAA Tournament for a third-straight year and fourth time in the past six seasons. Goodwin was named the unanimous ASUN Preseason Player of the Year, while Johnson joined him on the league's preseason all-conference team.
 
62 INCHES
At just 5-foot-2-inches, freshman Darnell 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 had won 10-straight road games dating back to last year – at the time the 2nd-longest road winning streak in the country – before losing on a last-second 3-pointer at Bowling Green on Nov. 18. Last year's national runner-up Gonzaga has the longest current road winning streak at 11 in a row. The next longest road winning streak is seven straight by four different teams.
 
Overall, FGCU was a program-best 10-3 away from Alico Arena last season, with all three losses coming by single digits. 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.
 
HEAD COACH JOE DOOLEY
Dooley has guided the Eagles to at least 20 wins and postseason appearances in each of his first four full 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.
 
LOCKING IN ON D
Since Dooley took over FGCU in 2013-14, FGCU has held 40 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 Michael Gilmore (Jacksonville, Fla./Miami/VCU/Rickards HS) 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.
 
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 three non-Power 5 schools in the nation to boast that claim along with Gonzaga and 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, 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.
 
MOST WINS IN FLORIDA
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, FGCU has the 3rd-most wins among D-I schools in the state of Florida (entering games on Dec. 7)
 
1) Florida: 105
2) Miami: 98
3) FGCU: 97
4) Florida State: 93
5) North Florida: 80
6) UCF: 66
7) Jacksonville: 58
8) FIU: 55
9) Bethune-Cookman: 47
     Stetson: 47
11) FAU: 42
12) USF: 41
13) Florida A&M: 31
 
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.
 
RECAPPING 2016-17
^ FGCU claimed its first outright ASUN regular-season title (12-2) and second overall. The Eagles set a program D-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.  FGCU set D-I program single-season records in points per game (79.4), rebound margin (+5.4) and field goal percentage (.499) – 5th-best in the nation.
^ 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.
 
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 then-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
 
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)
2017-18: 6-4, 0-0 ASUN
D-I Total: 177-160, 91-81 ASUN
Last 5 Years: 123-61, 58-20 ASUN
 
GOODWIN'S RECORD-SETTING 2016-17
Goodwin 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
FGCU boasts an 80-16 record (.833) at Alico Arena since the 2012-13 season. In ASUN games during that same stretch, the Eagles have been even more dominant, posting a 34-5 (.872) mark against league foes in the regular season since 2012-13.
 
NEXT UP
FGCU will have a week break from games before returning to action for its final home contest before the holiday break. The Eagles will welcome Oral Roberts to The Nest on Dec. 16 for an 8:15 p.m. tipoff (commencement ceremonies during the day at Alico).
 
TOYS FOR TOTS
The FGCU Athletics Department, FGCU Police Department, Lee County Sheriff's Office and Heroes Unlimited have teamed up to participate in a holiday toy drive. New, unwrapped toys are being collected, and will be delivered to the Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida on Friday, Dec. 23. Collection boxes have been placed in the lobbies of Alico Arena, UPD and the FGCU Family Resource Center until Wednesday, Dec. 20. No toy is too small, and all toys will be wrapped prior to delivery.
 
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 154-102 (.602), and in his 4+ years with FGCU is 97-50 (.660). 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.