SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Knowing it could clinch at least a share of the ASUN Conference regular-season title with the win at USC Upstate (17-13, 7-6 ASUN) Saturday, the FGCU men's basketball team (22-7, 11-2 ASUN) did exactly that as the Eagles let a 2nd-half lead slip away but fought back in overtime for a 97-89 victory.
 
The Eagles remain one game clear of 2nd-place Lipscomb (10-3) with just a home regular-season finale against Stetson (3-10) remaining on Thursday at 7 p.m. FGCU can win its first outright ASUN regular-season crown with a win over the Hatters (shared title at 14-4 in 2013-14 with former league member Mercer).
 
Brandon Goodwin continued to state his case for ASUN Player of the Year as the point guard matched a season high with 29 points, grabbed a team-best eight rebounds and passed out three assists. Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS) set the program's Division-I single-game record by making 15 free throws (15-17) – the 2nd-most all-time (Leighton Bowie: 19 on Dec. 20, 2003).
 
Christian Terrell stepped up with 18 points – his 2nd-highest output of the season – and grabbed six rebounds despite playing just 24 foul-plagued minutes. Demetris Morant added 14 points and six rebounds, and Marc-Eddy Norelia (Orlando, Fla./Tulane/Olypmia HS) and Rayjon Tucker both finished with 10 points to complete a balanced FGCU attack.
 
FGCU had a 21-point lead early in the 2nd half, but on Senior Day USC Upstate stormed back and forced overtime on a Josh Cuthbertson jumper. Cuthbertson pulled up from around the elbow, and video replay appeared to show 0.00 on the game clock above the backboard with the ball still on his fingers. However, the scoreboard clock had 0.01 showing, but officials ruled that the shot was good because the red backboard light did not go off when the game clock hit 0.00.
 
Unfazed by that and Upstate's late charge, FGCU set the tone for the overtime with a Morant (Miami, Fla./UNLV/Bishop Gorman HS) dunk on its first possession. The two teams traded buckets the first four trips, but on a huge Terrell (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence HS) 3-pointer from the wing, FGCU took an 86-83 lead it would not relinquish the rest of the afternoon. That spearheaded a 6-0 FGCU run, and the Eagles made each of their final eight free throws in the final 32 seconds to complete an unblemished road league schedule.
 
"We got off to a phenomenal start on both ends of the floor," stated FGCU head coach Joe Dooley, whose team raced to a 20-point lead midway through the 1st half. "We even got off to a good start to the 2nd half, but then our defense let us down and we allowed Upstate to get back in the game. But I'm proud of the way the guys responded in overtime – it's something we've done a lot on the road this year and this was a great way to end it."
 
By finishing 7-0 on the road in the ASUN this year, FGCU becomes the first ASUN institution to go undefeated on the road in conference action since former league member Samford went 8-0 in 1998-99.
 
Additionally, the Eagles – 10-3 away from Alico Arena this season – are now tied for the 2nd-longest road winning streak in the nation at nine in a row, with only #1 and unbeaten Gonzaga's 10-game stretch being better. All three road losses came by single digits at former #1 Baylor (81-72), then-#13 Michigan State (78-77) and top-105 RPI La Salle (84-80).
 
The 22nd win of the year for FGCU sets a D-I program single-season record, surpassing the previous mark of 21 set in 2012-13 and again in 2014-15.
 
FGCU came out of the gate on Saturday playing arguably its best basketball of the year, executing nearly flawlessly at both ends of the floor. The Eagles had three different 20-point leads in the 1st half, led by as much as 21 and settled for a 16-point halftime cushion, 43-27.
 
The Eagles scored the first five points of the 2nd stanza to push the lead back to 21, 48-27, but that's when Upstate started to mount a comeback. The Spartans – one of only two ASUN teams to have beaten FGCU this year – used a 13-2 run to make it 50-40 at the 16-minute mark. FGCU extended its edge back to 17 with a 7-0 response, but Upstate wouldn't go away.
 
The Spartans eventually got the deficit down to one possession with about 6 minutes to play, but again FGCU counter-punched and held a 78-71 lead with 1:30 left. However, Upstate fought back, finishing on an 8-1 run to knot the game at 79-79 to end regulation. Tucker (Charlotte, N.C./Northside Christian Academy) hit the front end of a 1-and-1 to give the Eagles a 79-77 lead with 5.6 seconds left – what turned out to be a huge free throw – before just missing the back end and setting up Cuthbertson's heroics.
 
On his Senior Day, Cuthbertson finished with 22 points, while classmate Michael Buchanan recorded a double-double with 29 points and 13 rebounds. Philip Whittington added 12 points for the Spartans – who have now lost five straight at home to FGCU – and Mike Cunningham finished with 11 points.
 
Despite the overtime finish, Upstate never led in the game as the Eagles held the edge on the scoreboard for more than 43 minutes. FGCU again took care of the ball for the second-straight game, finishing with just eight turnovers after giving the ball away a season-low seven times on Thursday at NJIT.
 
Goodwin now has 523 points on the season, becoming just the 6th player in program history to eclipse 500 points in a single season. He is joined on that list by teammate Norelia (597, 2015-16), Ryan Hopkins (580, 2002-03), Sherwood Brown (574, 2012-13), Bernard Thompson (529, 2012-13) and Casey Wohlleb (513, 2007-08).
 
FGCU controls its destiny for the ASUN regular-season title, and fans can be a part of the potentially-historic moment on Thursday when the Eagles conclude the regular season at Alico Arena at 7 p.m. against Stetson. A win, and FGCU will claim its first outright title and No. 1 seed in the ASUN Championship. The Eagles could also secure the No. 1 seed with a Lipscomb loss at Kennesaw State (7-6) or via several other potential tiebreakers.
 
Tickets to Thursday's Senior Night in which Morant and Norelia will be honored pregame are on sale, in addition to FGCU's ASUN Championship quarterfinal game on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. With sellout crowds expected, fans are encouraged to secure their seats in advance by visiting FGCUTickets.com, stopping by the Alico Arena Ticket Office during normal business hours or by calling 239-590-7145.

SOCIAL CENTRAL
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COACH DOOLEY 
FGCU is led by head coach Joe Dooley, who is in his 4th season with the Eagles in 2016-17 and has coached eight all-conference selections over his first three campaigns. Dooley guided FGCU to a 4th-straight 20-win season and 4th-consecutive postseason appearance in 2015-16 as the Eagles claimed the ASUN Tournament Championship and won their First Four NCAA Tournament game in 31-point record-setting fashion. He led FGCU to its first ASUN Regular-Season Championship and first trip to the NIT in 2014, and in 2015 he led the Eagles to a berth in the CIT. 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. Dooley is in his 8th season overall as a head coach and has a record of 144-97 (.598), and in his 3+ years with FGCU is 87-45 (.659).
 
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.