JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Looking to remain in sole possession of 1st place in the ASUN, the FGCU men's basketball team heads to Jacksonville for a battle with the Dolphins on Saturday at 7 p.m.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
FGCU has just six regular-season games remaining, and the Eagles sit alone atop the ASUN standings at 7-1, one game clear of Lipscomb (6-2) which is at home against NJIT (1-7) Saturday afternoon. The Eagles are two games up on USC Upstate (5-3) and three games ahead of North Florida (4-4) and Kennesaw State (4-4).
 
OPENING TIP ITEMS
FGCU leads the nation in points in the paint at 43 per game, and is 3rd in the country in field goal percentage at 51.4. Through its first eight ASUN games, the Eagles are out-scoring their opponents in the paint by an average of 44.7 to 25.1 per game. In its win over Jacksonville last Saturday, FGCU dominated the Dolphins in the paint, 58-14.
 
Helping fuel that low-post production for FGCU is a re-emergence of Dunk City as the Eagles are averaging 4.8 dunks per game, surpassing the average of 4 per game thrown down by the original Dunk City Sweet Sixteen team in 2012-13. The Eagles already have 116 dunks this year, the most since that iconic 2012-13 squad slammed 148, and threw down a season-best 12 versus Jacksonville last weekend.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
FGCU is 7-3 on the road this year, and a perfect 4-0 in ASUN contests. The Eagles have won six in a row away from home, tied for the 5th-longest streak in the nation (Belmont, 9 straight). FGCU's most road ASUN wins in a single season is five, set multiple times, and the most road victories overall in a single campaign is eight by the program's inaugural 2002-03 team.
 
TWEETABLES
1) FGCU will be looking for its 5th-straight win overall, which would be the team's third-different winning streak of five or more games in a single season for the first time.
2) On Monday, Demetris Morant was named ASUN Player of the Week, while Brandon Goodwin was tabbed as the ASUN Newcomer of the Week for the fourth time.
3) FGCU has held consecutive opponents (Jacksonville, 56; North Florida, 59) below 60 points for the first time this season.
4) No current player on FGCU's current roster has won at Jacksonville. The Eagles have lost all three meetings at JU under head coach Joe Dooley.
5) Marc-Eddy Norelia is 15 points shy of 1,000 for his career. He would become just the 7th player in program history to reach the milestone.
 
CONTRASTING STYLES
While FGCU has an advantage in the low blocks on Jacksonville, the Dolphins – like most ASUN teams – present a formidable challenge from beyond the arc. JU ranks 5th in the nation in 3-pointers made with 249, and are 7th in the country at 41.4 percent from 3-point range.
 
The Eagles use their low-post offense to fuel their high field goal percentage, which in ASUN games is a league-best 49.9. Meanwhile, JU ranks last in the conference in ASUN games in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot 50.9 percent.
 
DEFENDING THE ARC
To win the ASUN in 2016-17, defending the 3-point line is imperative. Of the league's eight members, four rank in the top 30 in the nation in 3-pointers made, and three are in the top 10.
 
FGCU's strength typically lies in its perimeter defense as the Eagles lead the ASUN in 3-point percentage defense overall, allowing opponents to connect at just a 31.2-percent clip. However, in ASUN games only, FGCU is 7th.
 
After limiting teams to 28.1 percent from beyond the arc in its challenging non-conference schedule, ASUN opponents are shooting 36.5 percent from 3-point range against the Eagles through the first eight games of the campaign. Three of those opponents (Lipscomb, T-5th; Jacksonville, T-5th; USC Upstate, T-9th) rank in the top 10 in the country in 3-pointers made.
 
LAST SATURDAY vs. JACKSONVILLE
Morant (Miami, Fla./UNLV/Bishop Gorman HS) scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed a career-high-tying 17 rebounds as the FGCU claimed a 78-56 win over Jacksonville. All but eight of FGCU's points came in the paint or at the free throw line.
 
FGCU held just a 36-33 halftime lead as the Eagles allowed the Dolphins to shoot 50 percent from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes. JU scored 31 of its 33 1st-half points from the 3-point line or free-throw line, while FGCU scored 34 of its 36 1st-half points in the paint or at the free-throw line.
 
While Morant set the tone offensively for the Eagles, Kevin Mickle (Brooklyn, N.Y./Broward CC/CCSU/St. Benedict's Prep) set the tone defensively. After not playing at all in the 1st half, Mickle played 13 minutes in the 2nd half and arguably had the biggest impact in slowing the Dolphins' perimeter attack. After going 9-18 from 3-point range in the 1st half, JU went just 2-17 in the 2nd half as the Eagles pulled away.
 
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE
^ Jacksonville was tabbed for a 6th-place ASUN finish in the league's preseason poll.
^ The Dolphins went 12-5 in their non-conference schedule, but have opened the league slate with wins over NJIT and Stetson (twice) and losses to North Florida, USC Upstate, Lipscomb, Kennesaw State and FGCU.
^ J.R. Holder leads the JU offensive attack with 17.8 points per game, and is one of five players who have made between 30 and 55 3-pointers on the year. Tanner Rubio is 2nd in the nation in 3-point percentage at 51.4 (55-107).
^ Rubio is one of four different players for the Dolphins who have scored at least 30 points in a game this year: Rubio (31), Darien Fernandez (36), Holder (39) and Darius Dawkins (41). Every one of those performances except Holder's occurred against an ASUN opponent.
^ The Dolphins rank 10th in the nation in total steals (206) and lead the ASUN in league games by averaging 8.6 per contest. Fernandez is 8th in the country with 59 steals.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Jacksonville Leads, 11-9
Jacksonville is one of only two current ASUN teams (Lipscomb) which has a winning record against FGCU. The Eagles' .450 winning percentage against the Dolphins is the 2nd-worst among any current ASUN member (Lipscomb, 10-8 (.444 FGCU winning percentage). All-time at Jacksonville, FGCU is just 2-7.
 
RECORD-SETTING NUMBERS
FGCU is averaging 80.2 points per game, which would be a single-season Division-I program record – four points better than last year's record of 77.2, and way more than the 72.9 averaged by the Sweet Sixteen team in 2012-13.
 
The Eagles are shooting 37.4 percent from 3-point range, which is currently tied for the best single-season mark in program history (any division). FGCU's 51.4-percent clip from the floor would also be the best all-time, and its rebound margin of +6.7 would be the best in the D-I era.
 
#DEPTHCITY
Dunk City has morphed into Depth City this year as FGCU incredibly had a different leading scorer in each its six games from Dec. 22-Jan. 14: Antravious Simmons (18, Florida National), Christian Terrell (20, FAU), Morant (20, Florida Tech), Goodwin (20, Stetson), Norelia (21, Kennesaw State) and Zach Johnson (23, Lipscomb). Six different players have already scored 20 or more points in a game this year for the Eagles.
 
Last year, FGCU had 10 different players reach double-figure points in a game (tied for the 3rd-most in the nation). Already this year, the Eagles have again had 10 players reach double-figure points (Reggie Reid: 9-point game). Below is a list of players who have scored 10 or more points in a game, how many times they have led (or tied) the team in scoring and their season high.
 
Brandon Goodwin (13 – includes 3 ties): 29
Demetris Morant (3): 25
Zach Johnson (4 – includes 2 ties): 24
Rayjon Tucker: 23
Marc-Eddy Norelia (1): 21
Christian Terrell (4): 20
Christian Carlyle: 19
Antravious Simmons (2 – includes 1 tie): 18
RaySean Scott Jr.: 14
Kevin Mickle: 13
 
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Of FGCU's 13 D-I non-conference opponents, seven rank in the top 110 of the RPI. FGCU is currently 95 in the RPI – the only ASUN team in the top 175. The Eagles have already played three top-50 RPI opponents (Baylor (1), Florida (14) and Michigan State (45)) and four more ranked from 51-110 (UT Arlington (58), La Salle (86) and twice against Georgia Southern (108)). FGCU is 2-2 against that group with a win over UT Arlington, a narrow road loss to La Salle (84-80) and a win and a loss against Georgia Southern.
 
FGCU was down just one point with under 3 minutes to play at #2-ranked Baylor before falling short, 81-72, lost to #23-ranked Florida despite holding a five-point lead with 15 minutes remaining and overcame a double-figure 2nd-half deficit to defeat UT Arlington – one of only two teams (#1 Gonzaga) to have beaten #18-ranked Saint Mary's – convincingly, 85-72. Additionally, FGCU controversially lost, 78-77, at Michigan State (more info later in this release).
 
ASUN RANKINGS
Several FGCU players rank among the top-10 performers in the ASUN:
 
Points Per Game
Brandon Goodwin: 7th, 16.9
 
Rebounds Per Game
Demetris Morant: 4th, 8.3
 
Assists Per Game
Brandon Goodwin: 4th, 4.1
Zach Johnson: 10th, 3.3
 
Blocks Per Game
Demetris Morant: 1st, 1.8
 
Field Goal Percentage
Demetris Morant: 1st, .748
Brandon Goodwin: 6th, .539
 
Free Throw Percentage
Brandon Goodwin: 8th, .794
 
3-Point Percentage
Christian Terrell: 10th, .402
 
Assist/Turnover Ratio
Christian Terrell: 4th, 2.3
Reggie Reid: 5th, 2.2
 
MARC-EDDY NORELIA
Redshirt senior Norelia (Orlando, Fla./Tulane/Olympia HS) – who missed the first four games of the year with a broken left (shooting hand) before playing the next seven games – returned to the FGCU lineup on Jan. 12 after missing the previous six games due to personal reasons. He came off the bench against Kennesaw State, scored a team-high 21 points and grabbed six rebounds in 25 minutes. He followed it up with a 14-point, 8-rebound performance in 30 minutes off the bench two days later at Lipscomb, and has played in every game since.
 
Norelia did not travel with the team or partake in practice from Dec. 14-28, but rejoined practice on Dec. 29. He sat on the bench versus Florida Tech on Dec. 31, but did not dress; did dress at Stetson on Jan. 7. The forward is a Preseason All-ASUN Conference selection and team's leading returning scorer (17.1) and rebounder (9.3) from a season ago.
 
ASUN PRESEASON FAVORITES | Complete Poll And Teams
The Eagles received six of eight 1st-place votes in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll and garnered 62 points to finish 12 ahead of 2nd-place North Florida, which collected the other two 1st-place votes. NJIT was picked 3rd, just three points behind the Ospreys, while Lipscomb was slotted 4th. Stetson, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State and USC Upstate rounded out the poll in spots 5-8, respectively.
 
In addition to the team honor, Norelia was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Conference Team, redshirt sophomore Johnson (Miami, Fla./Norland HS) was also a preseason team pick and redshirt senior Morant was tabbed as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
 
YOUTHFUL EAGLES
FGCU is getting the job done again this year with a youthful group as 82 percent of its total points, 72 percent of its rebounds and 93 percent of its assists have come from non-seniors.
 
ON RECORD PACE
Through the first 24 games of the season, Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS) has totaled 406 points – 20 more than what Norelia had at the same juncture last year when he set the program's single-season scoring record with 597 points.
 
Norelia also set the single-season program record with 234 made field goals last year. Through 24 games this year, Goodwin has 146 made field goals – just seven fewer than what Norelia had at the same juncture last season.
 
3-POINT IMPROVEMENT
Last year, just 20 percent of FGCU's total points came from 3-pointers – ranking 344th in the nation out of 351 D-I teams – as the Eagles shot 35.3 percent from long range. So far this season, 25.2 percent of FGCU's total points have come off 3-pointers.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
FGCU has the following records under the direction of Dooley:
 
Leading At The Half: 62-4 (.939)
Holding Opponent Below 40% FG: 47-4 (.922)
Grabbing More Rebounds: 68-13 (.840)
Scoring Between 70-79 Points: 51-11 (.823)
Scoring At Least 80 Points: 35-4 (.897)
 
RE-TWEETS
1) FGCU posted its largest comeback in the program's D-I era against UT Arlington on Nov. 16 as the Eagles erased a 16-point deficit (one shy of matching the all-time mark set in 2005-06).
2) The Eagles posted D-I program records in points (120), field goals made (47), field goal percentage (67.1), assists (29) and win margin (60) in its 120-60 victory over NAIA member Ave Maria on Nov. 29.
3) Morant pulled down the 4th-most rebounds in single-game D-I program history (most in a regulation game) with 17 against Georgia Southern on Dec. 13.
4) The 11 non-conference wins were the most in program history, and the three 100+ point games already marks the first time in single-season D-I history that has occurred.
5) FGCU had two separate 4+ game winning streaks in D-I non-conference history for the first time.
6) FGCU has already won three games by one point for the first time in a single season, and it has had a record four games decided by a single point already this year.
7) Incredibly, all 15 of FGCU's players has a positive plus/minus ratio, and every scholarship player is at least +10 on the year.
8) The Eagles' first four ASUN games were decided by a total of 10 points – the smallest differential for a four-game stretch at any point in program history.
 
FLORIDA NATIONAL PERFORMANCE
During its game against Florida National on Dec. 22, FGCU set a single-game D-I program record with 30 assists (tied again a game later versus Florida Tech), and matched a record with 68 points in the paint set earlier this year versus Ave Maria. Additionally, FGCU's 107 points were the 3rd-most in the program's D-I era and 2nd-most in a regulation game. The Eagles also connected at a 66.7-percent clip (44-66) from the floor, the 2nd-best performance in a game in D-I program history.
 
MOST WINS IN FLORIDA
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, FGCU has the 2nd-most wins among D-I schools in the state of Florida (entering games on Feb. 3):
 
1) Florida: 90
2) FGCU: 83
    Miami: 83
4) Florida State: 77
5) North Florida: 71
6) Jacksonville: 53
7) UCF: 51
8) FIU: 49
9) Stetson: 40
10) Bethune-Cookman: 37
11) USF: 36
12) FAU: 34
13) Florida A&M: 28
 
FGCU is the only D-I team in the state of Florida which has posted three-straight 20-win seasons (four-consecutive for the Eagles). As FGCU has moved among some of the preeminent teams in the state, it has done so with Florida talent. Of returning team members from last year's squad, Florida natives were responsible for 68 percent of FGCU's points and 70 percent of the Green and Blue's rebounds.
 
GAME-WINNERS THIS YEAR
FGCU has already hit four game-winning shots this year. The first came on Nov. 25 when Terrell (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence HS) hit a contested layup with 2.4 seconds left in overtime to give the Eagles a 68-67 win against Long Beach State.
 
The second came on Dec. 20 when Goodwin hit a floater in the paint with 12 seconds remaining to hand FGCU a 79-78 win at Louisiana Tech. LA Tech entered the contest with a dominant record of 71-2 at home since February of 2012 – with the .973 winning percentage over that time being the best in the nation.
 
Goodwin then hit three free throws with .6 of a second left to give the Eagles an 89-88 win at Stetson at Jan. 7. FGCU trailed by eight points with just under 70 seconds remaining before mounting an incredible comeback.
 
The most recent game-winning effort came on Jan. 25 when Goodwin again won it for the Eagles, knocking down a baseline 3-pointer with 34 seconds left to break an 80-80 tie at North Florida en route to an 86-82 triumph.
 
LOCKING IN ON D
Since Joe Dooley took over FGCU in 2013-14, FGCU has held 35 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 two of Dooley's three years with FGCU and finished 2nd in the other season. This year, the Eagles are again leading the ASUN, holding opponents to just 69.7 points per game.
 
RECAPPING MICHIGAN STATE
With 1.6 seconds remaining in a 78-77 game on Nov. 20 at Michigan State, Terrell threw an in-bounds pass from under the Spartans' basket to Simmons (Miami, Fla./VCU/South Miami HS) at the FGCU free throw line. However, despite the ball not being touched by any player, the game clock hit zero just as Simmons touched the ball.
 
The play was designed for him to take a dribble and attempt a game-winning layup, but when he heard the horn as soon as he caught the ball – after time had already expired – he threw the ball toward the basket and did not make the shot.
 
The head referee Bo Boroski, Big Ten officials, ASUN officials and FGCU Athletics officials all issued statements regarding the incident, with the Big Ten acknowledging an on-court official started the clock too early; however, the final score of 78-77 would remain.
 
View all statements by clicking here.
 
ANOTHER DANCE?
^ FGCU posted a record 31-point win, 96-65, in the First Four last March over fellow 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson.
^ The Eagles will be looking for their 5th postseason appearance in only six years of D-I eligibility: 2013 NCAA, 2014 NIT, 2015 CIT, 2016 NCAA. FGCU is believed to be the only D-I team in NCAA history to make four postseason appearances in its first five years of eligibility.
 
POSTSEASON NUMBERS
With the win over FDU, FGCU secured its third NCAA Tournament victory in four years. The Eagles are the only current ASUN member which has won an NCAA Tournament game, and are responsible for three of the league's seven all-time NCAA Tournament victories, dating back to the ASUN's initial appearance in March Madness in 1981.
 
IN THE TOP 10 PERCENT
FGCU is one of just 31 teams in the nation to have won at least 20 games and played in the postseason each of the last four years, ranking the Eagles among the top-10 percent of clubs in the nation (351 D-I teams).
 
Furthermore, FGCU is one of just eight schools in the country to have its men's and women's teams win at least 20 games in four-straight seasons: Duke, Louisville, Kentucky, BYU, Baylor, UConn and Saint Mary's. With both the men's and women's teams having 18 victories already this year, the Eagles are positioned to make that five-straight seasons.
 
BAHAMIAN SUMMER
FGCU spent Aug. 5-10 of last summer at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, playing three exhibition games and bonding as a team off the court. The Eagles won their three games by scores of 92-89, 113-58 and 87-69. In their first game, because of foul trouble and an injury-shortened bench, the Green and Blue finished the contest with just three players (watch).
 
THE GROWTH OF FGCU
After starting their D-I transition with five-straight losing seasons, the Eagles have now posted four-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: 18-6, 7-1 ASUN (1st)
D-I Total: 163-154, 86-80 ASUN
Last 4+ Years: 109-55, 53-19 ASUN
 
NEXT UP
FGCU will return home to face Lipscomb (14-11, 6-2) in a crucial matchup next Thursday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. before concluding the weekend homestand with a contest against Kennesaw State (10-14, 4-4) on Feb. 11 also at 7 p.m.

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 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 140-96 (.593), and in his 3+ years with FGCU is 83-44 (.654).
 
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.