KENNESAW, Ga. – Coming off an incredible comeback Thursday night, the 1st-place FGCU men's basketball team puts its season-best six-game winning streak on the line while looking to create even more separation at the top of the ASUN standings when the Eagles face Kennesaw State Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
 
WATCH PARTY
Miller's Ale House in Gulf Coast Town Center will serve as the official watch party destination for not only this game, but all remaining men's and women's basketball road games for the 2017-18 season. The establishment has invested in HD streaming equipment, giving fans the opportunity to watch in outstanding quality on ESPN3, while offering discounts during the game.
 
Those with an FGCU or Eagles Club ID will receive 10 percent off their bill. Those who bring an FGCU Basketball Ticket Stub will receive $5 off their $25 bill (or higher). Additionally, those simply wearing FGCU gear will receive $5 zingers.
 
ASUN PRESEASON FAVORITES
FGCU has won each of the past two ASUN tournaments – and three of the last five – and is installed this year as the preseason league favorites to repeat again. The Eagles received seven of eight 1st-place votes and garnered 63 points in the coaches' poll, while Kennesaw State was tabbed for a 5th-place finish with 28 points.
 
OPENING-TIP ITEMS
^ Despite luggage and travel issues which delayed FGCU's arrival into Nashville just five hours before game time on Thursday, the Eagles overcame an 18-point 2nd-half deficit to post an 88-83 win over Lipscomb. The 18-point comeback was the largest overcome in program history, besting the previous mark of 17 set twice in the 2005-06 season and the 16-point Division-I record last year against UT Arlington.
 
^ The Eagles have won 14-straight games against Kennesaw State – the longest streak by a current ASUN team over another current league member.
 
^ FGCU is alone in 1st place with a 4-0 ASUN record, one game clear of 3-1 Jacksonville and already two games up on NJIT, Stetson and North Florida.
 
TWEETABLES
1) With a victory, FGCU would post its seventh-straight win, which would be tied for the 2nd-longest in D-I program history, bested by only a 10-game stretch in 2014-15.
2) FGCU is looking to start an ASUN season 5-0 for the first time since joining D-I and the league in 2007-08. The Green and Blue's previous best-ever start was 4-0 in 2015-16.
3) The win over Lipscomb marked the first time this year FGCU has won a game decided by five points or less (1-4) and the first time it emerged victorious when trailing at the half (1-5; trailed, 48-40).
4) FGCU has won eight-straight road ASUN games dating back to last season's perfect 7-0 mark.
5) Brandon Goodwin is leading FGCU in scoring (17.4), rebounding (5.9) and assists (5.1). He needs just five points for 1,000 in his two-year stint with FGCU (currently 1,385 for his career).
 
SERIES HISTORY
While FGCU has a 16-6 edge in the all-time series with Kennesaw State – including the aforementioned 14-game winning streak – the matchups in recent years have been close. Each of the last nine meetings between FGCU and KSU have been decided by 12 points or fewer. FGCU's last loss to the Owls occurred at Kennesaw on Feb. 10, 2011, 69-68.
 
SCOUTING KENNESAW STATE
^ Kennesaw State picked up its first ASUN win of the season on Thursday at home over Stetson, 95-81. The Owls dropped their first three conference games at home to Lipscomb and on the road at Jacksonville and North Florida.
 
^ James Scott leads the Owls with 16.8 points per game, followed by ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team selection Nick Masterson at 13.7 and Tyler Hooker at 11.2. No one on KSU averages more than 5 rebounds per game, with Jordan Jones exactly on that mark to pace the team.
 
INSIDE THE STATS
FGCU leads the ASUN in field-goal percentage at .486 and by averaging 79 points per game, while Kennesaw State ranks last with 70.9 points per game. The Eagles also lead the league in points allowed at only 69.9 per outing, in addition to pacing the conference in field-goal percentage defense at .412.
 
RECAPPING LIPSCOMB
In a matchup of the ASUN's preseason top-2 favorites in Music City, road-tested FGCU successfully weathered a different type of storm Thursday.
 
Trailing 66-48 with less than 13 minutes remaining, FGCU head coach Joe Dooley switched to a 2-3 zone and immediately stymied the powerful Lipscomb attack. Lipscomb converted a layup at the 12-minute mark against the defense, but after that it went on a nine-minute field goal drought as FGCU put together an incredible 33-4 run to create an 81-70 lead and put the game out of reach.
 
FGCU – which had only 10 available scholarship players as RaySean Scott Jr. (Compton, Calif./Compton HS) and Darnell Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Shiloh HS/Believe Prep/Indian Land HS) did not play due to concussion symptoms – was also strapped with some hard luck on its travel to Tennessee.
 
The Eagles didn't arrive in Nashville until early afternoon on Thursday due to flight issues on Wednesday. FGCU had its flight from Fort Myers to Atlanta on Wednesday delayed by more than four hours, and then had its connection to Nashville canceled. The Eagles did not have a shootaround Thursday, and several players were still missing their luggage and wore sneakers and other gear purchased just hours before tipoff.
 
UNPRECEDENTED RUN OF SUCCESS?
FGCU is more than halfway to its sixth-straight 20-win season. If that were to occur, the Eagles would become the first school in the history of the ASUN (since 1978-79) to secure six-consecutive 20-win seasons.
 
RECORD-SETTING ROUT TO OPEN ASUN PLAY
FGCU opened ASUN play with a 90-52 rout of Stetson at Alico Arena on Jan. 6. The 38-point win was the largest in program history over a conference member, surpassing the previous record of 33 in the 2016 ASUN Tournament semifinal at North Florida, 89-56. It was FGCU's fifth margin of victory against a league foe by 30 or more points, and three of those have come at the expense of Stetson, including last year's ASUN Tournament quarterfinal at The Nest, 87-57.
 
PROGRAM'S LARGEST WINS vs. ASUN OPPONENT
1) +38: 90-52, Stetson (1/6/18)
2) +33: 89-56, at North Florida (ASUN Semifinals; 3/3/16)
3) +32: 70-38, USC Upstate (2/6/11)
4) +31: 96-65, Stetson (1/25/13)
5) +30: 87-57, Stetson (ASUN Quarterfinals; 2/27/17)
 
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
The contest against Stetson marked just the ninth time in program history that FGCU scored 90 or more points in an ASUN game, and just the seventh occurrence in a regulation 40-minute contest. Four of those nine 90+ point games have come against Stetson.
 
PROGRAM'S MOST POINTS vs. ASUN OPPONENT
1) 111: at Stetson (1/25/11) *3OT
2) 100: Jacksonville (2/6/14)
3) 97: at USC Upstate (2/18/17) *OT
4) 96: Stetson (1/25/13)
T-5) 92: at Northern Kentucky (3/1/14)
        92: Kennesaw State (1/28/12)
        92: at Stetson (1/20/12)
8) 90: Stetson (1/6/18)
    90: ETSU (1/18/14)
 
SLOW STARTS, POSTSEASON FINISHES
The Eagles have made five-consecutive postseason appearances, but they have gotten off to slow starts previously – not unlike this year's 9-8 non-conference mark. In 2015-16, FGCU was 7-7 through 14 games (what it was this year), but went on to post a 21-14 record and win an NCAA Tournament game. In 2013-14, the Eagles went 6-7 in the non-conference schedule before finishing 22-13 overall, winning the ASUN regular season crown and playing in the NIT.
 
#DEPTHCITY
FGCU has had 10 different players already this year reach double-figure points in a game – something that has now occurred in three-straight seasons. 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 (5)
Brandon Goodwin: 26 (11 – 1 tie)
Christian Terrell: 20 (4 – 1 tie)
Christian Carlyle: 18
Dinero Mercurius: 16 (1)
Antravious Simmons: 15 (1)
RaySean Scott Jr.: 15
Darnell Rogers: 11
Ricky Doyle: 11
Michael Gilmore: 10
 
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
Twenty-one games into the year, FGCU has already used 13 different starting lineups – tied for the 2nd-most in the nation:
 
1) Pittsburgh: 14 In 19 Games
2) FGCU: 13 In 21 Games
    UT Martin: 13 In 20 Games
    Bryant: 13 In 19 Games
5) UTEP: 12 In 18 Games 


NATIONAL RANKINGS
FGCU boasts the following top-45 national rankings both as a team and individually:
 
Team:
9th – Total Rebounds (810)
32nd – 3-Point Percentage Defense (.310)
33rd – Field-Goal Percentage (.486)
 
Individual:
20th – Johnson, Total Steals (42)
32nd – Goodwin, Total Assists (107)
 
REBOUNDING EMPHASIS
In its eight losses, FGCU is averaging 34.1 rebounds per game, has a -3.9 rebounding margin and is -39 in second-chance points.
 
In its 13 wins, FGCU is averaging 41.3 rebounds per game, has a +11.4 rebounding margin and is +23 in second-chance points.
 
PAINT EMPHASIS
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 either tied or out-scored 19 of its first 21 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)
@ rv UT Arlington: 26-26 (0)
Oral Roberts: 22-58 (-36)
@ FIU: 34-26 (+8)
@ #11 Wichita State: 28-16 (+12)
@ rv Rhode Island: 36-28 (+8)
Florida Memorial: 42-12 (+30)
Florida Tech: 38-20 (+18)
Stetson: 28-20 (+8)
USC Upstate: 40-22 (+18)
NJIT: 38-26 (+12)
Lipscomb: 34-32 (+2)
Total: +207 / +9.8 Margin Per Game
 
STETSON RE-TWEETS
1) FGCU shot a season-high 60 percent (30-50) from the field against Stetson. The percentage is the 6th-highest in program history versus a D-I opponent (record: 65.6 vs. Jacksonville on Feb. 6, 2014).
2) The 90 points against the Hatters were the most ever in an ASUN opener for the Eagles, besting the previous mark of 89 set at Stetson in the 2017 conference opener.
3) It marked the fourth-straight year that FGCU beat Stetson to open ASUN play. The Eagles won their seventh in a row to begin league action, and are now 9-2 all-time in ASUN openers.
 
MILESTONE MARKS
The win over Florida Tech on Dec. 31 was highlighted by a pair of milestone accomplishments for Zach Johnson (Miami, Fla./Norland HS) and Dooley. Johnson became just the ninth member of the program's 1,000-point club, while Dooley reached 100 career wins with the Eagles.
 
In addition to becoming just the ninth player in program history to reach 1,000 career points and second this season (Christian Terrell), Johnson is only the third to do so as a junior, joining all-time leading scorer Bernard Thompson (1,835) and 2nd all-time leading scorer Brett Comer (1,477).
 
Dooley became the first coach in the D-I history of the program (since 2007-08) to reach the century mark for wins. Now in his 5th season with the Eagles, Dooley is 103-54 (.656 winning percentage). He has the 2nd-most wins all-time, behind only Dave Balza's 153-121 mark in the program's first nine years from 2002-11.
 
HOME SUCCESS
Since 2012-13, FGCU is 37-5 (.880) in the regular season against ASUN opponents at Alico Arena. Including ASUN Tournament games in that same stretch, the Eagles are 45-7 (.865) at home versus league foes. Overall, FGCU boasts an 85-17 record (.833) at The Nest since the 2012-13 season.
 
GREAT ROAD WIN
FGCU's lone win during a 1-6 stretch earlier this season against D-I opponents was one of its most impressive road victories in program history as FGCU knocked off UT Arlington, 85-78, on Dec. 9. UTA entered the game ranked No. 42 in the RPI and receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls. The Eagles snapped the Mavericks' 21-game home-court regular-season winning streak.
 
NOTEWORTHY
^ The Eagles scored 70+ points in each of their first 11 games, coming one performance short of matching the 2003-04 team for most consecutive games to start a season (12) with scoring 70 or more points.
^ The 83-64 loss at home to Oral Roberts on Dec. 16 was tied for the worst home non-conference loss in the program's D-I history (77-58 vs. Drexel on Nov. 14, 2007).
^ Entering this season, FGCU was 68-4 when leading at the half under Dooley. The Eagles are now 80-7 when leading at the break as they have lost halftime leads this season at Bowling Green (43-40), versus FAU (45-34) and at FIU (43-40).
^ FGCU allowed FAU to score 58 points in the 2nd half on Dec. 5 – the most the Eagles have allowed in their D-I history behind only a 59-point performance by Mercer on Jan. 17, 2008.
^ The 92 points FGCU allowed to FAU were tied for the most in a regulation game under 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.
^ FGCU has already allowed two opponents to score 90+ in regulation this year. In the previous four years under Dooley, that had only occurred two times total.
^ 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.
^ Christian Terrell is just the 6th player in program history with 1,000 career points and 400 career rebounds.
^ The Eagles shot 50.7 percent from the floor against FAU – their 2nd-highest shooting percentage in a loss in D-I non-conference history (61.4 percent at TCU on Nov. 11, 2011).
^ FGCU has made at least one 3-pointer in 270 straight games – dating back to Jan. 8. 2010, at home against North Florida. Incredibly, the Eagles also failed to make a 3-pointer in their next game two days later at The Nest versus Jacksonville. Those are the only two games in program history that FGCU has not made a 3-pointer.
^ As part of its victory over UT Arlington, FGCU set then-season highs against a D-I opponent in 3-pointers made (10), 3-point percentage (.526), points off turnovers (24), free-throw percentage when making double figures (.826), field-goal percentage (.549) and bench points (27).
^ FGCU committed 24 turnovers against UT Arlington – tied for the most in a win in D-I program history (Campbell, Dec. 18, 2008).
^ The Eagles have already lost twice this year when scoring 85 or more points – something that hadn't happened even once since the first year of the program in 2002-03 (three times that season).
^ FGCU had a 43-28 rebounding edge at FIU – representing the first time in D-I program history (since 2007-08) it has lost when having a +15 advantage on the glass.
 
ADDED THREAT
With the conclusion of the fall semester, Dec. 16 against Oral Roberts marked the Green and Blue debut of redshirt junior Michael Gilmore. In his first game eligible, Gilmore (Jacksonville, Fla./Miami/VCU/Rickards HS) started, scored 10 points, grabbed four rebounds and passed out two assists.
 
The uber-talented 6-10, 210-pound forward from Jacksonville transferred to FGCU in January of 2017. Gilmore began his career at VCU, playing his freshman and sophomore years with the Rams, before transferring to Miami (but not playing) in the summer of 2016 and then joining the Eagles. He had not played since Mar. 20, 2016, in the NCAA Tournament Second Round. In that game with VCU, Gilmore scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds against 2nd-seeded Oklahoma.
 
1K FOR CT
With a 3-pointer on Nov. 29, Terrell (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence HS) registered his 1,001st career point, becoming – at the time – 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 – at the time – 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) missed 14-straight games from Nov. 21-Dec. 31 with a fractured left (non-shooting) hand, but returned for the ASUN opener on Jan. 6 against Stetson and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds; in his first two games back, he secured 14 rebounds … Dinero 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 on Dec. 2 against Middle Tennessee and making a season-high four 3-pointers … under Dooley, the Eagles are 45-8 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 played 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, and the Eagles went 2-4 against the group:
 
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) | W, 85-78
Dec. 22: @ 29 Wichita State (31-5, NCAA) | L, 75-65
Dec. 27: @ 31 Rhode Island (25-10, NCAA) | L, 80-60
 
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: 298-203 (2 More Wins For 300)
All-Time Record In D-I Era: 184-164 (16 More Wins For 200)
All-Time Record At Home: 201-63 (Win 200 On Jan. 11)
All-Time Record vs. ASUN Opponents: 95-81 (5 More Wins For 100)
 
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 four double-figure leads (and dropped the game): 13 at Bowling Green, 12 vs. Middle Tennessee, 14 vs. FAU and 11 at FIU.
 
The four double-figure leads lost through just 20 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 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.
 
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 a program-best 10-straight road games dating back to last year – the 2nd-longest road winning streak in the country – before a last-second loss at Bowling Green on Nov. 18. Gonzaga had the longest streak at 11 in a row just ahead of the Eagles, but now Wichita State (11 straight) has that claim.
 
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 was the first ASUN institution to go undefeated on the road in conference action since former league member Samford went 8-0 in 1998-99.
 
Overall, FGCU was a program-best 10-3 away from Alico Arena last season, with all three losses coming by single digits.
 
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.
 
FAMOUS LINEAGE
FGCU has a pair of players related to Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers in Gilmore 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 2nd-most wins among D-I schools in the state of Florida (entering games on Jan. 19)
 
1) Florida: 112
2) FGCU: 104
3) Miami: 103
4) Florida State: 98
5) North Florida: 85
6) UCF: 73
7) Jacksonville: 64
8) FIU: 59
9) Bethune-Cookman: 53
10) Stetson: 51
11) FAU: 46
12) USF: 44
13) Florida A&M: 33
 
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: 13-8, 4-0 ASUN (1st)
D-I Total: 184-164, 95-81 ASUN
Last 5 Years: 130-65, 62-20 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).
 
NEXT UP
FGCU will head back to campus on Sunday only to hit the road again on Tuesday as it travels to Jacksonville to face North Florida (8-13, 2-2 ASUN) on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 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 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 161-106 (.603), and in his 4+ years with FGCU is 104-54 (.658). 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.