DUNK CITY, Fla. – Winners of nine in a row and in control of the ASUN Conference regular-season race with an undefeated record, the FGCU men's basketball team hosts a rematch of last year's league tournament championship when the Eagles battle North Florida on Monday at 7 p.m. inside Alico Arena.
 
WHAT TO KNOW
> WHITE OUT: All fans in attendance are encouraged to wear white to create a whiteout atmosphere. The first 500 fans – in addition to the first 500 Dirty Birds – in attendance will receive a white FGCU T-shirt.
> HALFTIME: Women's soccer will be recognized and lower its ASUN Championship and NCAA Tournament banners.
> PRESENTING GAME SPONSOR: Culver's
 
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 North Florida picked up the other 1st-place vote and was tabbed for a 3rd-place finish with 46 points.
 
OPENING-TIP ITEMS
^ This is FGCU's first-ever 7-0 start to an ASUN season, bettering the 4-0 mark set in 2015-16. The Eagles have won their first seven league games by an average of 15.1 points.
 
^ With its 68-62 win over Jacksonville on Saturday, FGCU created a two-game lead over the 5-2 Dolphins – and has the tiebreaker – at the midway point of the conference regular season.
 
^ The Eagles are riding a nine-game winning streak – tied for the 8th-longest in the nation. The streak is the 2nd-longest in Division-I program history, bested only by a 10-game run in 2014-15.
 
^ Making the performance this year even more impressive is that FGCU hasn't had a single game yet this season where all 12 scholarship players have been healthy/eligible. That continued on Saturday night as FGCU won despite not having Ricky Doyle and RaySean Scott Jr. (concussion protocol for both).
 
^ FGCU is riding its winning streak thanks in large part to its defensive effort as the Eagles have held four of their first seven ASUN opponents under 60 points. In the other 21 league games played so far this year, only two teams on one occasion have held the opposition below 60: Jacksonville and NJIT.
 
TWEETABLES
1) FGCU scored 56 points in the paint – tied for the 3rd-most versus a D-I opponent in program history – and picked up a 96-87 win at North Florida on Wednesday despite not having Brandon Goodwin, Doyle or Scott Jr.
2) UNF attempted a school-record 47 3-pointers (made 16) in that game on Wednesday; the Ospreys rank 2nd in the nation with 266 made 3-pointers this year (leader: Savannah State, 267).
3) FGCU is the only school in the nation that has both its men's (7-0) and women's (6-0) basketball teams undefeated in conference action.
4) The Eagles made a season-low one 3-pointer in the victory over Jacksonville on Saturday. Each of the last three times FGCU has made one 3-pointer in a contest, the Eagles have won the game.
5) FGCU shot 45.8 percent from the floor and scored just 68 points – both the 2nd-lowest this year in a win over a D-I opponent (NJIT, 45.6 percent; Kennesaw State, 66 points).
 
CONTRASTING STYLES
In their nine meetings since the start of the 2014-15 season, FGCU and North Florida have put their contrasting offensive styles on display. In those nine contests (FGCU leads, 6-3), the Eagles have outscored the Ospreys in the paint eight times and by an average of 42 to 26.
 
Conversely, UNF has made more 3-pointers than FGCU in seven of the nine games, with one contest – last year's title game – tied. The Ospreys have averaged 9.8 made 3s over that time, while the Eagles have converted just 4.5 per game.
 
SERIES HISTORY: FGCU Leads, 17-10
The series has been a streak of runs by both teams since their first meeting in February of 2003: FGCU W6, UNF W7, FGCU W5, UNF W3, FGCU W6 (current).
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
^ In all games this year, North Florida leads the ASUN by averaging 79.9 points per game, but ranks last in defense by allowing opponents to score an average of 86.5 per outing. FGCU, meanwhile, leads the league in scoring defense, limiting opponents to just 69.4 points per game.
 
^ In ASUN play, the Ospreys are scoring a league-best 84.6 points per game, while the Eagles are locking in and only allowing opponents to average 63.6 points per contest – more than eight points better than any other team (Jacksonville, 71.7).
 
^ In nine of its 10 wins this year, UNF has scored at least 80 points. Every single UNF player but one has made a 3-pointer this season, led by 75 from JT Escobar. As a team, the Ospreys are shooting 36.8 percent from beyond the arc and have five different double-figure scorers, paced by Ivan Gandia-Rosa at 13.9.
 
RECAPPING FIVE DAYS AGO
Playing without Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS), Doyle (Cape Coral, Fla./Michigan/Bishop Verot HS) and Scott Jr. (Compton, Calif./Compton HS), FGCU got contributions up and down the lineup en route to an impressive 96-87 road victory at North Florida to secure the program's 300th all-time victory.
 
FGCU posted a 46-28 rebounding advantage, and finished with a 34-8 cushion in bench points as Dunk City showed why its 2017-18 moniker is quickly becoming Depth City with the following highlights:
 
Zach Johnson: Led FGCU in scoring for the sixth time this year with 19 points, and also added five rebounds and five assists.
Michael Gilmore: First career double-double with career bests of 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Dinero Mercurius: Tied a season high with 16 points and four 3-pointers made.
Christian Carlyle: Scored 11 of his 17 points – the 3rd-most in his career – in the 2nd half.
Antravious Simmons: Grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds and just missed a double-double with nine points.
Brady Ernst: Netted a season-best 10 points – six more than his previous high against a D-I opponent – and secured seven rebounds – his most versus a D-I foe.
Brian Thomas: Scored seven points, grabbed four rebounds and had a block in only 10 minutes.
 
#DEPTHCITY
FGCU has had 11 different players already this year reach double-figure points in a game – tied for the 4th-most in the nation. 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 (7)
Brandon Goodwin: 26 (12 – 1 tie)
Christian Terrell: 20 (4 – 1 tie)
Christian Carlyle: 18
Dinero Mercurius: 16 (1)
Antravious Simmons: 15 (1)
RaySean Scott Jr.: 15
Michael Gilmore: 14
Darnell Rogers: 11
Ricky Doyle: 11
Brady Ernst: 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).
 
HOME SUCCESS
Since 2012-13, FGCU is 38-5 (.884) in the regular season against ASUN opponents at Alico Arena. Including ASUN Tournament games in that same stretch, the Eagles are 46-7 (.868) at home versus league foes. Overall, FGCU boasts an 86-17 record (.835) at The Nest since the 2012-13 season.
 
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 – at the time – just the ninth occurance in program history that FGCU scored 90 or more points in an ASUN game, and just the seventh time in a regulation 40-minute contest. Four of those 90+ point games have come against Stetson.
 
PROGRAM'S MOST POINTS vs. ASUN OPPONENT
1) 111: @ Stetson (1/25/11) *3OT
2) 100: Jacksonville (2/6/14)
3) 97: @ USC Upstate (2/18/17) *OT
T-4) 96: @ North Florida (1/24/18)
        96: Stetson (1/25/13)
T-5) 92: @ Northern Kentucky (3/1/14)
        92: Kennesaw State (1/28/12)
        92: @ Stetson (1/20/12)
T-8) 90: Stetson (1/6/18)
        90: ETSU (1/18/14)
 
ASUN RE-TWEETS
1) FGCU shot a season-high 60 percent (30-50) from the field against Stetson. The percentage was 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.
4) FGCU's 18-point comeback at Lipscomb (trailed 66-48) was its largest in program history, besting the previous mark of 17 set twice in the 2005-06 season and the 16-point D-I record last year against UT Arlington.
5) The Eagles have won 15-straight games against Kennesaw State – the longest streak by a current ASUN team over another current league member.
6) Goodwin was named ASUN Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 20 points, 5.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds in two road victories. He is leading FGCU in points (17.5), rebounds (5.7) and assists (5).
7) FGCU held Kennesaw State to just 49 points on Jan. 20 – its fewest allowed to a D-I opponent this year. The Eagles' 66 points against the Owls were their fewest in a win over a D-I opponent this season.
8) FGCU secured its 300th all-time win (now 301-203) since the program's first season in 2002-03 with the 96-87 victory at North Florida.
 
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.
 
STILL SORTING IT OUT
Twenty-four games into the year, FGCU has already used 14 different starting lineups – tied for the most in the nation:
 
1) FGCU: 14 In 24 Games
    Pittsburgh: 14 In 20 Games
    Bryant: 14 In 22 Games
4) UT Martin: 13 In 22 Games
    UTEP: 13 In 21 Games


NATIONAL RANKINGS
FGCU boasts the following top-30 national rankings both as a team and individually:
 
Team:
4th – Total Rebounds (943)
12th – 3-Point Percentage Defense (.305)
28th – Field-Goal Percentage (.487)
 
Individual:
13th – Johnson, Total Steals (51)
 
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 16 wins, FGCU is averaging 41.9 rebounds per game, has a +12.1 rebounding margin and is +30 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 22 of its first 24 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)
@ Kennesaw State: 40-20 (+20)
@ North Florida: 56-26 (+30)
Jacksonville: 48-44 (+4)
Total: +261 / +10.9 Margin Per Game
 
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 107-54 (.665 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.
 
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 83-7 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 273 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, and at Kennesaw State on Jan. 20 he scored a career-high nine points and grabbed a career-high-tying eight 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 47-8 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: 301-203 (Win 300 On Jan. 24)
All-Time Record In D-I Era: 187-164 (13 More Wins For 200)
All-Time Record At Home: 202-63 (Win 200 On Jan. 11)
All-Time Record vs. ASUN Opponents: 98-81 (2 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 23 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 Saint Mary's (12 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.
 
FGCU has continued that road dominance in 2017-18 as the Eagles have now won 10-straight ASUN road games dating back to the end of the 2015-16 season.
 
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. 28)
 
1) Florida: 114
2) FGCU: 107
3) Miami: 105
4) Florida State: 101
5) North Florida: 87
6) UCF: 74
7) Jacksonville: 66
8) FIU: 60
9) Bethune-Cookman: 54
10) Stetson: 51
11) FAU: 47
12) USF: 45
13) Florida A&M: 34
 
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: 16-8, 7-0 ASUN (1st)
D-I Total: 187-164, 98-81 ASUN
Last 5 Years: 133-65, 65-20 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 returns back to the River City this coming weekend when the Eagles travel to face Jacksonville on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 6 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 164-106 (.607), and in his 4+ years with FGCU is 107-54 (.665). 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.