DUNK CITY, Fla. – North Florida scored the first points of the game on a 3-pointer. After that it was all Dunk City as the Eagles routed the Ospreys, 103-70.
 
The FGCU men's basketball team (17-8, 8-0 ASUN) responded with a 13-0 run after that 3-0 UNF (10-15, 4-4 ASUN) start, built a 27-point lead by halftime and never led by fewer than 16 the rest of the night as the Eagles won their 10th-straight game – matching a program Division-I record – Monday at Alico Arena.
 
Reigning ASUN Player of the Week Zach Johnson (Miami, Fla./Norland HS) led six double-figure scorers for the Eagles with 16 and passed out a game-high-tying seven assists – tied for his most against a league opponent – while also securing a career-best seven rebounds.
 
Michael Gilmore (Jacksonville, Fla./Miami/VCU/Rickards HS) recorded his second double-double in three games with a career-high-tying 14 points and career-best 12 rebounds. Brandon Goodwin (13), Christian Terrell (13), RaySean Scott Jr. (12) and Antravious Simmons (10) rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Eagles, who also had Dinero Mercurius (Orlando, Fla./Daytona State/UTRGV/USF/Faith Baptist Christian HS) and Brian Thomas (Kennesaw, Ga./Kell HS) total eight points each.
 
The 103 points are the most in program history against an ASUN opponent in a regulation game (record: 111 in triple overtime versus Stetson in 2011). Additionally, the 33-point margin of victory is tied for FGCU's 2nd-largest in its conference history, bested only by a 38-point triumph (90-52) earlier this month against Stetson.
 
With the victory, FGCU remains two games ahead of 2nd-place Jacksonville (6-2) in the ASUN race with six contests left. The Dolphins made a pair of free throws with one second remaining to secure a 68-67 win at Stetson on Monday.
 
The Eagles had no such struggles against the Ospreys in front of more than 4,000 fans at The Nest. FGCU – as it typically does against UNF – controlled the paint and finished with a staggering 66-30 edge in points in the paint – the most points the Eagles have ever scored against a D-I opponent in the paint. In their two meetings this year, FGCU has out-scored the Ospreys by an incredible 66 points in the paint.
 
"We had great balance throughout the lineup, and we had good energy considering we just played on Saturday night," said FGCU head coach Joe Dooley, whose team defeated UNF for a seventh-straight time. "Zach set the tone on the defensive end getting over screens, and on offense we shared the ball really well. It was a good team effort."
 
That team effort included a season-high assist total against a D-I opponent with 24, and a season-low-matching eight turnovers. The Eagles shot 56.6 percent (43-76) from the floor – its 2nd-best of the season – and finished with a +15 advantage in 2nd-chance points (18-3), a +17 cushion in fastbreak points (22-5) and a +26 edge in bench points (48-22). The Green and Blue also finished with an emphatic 48-22 advantage on the glass.
 
UNF was led by Noah Horchler with a double-double performance of 16 points and 10 rebounds. He paced a quartet of double-figure scorers as Ivan Rosa-Gandia, Osborn Blount and Trip Day all netted 11 for the Ospreys, who shot 45.2 percent (28-62) from the floor and 11-30 (36.7 percent) from 3-point range.
 
FGCU continues its best-ever start to an ASUN season, bettering the 4-0 mark set in 2015-16. The Eagles have won their first eight league games by an average of 17.3 points.
 
It marks the third time already this league slate that FGCU has scored 90 or more points, tied for the most in a single conference season in program history (2013-14).
 
Making the stretch for the Eagles 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 Monday as FGCU was again without Ricky Doyle (Cape Coral, Fla./Michigan/Bishop Verot HS) (concussion protocol).
 
The victory continues the Green and Blue's incredible stretch to start the season as FGCU is the only school in the nation that has both its men's and women's (6-0) basketball teams undefeated in conference action.
 
Since 2012-13, FGCU is now 39-5 (.886) in the regular season against ASUN opponents at Alico Arena. Including ASUN Tournament games in that same stretch, the Eagles are 47-7 (.870) at home versus league foes. Overall, FGCU boasts an 86-17 record (.837) at The Nest since the 2012-13 season.
 
FGCU will now return to the road as the Eagles make the trek back to Northeast Florida and the River City this weekend when they face Jacksonville on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 6 p.m. The Eagles and Dolphins met on Saturday at Alico, with FGCU securing a 68-62 victory.
 
NOTEWORTHY: Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS) also added seven rebounds and six assists … Terrell (Jacksonville, Fla./Providence HS) scored 11 of his baker's dozen in the 2nd half … Simmons (Miami, Fla./VCU/South Miami HS) tallied his 10 points in only 11 minutes.
 
SOCIAL CENTRAL
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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 165-106 (.609), and in his 4+ years with FGCU is 108-54 (.667). 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.