FORT MYERS, Fla. – Having secured at least a share of the program's eighth ASUN regular-season title and owning a share of the tiebreaker over Jacksonville, the FGCU women's basketball team clinched home-court advantage and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament on Monday, and now tickets are on sale to the upcoming ASUN Tournament at Alico Arena.
The Eagles' quest for back-to-back ASUN tournament championships begins on Friday, March 2 at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinals against NJIT. Tickets for that contest are on sale now starting at just $12. Additionally, there are some reserved, chair-back seats still available ranging from $16-25, depending on location.
Fans can secure their tickets by logging on to
FGCUTickets.com, calling 239-590-7145 or by visiting the Alico Arena Ticket Office Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
With a win against NJIT, FGCU will host a semifinal on Wednesday, March 7 at 7 p.m., and if it wins that matchup would host the ASUN Championship Final Sunday, March 11 at 3 p.m.
If FGCU wins its quarterfinal game, tickets to the semifinal will go on sale immediately following the end of the game. The Alico Arena Ticket Office will remain open, allowing those in attendance at the quarterfinal game the best opportunity to secure tickets to the semifinal matchup.
The same procedure will occur if the Eagles win the semifinal game, with tickets to the final going on sale immediate following the contest. Tickets for the championship game will start at $15.
Season-ticket holders should have already been contacted by an Alico Arena Ticket Office representative regarding how they can secure their seats to the ASUN Championship. Season-ticket holders who have not yet received any correspondence are asked to call 239-590-7145 or stop by the Alico Arena Ticket Office.
There is still one regular-season game remaining for all eight of the league's members on Saturday. Below is a look at the current ASUN standings, tournament seeds that have been secured and final-game opponent:
#1 FGCU: 12-1 @ Stetson
#2 Jacksonville: 11-2 vs North Florida
#3 Stetson: 8-5 vs FGCU
Lipscomb: 6-7 vs Kennesaw State
North Florida: 5-8 @ Jacksonville
USC Upstate: 5-8 vs NJIT
#7 Kennesaw State: 3-10 @ Lipscomb
#8 NJIT: 2-11 @ USC Upstate
FGCU is 26-4 overall and on the verge of moving back into the USA Today Coaches Poll Top-25. The Eagles received 25 votes on Tuesday and are now just two spots shy of the top-25. They appeared in the poll for one week earlier this season, and it was the first time the program had appeared in either of the two major polls since March 2015.
With a win against Stetson, FGCU will finish 13-1 in ASUN play and claim the title outright. The Eagles previously won regular season championships in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. They also won the ASUN tournament in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017.
FGCU has never lost in the quarterfinal round and has at least appeared in the championship game in all six years of Division-I postseason eligibility. The Eagles will be looking to make their fourth appearance in the Big Dance in the last six years.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the-minute information and behind-the-scenes access to the women's basketball program, follow @FGCU_WBB on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook at /FGCUWBB.
COACH SMESKO
FGCU head coach Karl Smesko rallied the 2016-17 Eagles to their seventh-straight 25-win campaign, which culminated in the team's fourth NCAA tournament appearance in six seasons of eligibility. The seven-time ASUN Coach of the Year was named the espnW Mid-Major Coach of the Year in 2015-16 following a run that witnessed the Eagles finish a best-ever 33-6. Over a five-year stretch starting in 2011-12, FGCU racked up four ASUN seasons with a perfect record and capped the run with back-to-back 30 plus win seasons. In 2014-15, the team earned its first top-25 ranking and another NCAA Tournament trip as a seven seed, where FGCU won its first ever NCAA Division-I Tournament game against No. 10 Oklahoma State. Including this year, Smesko has guided the Eagles to 14-straight 20-win seasons. He maintains a record of 430-86 (.833) at FGCU, including a 168-16 (.913) mark in ASUN play. Over the past six + seasons, he has guided FGCU to a 104-4 (.963) record in conference play with four undefeated seasons. Smesko earned his 400th career coaching win in 2014-15 in just 493 career games, two games faster than UConn's Geno Auriemma. He holds a career head coaching record of 491-113 (.813). Smesko ranks among an elite list of just four active Division I coaches with a career win percentage of .800 or higher, joining Auriemma, Baylor's Kim Mulkey and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer in the esteemed group.
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.
WATCH PARTY
Miller's Ale House in Gulf Coast Town Center will serve as the official watch party destination for all remaining women's and men'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.
Dirty Birds will get 20 percent off their order by showing the Wings Up App promo photo. 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.
