DUNK CITY, Fla. – The top-seeded FGCU men's basketball team (23-11) dug itself a 32-point deficit and nearly came all the way back against hot-shooting and 2nd-seeded Lipscomb (23-9) in the ASUN Championship Final on Sunday, but the Eagles fell short, 108-96.
 
By virtue of its ASUN regular-season title (12-2 record), FGCU will play in the NIT. The Eagles will learn their first-round opponent and likely destination following the early-evening NCAA Tournament selection show next Sunday, Mar. 11.
 
Zach Johnson (Miami, Fla./Norland HS) set the single-game Division-I program record with 37 points – tied for the most all-time – on the strength of a D-I program record nine 3-pointers. Brandon Goodwin (Norcross, Ga./UCF/Norcross HS) was right behind the junior with a career-high 34 points – which was tied for the most in D-I program history entering the game.
 
Lipscomb shot a blistering 65 percent (32-49) from the floor for the game, but it was a poor opening 20 minutes which ultimately cost the Eagles. The Bisons led by as much as 32 in the 1st half and took an incredible 60-31 lead into the half after shooting 67 percent from the floor (20-30).
 
FGCU flipped the script in the 2nd half, out-scoring the Nashville school, 65-48. Trailing by 32, 69-37, with just over 16 minutes remaining, the Eagles mounted a furious comeback and whittled that deficit down to single digits in only seven minutes, 81-73. FGCU trimmed it even further – to just five, 87-82 – and had a six-point differential, 99-93, with two minutes left but couldn't get any closer.
 
"Give credit to Lipscomb; they started hot and really got going offensively and we had no answer," commented FGCU head coach Joe Dooley. "We were able to turn them over and mount a comeback in the 2nd half. I'm proud of the guys for the fight they displayed, but we just dug ourselves too big of a hole."
 
FGCU was able to mount that comeback thanks to full-court pressure, which – in part – was responsible for 13 2nd-half Bisons' turnovers and 21 Green and Blue points. The Eagles nearly made as many shots (17) as Lipscomb attempted (19) in the 2nd half, but the Bisons once again connected at a prolific clip from the floor, going 63 percent (12-19) while FGCU went 17-42 (40 percent).
 
The Eagles tied a program record (most in D-I history; since 2007-08) with 16 made 3-pointers, but attempted a program-record-tying 40 to get there (40 percent) as the usually-stout FGCU interior was outscored in the paint, 38-26, for just the fifth time this year. The Eagles came into the game averaging 41.2 points in the paint; they led the nation in that category last year at 41.3.
 
Lipscomb's Garrison Mathews set the tone for the Bisons from the outset, blitzing FGCU with 26 points on five 3-pointers in the 1st half before finishing with 33 points to go along with a game-high nine rebounds. Kenny Cooper tallied 17 points and nine assists – all in the 1st half – while Matt Rose (14), Rob Marberry (14) and Eli Pepper (13) rounded out the quintet of double-figure scorers for Lipscomb.
 
Antravious Simmons (Miami, Fla./VCU/South Miami HS) finished as FGCU's only other double-figure scorer with 11 points and a team-best eight rebounds. The Eagles finished with a 36-34 edge on the boards, but had an 18-5 advantage on the offensive end, leading to a 30-9 cushion in second-chance points.
 
The performance by Johnson set the ASUN Championship Final scoring record, while the 16 3-pointers for the Eagles also established a conference final-game mark.
 
FGCU was looking to join former league member Belmont as the only schools in the history of the ASUN Conference (since 1978-79) to win three-consecutive ASUN Tournament titles (Belmont: 2006-08). Additionally, FGCU was looking to match Belmont as the only school in the history of the league to win four titles in a six-year span (Belmont: 2006-11).
 
All-Tournament Team
Garrison Mathews, Lipscomb (MVP)
Kenny Cooper, Lipscomb
Rob Marberry, Lipscomb
Brandon Goodwin, FGCU
Zach Johnson, FGCU
Cody Helgeland, Jacksonville
Garrett Sams, UNF
 
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 10 all-conference selections in that time. He has led FGCU to 20 win seasons and postseason appearances in all five years: 2014 NIT; 2015 CIT; 2016 NCAA; 2017 NCAA; 2018 NCAA/NIT. Dooley was named the 2017 and 2018 ASUN Coach of the Year, in addition to 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 171-109 (.611), and in his 4+ years with FGCU is 114-57 (.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.