FLORENCE, Ala. - The FGCU women's basketball team (10-4, 1-0 ASUN) will begin a three-game road stretch with a 7 p.m. ET matchup against North Alabama (10-1, 1-0) on Tuesday. It represents the first Division-I era meeting between the two programs.

Matchup: FGCU (10-4, 1-0 ASUN) vs North Alabama (10-1, 1-0 ASUN)
When: Tuesday Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. ET
Rankings: FGCU is No. 8 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll
Where: Flowers Hall | Florence, Ala.
Watch (ESPN+): here (PxP - Benjamin Ray)
Game Notes: FGCU (Interactive | Printable)
Live Stats: here 
Series: FGCU leads 3-0, first meeting since 2006
Coaches: Karl Smesko (17th season at FGCU - 445-91; 20th season overall - 506-118 | Missy Tiber (6th season at North Alabama - 88-63; 17th season overall - 289-233 overall)
 
North Alabama Notables
- This is North Alabama's first year as a Division-I program. They finished 24-5 overall last year, including 17-3 in the Gulf South Conference. They advanced to the NCAA Division-II South Regional Tournament before dropping a heartbreaker, 66-64, to Lee University.
- The Lions are led by Brittany Panetti, who leads the ASUN in scoring and is the reigning conference player of the week. She is shooting .704 from the field.

North Alabama Leaders
PPG: Brittany Panetti (17.0), Emma Wallen (14.3), Ivy Wallen (12.1), Kenysha Coulson (10.5)
RPG: Kenysha Coulson (6.5), Ivy Wallen (5.9), Brittany Panetti (5.8)
APG: Ivy Wallen (8.9)
SPG: Ivy Wallen (2.2), Ansley Eubank (1.5), Savannah Stults (1.4), Emma Wallen (1.3)
BPG: Brittany Panetti (2.1)

Series History
FGCU is 3-0 all-time against North Alabama, but this will be the first meeting since the Eagles defeated the Lions on 83-57 on the road Feb. 1, 2006. The Green and Blue are 2-0 in Flowers Hall, including a 66-52 win on Jan. 31, 2005. Candy Myers made 7-for-9 from 3-point range in that matchup 13 years ago, while the team swiped 19 steals, which is still tied for 15th most in a game in program history.

ASUN Dominance
FGCU has won back-to-back ASUN regular season and tournament championships. Since joining the conference in 2007-08, the Eagles have captured eight regular season titles. They've also won five of seven tournament championships since becoming postseason eligible in 2011-12. Furthermore, the Green and Blue own a dominant 91-2 record all-time at home against ASUN opponents. Overall, FGCU is 171-16 (.914) all-time against conference teams in the regular season.

Among The Nation's Best
FGCU will enter Tuesday ranked among the top 50 teams in the nation in eight categories:

Assist/turnover ratio - 31st, 1.16
Field goal percentage - 48th, 44.1
Scoring offense - 30th, 78.6
Turnover margin - 33rd, 4.64
Fewest turnovers per game - 30th, 13.7

3-point field goals attempted
1. DePaul - 547
2. FGCU - 502
3. Western Illinois - 485
4. Syracuse - 446
5. Oral Roberts - 429

3-point field goals made per game
1. DePaul - 12.3
2. FGCU - 11.9
3. Saint Francis (Pa.) - 11.2
4. Oregon State - 10.9
5. Bowling Green - 10.8

3-point field goals made
1. DePaul - 184
2. Denver - 176
3. FGCU - 167
4. Creighton - 160
5. Oregon State - 153
 
600 Club
Tytionia Adderly (Jupiter, Fla./Cardinal Newman HS) became just the sixth player in program history to achieve 600 career rebounds in the team's win over Houston. The junior forward now has 668 and has jumped Adrianne McNally (658, 2006-10) for the third most in program history. She now trails only Sarah Hansen (887) and Whitney Knight (735).

Mid-Major Power
Over the past four seasons, FGCU has recorded 121 wins, which is the most among all mid-majors and seventh-most among any Division-I program, trailing only UConn (148), Notre Dame (137), Baylor (135), South Carolina (129), Mississippi State (126) and Maryland (123). On top of that, the program is one of only six in Division-I with three 30-win seasons during that stretch – joining UConn, Baylor, Notre Dame, Maryland and South Carolina.
 
Leading the 3-Point Revolution
At FGCU, head coach Karl Smesko has turned FGCU into one of the premier 3-point shooting teams in the nation. In 16 + seasons, his teams have shot a combined 5,023-for-14,496 (.347) from long range, or 9.37 per game. In fact, the team has made at least one 3-point field goal in 423 straight games and went without at least one make in only one game in program history – Feb. 21, 2006 vs Lynn University (0-for-11).

In 2017-18, the Green and Blue made an NCAA Division-I single season record 431 3-pointers on 1,190 attempts, equating out to a .362 percentage. In doing so, the team made and attempted over twice as many as they did in the program's initial season in 2002-03 (212-for-535). Since that first year, FGCU has made at least 300 in a season 10 times, including each of the past nine seasons.

2002-03 --- 212-for-535 (.396)
2003-04 --- 118-for-406 (.291)
2004-05 --- 253-for-722 (.350)
2005-06 --- 242-for-747 (.324)
2006-07 --- 337-for-891 (.378)
2007-08 --- 255-for-734 (.347)
2008-09 --- 296-for-763 (.388)
2009-10 --- 317-for-876 (.362)
2010-11 --- 350-for-940 (.372)
2011-12 --- 342-for-925 (.370)
2012-13 --- 319-for-974 (.328)
2013-14 --- 347-for-1,000 (.347)
2014-15 --- 327-for-928 (.352)
2015-16 --- 372-for-1,194 (.312)
2016-17 --- 338-for-1,058 (.319)
2017-18 --- 431-for-1,190 (.362)
2018-19 --- 167-for-502 (.333)
TOTALS: 5,023-for-14,496 (.347)

Including nine of 14 games this season, FGCU has made at least 10 or more 3-point field goals in a single game 246 times, including a single-season record 25 times in 2017-18. They have at least 15 games with at least 10 or more in each of the past 10 seasons.

RPI Tracker
The Green and Blue enter Saturday ranked 132nd in the latest RPI poll, while North Alabama checks in at 152, which is second-best. Here's how the rest of the conference stacks up:

Jacksonville - 209
Stetson - 229
Liberty - 265
Kennesaw State - 281
North Florida - 287
Lipscomb - 314
NJIT - 328

Next Up
FGCU will finish a three-game road trip against North Florida (Jan. 12) and Kennesaw State (Jan. 19). They return home Tuesday Jan. 22 for a 7 p.m. matchup against Lipscomb.

FGCU Career Record Book

Rebounds 
1. 887 - Sarah HANSEN (329o-558d) - 2010-14
2. 735 - Whitney KNIGHT (114o-621d) - 2011-12,13-16
3. 668 - Tytionia ADDERLY (276o-392d) - 2016-present 
4. 658 - Adrianne MCNALLY (240o-418d) - 2006-10
5. 640 - Robyn SWAIN (236o-404d) - 2002-04
6. 603 - Courtney CHIHIL (183o-420d) - 2008-12
7. 508 - Kaneisha ATWATER (187o-321d) - 2013-16
8. 498 - Taylor GRADINJAN (117o-381d) - 2012-13,14-18
9. 422 - Katie MEADOR (193o-229d) - 2012-16
10. 408 - Kate SCHRADER (194o-214d) - 2005-07
 
Rebounding average (min. 40 games) 
1. 11.2 - Robyn SWAIN (57 games) - 2002-04
2. 8.2 - Tytionia ADDERLY (81 games) - 2016-present 
3. 6.7 - Sarah HANSEN (132 games) - 2010-14
4. 6.3 - Kate SCHRADER (65 games) - 2005-07
5. 5.8 - Andrea CLARKE (55 games) - 2003-05
6. 5.7 - Whitney KNIGHT (130 games) - 2011-12,13-16
7. 5.6 - Delia DE LA TORRE (61 games) - 2006-08
8. 5.5 - Noreen MCCALLUM (57 games) - 2002-04
9. 5.4 - Chelsea LYLES (62 games) - 2008-10
10. 5.1 - Adrianne MCNALLY (128 games) - 2006-10
 
Defensive rebounds 
1. 621 - Whitney KNIGHT (114o-621d) - 2011-12,13-16
2. 558 - Sarah HANSEN (329o-558d) - 2010-14
3. 420 - Courtney CHIHIL (183o-420d) - 2008-12
4. 418 - Adrianne MCNALLY (240o-418d) - 2006-10
5. 404 - Robyn SWAIN (236o-404d) - 2002-04
6. 392 - Tytionia ADDERLY (276o-392d) - 2016-present 
7. 381 - Taylor GRADINJAN (117o-381d) - 2012-13,14-18
8. 324 - DyTiesha DUNSON (61o-324d) - 2012-16
9. 321 - Kaneisha ATWATER (187o-321d) - 2013-16
10. 269 - Stephanie HAAS (96o-269d) - 2012-16
 
Offensive rebounds 
1. 329 - Sarah HANSEN (329o-558d) - 2010-14
2. 276 - Tytionia ADDERLY (276o-392d) - 2016-present 
3. 240 - Adrianne MCNALLY (240o-418d) - 2006-10
4. 236 - Robyn SWAIN (236o-404d) - 2002-04
5. 194 - Kate SCHRADER (194o-214d) - 2005-07
6. 193 - Katie MEADOR (193o-229d) - 2012-16
7. 187 - Kaneisha ATWATER (187o-321d) - 2013-16
8. 183 - Courtney CHIHIL (183o-420d) - 2008-12
9. 127 - Noreen MCCALLUM (127o-189d) - 2002-04
10. 122 - Andrea CLARKE (122o-196d) - 2003-05
 
Assists average (min. 40 games) 
1. 4.7 - Chelsea DERMYER (65 games) - 2006-08
2. 4.5 - Brittany KENNEDY (58 games) - 2011-13
3. 3.9 - Megan JONES (86 games) - 2002-05
4. 3.9 - Ebonie HALLIBURTON (60 games) - 2004-06
5. 3.4 - DyTiesha DUNSON (132 games) - 2012-16
6. 3.4 - Shannon MURPHY (124 games) - 2007-11
7. 3.0 - Erica NELSON (66 games) - 2016-18
8. 2.9 - Lisa ZDERADICKA (49 games) - 2017-present
9. 2.8 - Courtney CHIHIL (120 games) - 2008-12
10. 2.6 - Adrianne MCNALLY (128 games) - 2006-10
 
WE'VE GOT YOUR SEAT
Experience FGCU basketball this season. The following ticket opportunities are on sale now:
Group Sales
Bring your group of 20 or more to an FGCU men's or women's basketball game. All group tickets include an FGCU hat ($15 value), a $5 game day discount at The Boardwalk restaurant, in-game group recognition and more. For more information on group outings, click HERE or call 239-590-7145.
Single Game Tickets
Single game tickets are available for all remaining home games. Discounts are available for current or former Military and Youth ages 3-15. Purchase online HERE or call 239-590-7145.

COACH SMESKO
FGCU head coach Karl Smesko led the 2017-18 Eagles to another historic season. The Green and Blue finished 31-5 overall and 13-1 in ASUN play, capturing the program's eighth ASUN regular season championship and fifth ASUN tournament championship. The team finished the season ranked 25th in the final USA Today Coaches Poll, recaptured the NCAA record for most 3-point field goals made in a season with 431 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in seven seasons, where the Eagles knocked off 5th-seeded and No. 15 ranked Missouri in the opening round. It was the team's second tournament win over the past three appearances. Over the course of the season, FGCU knocked off three ranked teams - No. 15 Missouri, No. 20 Kentucky and No. 21 DePaul.

Over the past four seasons, Smesko has guided FGCU to three 30 plus win seasons while recording a 121-23 (.840) record overall. The now eight-time ASUN Coach of the Year rallied the 2016-17 team to its seventh straight 25-win campaign, culminating in an ASUN tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance. In 2015-16, he was named the espnW mid-major coach of the year following a run that witnessed the Eagles claim a WNIT runner-up finish and a Division-I program best ever 33-6 record. In 2014-15, the team achieved its first-ever top-25 ranking and made another trip to the NCAA Tournament, where the Eagles earned a No. 7 seed and won the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament game, toppling No. 10 seed Oklahoma State.

Including the 2017-18 campaign, Smesko has guided the Eagles to 14-straight 20-win seasons and eight-straight 25-win seasons. He maintains a record of 506-118 (.811) overall in his career, including a 171-16 (.914) mark in ASUN play. Over the past seven + seasons, he has guided FGCU to a 107-4 (.964) 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. Entering 2016-17, he ranked 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. Over the past year, first-year NCAA Division-I head coaches Nancy Fahey (Illinois) and Bart Brooks (Belmont) pushed the list to six.

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.

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 contribute, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.
 
SUPPORT THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM
Do you enjoy watching or following the FGCU women's basketball program? Would you like to play a role in the growth of the program and help take it to heights never before experienced? If so, you can reach out to Director of Advancement, Matt Ring, about opportunities to make an impact on the experiences of our student-athletes. He can be reached by email at mring@fgcu.edu or by office phone at 239-745-4434.