MIAMI - The FGCU women's basketball team opened its season in record-breaking fashion by securing a 100-54 win over Florida International in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Tuesday.
"I thought we had great energy in the first half," FGCU women's basketball head coach
Karl Smesko said. "We forced turnovers and got out in transition. I thought it was a great first half, especially this early in the season. In the second half, I thought FIU showed some great intensity and made some good adjustments and played us really well. We'll learn from some of those mistakes and get better."
The Eagles not only used a 47-0 run in the first half to break the game open, but they outscored FIU 41-2 in a record-breaking second quarter. FGCU previously had not scored more than 37 points in any quarter since the NCAA switched to quarters, and the two points allowed is tied for the second-fewest they've allowed in any quarter.
Furthermore, the 41-point outburst is the highest-scoring second quarter in NCAA history since the switch to quarters (T-5th most in any quarter), and the 39-point margin in the frame is also a national record for a quarter. The 100-point outburst overall was also the 18th time FGCU has reached the century mark in program history, including the second consecutive such performance against FIU.
Nasrin Ulel (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta HS) led four players in double-figure scoring with 18. She finished 7-for-12 from the field, while
Keri Jewett-Giles (15 points, six assists),
Davion Wingate (14 points, 5-for-7 shooting) and
Alyssa Blair (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie HS) (13 points, 5-for-8 shooting) also played large roles offensively.
Eight others also scored, including several who were making their debut in the Green and Blue -
Anja Marinkovic (8),
Ashli O'Neal (6),
Erna Normil (6) and
Ashley Panem (3).
Tytionia Adderly was one of just two players who didn't score, but she tied
Kerstie Phills for the team-high in rebounds (8) and finished second in assists (5).
Adderly (Jupiter, Fla./Cardinal Newman HS) surpassed
Lisa Zderadicka (201, 2017-19) for 10th place on the program's Division I era assist leaders list, and she is now three steals shy of passing
Brittany Kennedy (148, 2011-13) for sixth-most steals. Finally, the senior started her 91st career game on Tuesday, surpassing
Adrianne McNally (90, 2007-10) for eighth-most in the Green and Blue.
FGCU extended its regular season winning streak that carried over from last year to 17, while improving to 13-5 in season openers and upping its all-time clean slate against FIU to 11-0.
The game itself was close early as the Eagles struggled from distance, opening 2-for-12 as a team and leading just 10-8 with 2:24 left in the first quarter, while
Wingate (Atlanta, Ga./Stephenson HS) had both of the makes.
Jewett-Giles (Fort Myers, Fla./Dunbar HS) got FGCU going, though, as she hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer with the shot clock expiring with 2:06 left to spur what resulted in a 47-0 run that eventually saw the Eagles lead 57-8 with 1:09 left in the half following a layup from
Phills (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Christian HS).
FGCU allowed just two made field goals in the first half. After their 2-for-12 start, they finished 10-for-15 before halftime while racking up 11 steals that helped lead to 39 points off turnovers in the first 20 minutes alone.
Overall, the Eagles finished 36-for-75 (.480) from the field, including a 19-for-49 (.388) performance from 3-point range.
FGCU will be back in action on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Webber International in what will be the team's home opener. Tickets are on sale now, but limited, and can be purchased by visiting the Alico Arena Box Office, going online to www.FGCUathletics.com or by calling 239-590-7145.
TICKET INFORMATION
Season and mini-plan packages for the 2019-20 FGCU women's basketball team are now on sale. More information can be accessed by visiting FGCUTickets.com. To purchase tickets, or for additional inquiries, call the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 Monday-Friday from 9 AM-5 PM.
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 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.
COACH SMESKO
FGCU head coach Karl Smesko led the 2018-19 Eagles to the program's fifth undefeated conference regular season since 2011-12, as well as the ninth consecutive season with at least 25 victories. The Green and Blue finished 28-5 overall and 16-0 in ASUN play, capturing the team's ninth ASUN regular season championship and sixth ASUN tournament championship. The team finished the season receiving votes in the final AP Poll and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in eight seasons before falling to host No. 19 Miami in the first round. It was the team's 12th-straight postseason appearance in 12 years of Division-I existence - the only program to ever do such.
Over the past five seasons, Smesko has guided FGCU to three 30-plus win seasons while recording a 149-28 (.841) record overall. That win total ranks eighth-best in the nation over that stretch - the most among all mid-majors and ahead of programs such as Oregon State and Stanford.
Including 2018-19, Smesko has also guided the Eagles to 15-straight 20-win seasons. He maintains a record of 525-119 (.815) overall in his career (third highest winning percentage among active D1 coaches behind only UConn's Geno Auriemma and Baylor's Kim Mulkey), including a 186-16 (.921) mark in ASUN play. Over the past eight seasons (including 2018-19), he has guided FGCU to a 124-4 (.969) record in conference play with five undefeated seasons. The now nine-time ASUN Coach of the Year earned his 400th career coaching win in 2014-15 in just 493 career games, two games faster than Auriemma.
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April 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.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 12 seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just eight seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including both men's and women's soccer again in 2018. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty consecutive semesters. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
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