FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU men's basketball team (11-16, 6-6 ASUN) collected a thrilling 57-55 home win over NJIT (18-8, 6-5 ASUN) Wednesday night in Alico Arena.
 
The Eagles held the Highlanders scoreless across the final three minutes and were able to find the last four points of the contest to up their home winning streak to five games. The team moved one-half game ahead of idle North Alabama for solo fourth place in the current ASUN Conference standings. The Green and Blue also sit just a half-game behind NJIT for third.
 
"I'm really proud of our entire program tonight. (NJIT is) as good a team as there is in this league right now. When they're playing well, they're as good as Lipscomb, Liberty or anybody else we've played this season," FGCU coach Michael Fly said. "Credit our players for continuing to fight after they came at us at the end. These are the games that we weren't finishing three and four weeks ago. We had seniors stepping up tonight. Christian Carlyle goes and gets that big rebound (on the final possession of the game). I'm proud to see our older guys really doing what they're capable of on the floor."
 
Senior Schadrac Casimir paced the Eagles in scoring with 15 points, while classmate Dinero Mercurius added 13 of his own. Mercurius earned his first starting assignment since Dec. 2 and responded by posting double figures for the fifth time in his last six outings. He also hauled in six rebounds, which was the most since Nov. 28 and his second-highest total of the year.
 
FGCU shot 40.9 percent (18-for-44) from the field, 35.0 percent (7-for-20) from deep range and 53.8 percent (14-for-26) at the free-throw line. NJIT ended the night at 37.0 percent (20-for-54) overall, 23.1 percent (6-for-26) from behind the 3-point arc and 64.3 percent (9-for-14) at the line.
 
The Eagles earned a modicum of revenge after the Highlanders nipped FGCU 66-54 on Jan. 30 in Newark, New Jersey. Abdul Lewis led the visitors with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Shyquan Gibbs contributed 13 points.
 
Zach Cooks and San Antonio Brinson gave the Eagles fits when the two sides met earlier this year. Cooks poured in 17, while Brinson finished with 13 points. In Wednesday's contest, however, Cooks had just nine and Brinson was held to a paltry two. This marked just the third time all season Cooks failed to score in double figures.  
 
FGCU raced out to an early 11-3 lead thanks to buckets from Casimir, Mercurius and true freshman Zach Scott. That lead quickly evaporated, however, as a 12-2 run gave the visitors a 15-13 advantage. The Eagles regained their footing and powered ahead 26-18 with 6:50 to play in the opening half, and they were able to carry that eight-point cushion all the way into the locker room at 33-25.
 
The home team fought to maintain that lead and even snuck ahead 44-36 five minutes into the second half, but the powerful Highlanders began to knock down shots and used a 7-0 run to get within one. Cooks made a jumper at the 7:33 mark to put NJIT on top 49-48, and neither team led by more than two points the rest of the way.
 
The Highlanders connected on a 3-point bucket with 2:53 to play to move on top 55-53, and that would prove to be their final points of the evening. They missed all four of their shots down the stretch, which included the front end of a 1-and-1 situation at the free-throw line. The winning points all came from Mercurius. He tied the game and drew a foul with a layup at the 2:31 mark, and his and-1 free throw put FGCU on top for good. He later added an exclamation point with a free throw with 17 seconds remaining, and the final three rebounds were all corralled by the home team.
 
FGCU led the night in rebounding (33-29), blocks (6-2), and bench points (12-8).
 
UP NEXT
FGCU heads to Deland, Florida, for a Saturday clash with Stetson. The Eagles and Hatters will meet at 4 p.m. Feb. 16 in J. Ollie Edmunds Center. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. FGCU triumphed over Stetson (5-21, 1-10 ASUN) 87-65 when the two sides clashed in Fort Myers on Jan. 21.
 
SOCIAL CENTRAL
For up-to-the-minute information and behind-the-scenes access to the men's basketball program, follow @FGCU_MBB on Twitter and Instagram. Like us on Facebook at /FGCUMBB and watch us on Snapchat at FGCU_MBB.
 
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 FLY
Michael Fly was introduced as the fourth FGCU men's basketball head coach on April 5, 2018. He had spent the previous seven years as an assistant coach on the Eagles' staff. In that time, he helped FGCU to a 155-86 record (.643 winning percentage), including six ASUN Tournament Final appearances, three NCAA Tournament victories, three ASUN Tournament titles and three ASUN Regular Season Championships, two berths in the NIT, a CIT appearance and a run to the Sweet Sixteen. He has coached a dozen all-conference selections while with the Green and Blue, including two ASUN Player of the Year honors in Sherwood Brown and Brandon Goodwin, and two ASUN Defensive Player of the Year selections in Bernard Thompson and Demetris Morant. Of the top-10 players in career points at FGCU, Fly has helped develop eight of them, including all-time leading scorer Thompson (1,835). Additionally, the Kentucky alumnus has coached both the ASUN all-time assists leader Brett Comer (845; 24th in NCAA history) and FGCU all-time leading rebounder Chase Fieler (714).
 
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.
 
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 73 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 34 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 6th-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the Spring, 2018 and had an ASUN Conference and State of Florida best five teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport.  The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours – being recognized as one of two runner-ups for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
 
-- FGCUATHLETICS.COM --