FLORENCE, Ala. – Sophomore Caleb Catto (Cape Coral, Fla.) scored a career-high 23 points, but it was not enough as North Alabama used a late run to hold off the FGCU men's basketball team 70-65 on Saturday night at Flowers Hall. In a nail-biter that featured 11 lead changes and 12 ties, it was an 8-to-2 run for UNA that proved the final push down the stretch.
 
"I thought it was a really good college basketball game – back-and-forth the whole time with a great crowd. I thought both teams competed at a high level," said head coach Michael Fly. "We had a lead with just over three minutes to go and they had some guys make great plays, while we weren't able to make the plays we need to. Hats off to UNA and coach Pujol who I have a ton of respect for. I think there will be a lot we can learn from the tape where we'll say 'Hey, you put yourself in position to win'. Once we finish cleaning some of those up, then I think we'll be better able to win games like this."
 
Catto's 23 points led all scorers in the game as he hit 8-of-14 from the floor including 3-of-7 from deep. It marked the fifth consecutive game Catto has scored in double figures and increased his ASUN scoring average to 14.5 points per game. Senior Tracey Hector (Riverdale, Ga.) tallied 10 points and two assists, while junior Jalen Warren (Milton, Ontario) had nine points and three assists to lead FGCU (6-15, 3-3 ASUN).
 
North Alabama (8-11, 3-3 ASUN) had four players reached double figures led by 17 from Christian Agnew. Both C.J. Brim and Mervin James netted 13 points, while Jamari Blackmon rounded out the top scorers with 11 points.
 
FGCU carried a 27-26 lead into halftime and led by as many as five early in the second half. As the teams traded punches through the late stages of the game, the Eagles were able to extend to a three point lead, 60-57, after a Catto lay-up at the 3:33 mark.
 
The Lions's 8-to-2 run came just after that highlighted by a three-point play for Brim that put UNA up 65-61 with 1:16 remaining. After an Eagles missed shot and turnover, North Alabama hit 5-of-6 free throws in the last 36 seconds as the late rally by FGCU fell just short.
 
Overall, FGCU shot 47.3 percent for the game connecting on 26-of-55 field goals, while North Alabama was 21-of-40 (52.5 percent). The free throw line made the ultimate difference as UNA converted 21-of-25 compared to 6-of-11 for the Eagles.
 
FGCU will return to action next Saturday, Jan. 25 as NJIT visits Alico Arena for a 7 PM tip-off on ESPN+.
 
For complete coverage of FGCU men's basketball, follow the Eagles on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FGCU_MBB and online at www.FGCUAthletics.com. You can also sign-up to have news on FGCU men's basketball and other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.

BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION
FGCU basketball tickets for the 2019-20 season are on sale and can be purchased by contacting an FGCU Ticket Office representative by calling 239-590-7145, visiting Alico Arena Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or by visiting www.FGCUAthletics.com/Tickets. 

E.A.G.L.E. CAMPAIGN
IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!
 
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 his time with the Eagles, he helped FGCU to a 161-102 record (.618 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 16. He has coached 13 all-conference selections while with the Green and Blue, including two ASUN Player of the Year honors in Sherwood Brown and Brandon Goodwin, two ASUN Defensive Player of the Year selections in Bernard Thompson and Demetris Morant and one ASUN Newcomer of the Year in Schadrac Casimir. 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).
 
#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 80 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine 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 soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as two of the most recent. 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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