FGCU Men's Basketball Game Notes & Information
Game 17	Lipscomb (6-8, 1-0 ASUN) at FGCU (3-13, 0-1 ASUN)
Date // Time	Sat., Jan. 4 // 7 PM
Location	Fort Myers, Fla. // Alico Arena
Live Statistics	Statbroadcast
Television	N/A
Watch Online	ESPN+
Radio	94.1 FM WFSX, 1240 AM, 103.3 FM, 105.9 FM // FoxSportsFM.com // TuneIn App
Game Notes	FGCU | ASUN | Lipscomb
Twitter	@FGCUEagles // @FGCU_MBB
Instagram	FGCU Men's Basketball
Facebook	FGCU Men's Basketball
Directions // Tickets	Directions to Alico Arena // Tickets

 

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2019-20 NCAA Men's Basketball Weekly Whistle #7

• J.D. Collins, NCAA national coordinator of men's basketball officials, clarifies and provides examples of rules points of emphasis for the 2019-20 men's basketball season. This episode focuses on Monitor Review Plays.

  

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – After a tough loss to defending ASUN champion Liberty on Thursday night in the league opener, the FGCU men's basketball team returns to its home court to host Lipscomb on Saturday night (7 PM, ESPN+). The game will be the night cap of a double header as the No. 25 FGCU women's basketball team will open its ASUN schedule against Lipscomb with a 4 PM tip (ESPN+).

Despite the Eagles shooting 11-of-17 in the second stanza, the Flames ultimately claimed a 59-46 victory in the game that was nationally televised on ESPNU. Junior Sam Gagliardi (Gig Harbor, Wash.) led the offensive effort, contributing 14 points that were bolstered by 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. He also tallied a team-high three steals. Junior Jalen Warren (Milton, Ontario) was the only other player to finish with double-digit points, as he totaled 12. Through his 35 minutes of play, he dished out a career-high seven assists. 

Sophomore Zach Scott (Miami, Fla.) continues to lead the Eagles in scoring with 11.3 points per night followed by fellow sophomore Caleb Catto (Cape Coral, Fla.) who's averaging 10.0 points per game. Along with Warren's 9.2 points per outing, the trio's 488 combined points accounts for half of the team's 960 total points.

Warren's 55 assists on the season are the second-most of any other player in the ASUN. UNF's Ivan Gandia-Rosa paces the league with 97.

Scott's name also pops up in the conference rankings, as he has tallied the second-most steals (26). He is just two away from taking over the lead. 

As a team, the Eagles lead the league with an average of 4.3 blocks per game. Both Dakota Rivers and Justus Rainwater have spearheaded that effort, combining for a total of 43 blocks, the most of any duo in the conference. Individually, they rank fourth and fifth, respectively. 

Lipscomb opened its ASUN schedule with a 66-63 win over Stetson for its first ASUN opening win since Dec. 30, 2013. KJ Johnson earned his second ASUN Newcomer of the Week award last Monday after leading the Bisons with 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in the loss at No. 8 Auburn. Johnson not only leads Lipscomb in scoring at 14.9 PPG, but that mark also leads all ASUN freshmen this season and ranks third in the conference overall. Sophomore Ahsan Asadullah is one-of-two players ranked in the top five of the ASUN in scoring and rebounding with 14.1 PPG and 8.9 RPG. The Bisons have leaned on seniors Michael Buckland (9.2 PPG) and Andrew Fleming (9.6 PPG) to round out their top scorers. Both are averaging career highs and are two of only three Bisons who have started in double-digit games.

Lipscomb is 3-6 on the road this season where it's averaging 64.8 points on 41.8 percent shooting.

Following Saturday's game against the Bisons, the Eagles will leave the Nest for a two-game road swing that will feature conference matchups against North Florida (Jan. 9) and Stetson (Jan. 11). The game against the Ospreys will tip at 7 p.m., while the competition against the Hatters is slated for a 4 p.m. start. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+.

Series History vs. Lipscomb
• Saturday's game will be the 25th meeting in the history between the two programs, in which the Bisons hold a 14-10 advantage. 
• During last season's meetings, the Eagles earned a split record against Lipscomb. After falling 89-81 in Nashville (Jan. 24), FGCU claimed a 67-61 victory (Feb. 20) at the Nest. 
• At home, the Eagles are 6-7 against the Bisons. 

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. 

BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION
FGCU basketball tickets for the 2019-20 season are on sale now including single-game tickets and the popular mini-plan options. For more information, contact 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. 
 
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 158-100 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.
 
--FGCUATHLETICS.COM--