FORT MYERS, Fla. - Behind double-figure scoring efforts from junior Caleb Catto (Cape Coral, Fla./Southwest Florida Christian Academy) and sophomore Dakota Rivers (Windermere, Fla./Windermere HS), the FGCU men's basketball team picked up a 65-56 win over Florida A&M on Wednesday night in the season-opener for both teams. Catto led the Eagles with 13 points, while Rivers added 11 points and four rebounds.

FGCU (1-0) will next play on Dec. 5 against Florida National at Alico Arena with the ability to add games due to scheduling conflicts in college basketball. Any game additions will be announced on www.FGCUAthletics.com and through the Eagles' social media accounts.

"I told our team after the game that a win is a win and that's always a good thing. I think we struggled some with turnovers, but in reality, you'll see that across the country," said head coach Michael Fly. "We shot the ball well from the field and took a number of charges as well. I think our pressure bothered them some throughout the game. Overall, a number of positive takeaways, but certainly a number of things that we'll work to clean up now that we've got a live game under our belt."

In addition to his 13 points, Catto added four rebounds, four steals and two assists, while going 6-of-12 from the floor. Rivers was an efficient 5-of-6 from the floor in just 15 minutes of play and added two blocked shots. Overall, nine of FGCU's 12 players who played in the game scored points with the Eagles shooting 56.9 percent (29-of-51).

FAMU (0-1) was led by Kamron Reaves who had a game-high 15 points and Johnny Brown who notched 13 points with a game-high eight rebounds. The Rattlers were able to convert 23 FGCU miscues into 16 points which kept FAMU in the game early.

The first half was fairly close until FGCU was able to build out a 32-24 lead following a three-pointer from senior Jalen Warren (Milton, Ontario/Eastern Florida State). FAMU hit a jumper followed by a lay-up in the final minute of the opening stanza to trail just 32-28 at the half.

The Eagles came out of the intermission with a 9-to-2 run over the opening five minutes to go up 41-30 at the 15:26 mark. FGCU held a double figure lead for much of the second half, but really pulled away with eight unanswered points punctuated by back-to-back buckets from graduate student Eli Abaev (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Austin Peay) giving the Green and Blue a 63-46 lead with 3:28 to go.

The Rattlers scored 10 of the final 12 points to give the final score.

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.

SUSTAINING FLIGHT 
To help offset the financial impact of COVID-19, FGCU Athletics has launched the Sustaining Flight Fundraiser and Auction. The fundraising campaign will help mitigate operational revenue loss and the additional expenses incurred as a result of COVID-19 protocols. All funds raised during the campaign will go to support areas that directly impact student-athletes.
 
In lieu of hosting the annual Night at the Nest gala this year, one of FGCU's most successful fundraising events, the department will be hosting a virtual, online auction from Monday, Nov. 30 through Friday, Dec. 4. Fans and supporters will be able to bid on exclusive memorabilia, trip packages, unique event experiences and more. For more information, visit www.fgcuathletics.com/sustainingflight. 
 
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 164-108 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 82 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 38 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (No. 24, 2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three 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 (APR) in their sport and have had the highest percentage of teams so honored from these two groups over each of the past three years. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.46 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 22 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. 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--