FORT MYERS, Fla. - The FGCU women's basketball (1-1) fell victim to a cold-shooting first half and an experienced opponent in a 74-49 loss to No. 24 Missouri State (1-0) on the first day of the Gulf Coast Showcase's Beach Bubble Friday inside Alico Arena. It was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
 
The Eagles shot just 2-for-17 from the field in the first 10 minutes and finished the half 1-for-23 from long distance as Missouri State opened up a 49-18 lead, which included a 27-6 opening quarter. For the Eagles, Tishara Morehouse (8), Maddie Antenucci (6) and Aaliyah Stanley (4) combined for all of the team's first-half points. Aside from them, the rest of the squad shot 0-for-19 from the field, including 0-for-16 from 3-point range.
 
"We didn't play well," FGCU head coach Karl Smesko said. "We have a lot of room for improvement. We just need a positive mindset and a desire to get better."
 
The Green and Blue will be back in action on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against No. 14 Arkansas, who improved to 2-0 on the season with 98-82 win over Wake Forest.
 
FGCU found some things that worked in the third quarter as the Eagles outscored the visitors 24-13 behind seven points from Tomia Johnson, six from Andrea Cecil and five from Emma List. Five different players scored in the frame, and they were all different than the three who scored in the first half. As a team, the Green and Blue shot 7-for-15 from the field in the quarter alone, including 4-for-10 from 3-point range, while making six of seven foul shot attempts to trim the deficit to 20.
 
The Eagles continued the rally over the first two minutes of the fourth behind a mid-range jumper from Morehouse (Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King HS/Western Nebraska CC) and a 3-pointer from Seneca Hackley that pulled the team within 17 with 8:15 remaining. However, they went 0-for-8 with four turnovers over the next five minutes before List (Colorado Springs, Colo./Discovery Canyon Campus/Albany) ended the scoreless stretch with a pair of free throws with 3:19 left.
 
Morehouse, who was making her debut in the Green and Blue along with Stanley (Boynton Beach, Fla./Oxbridge Academy/Eastern Michigan), led the team with 10 points, four rebounds and a pair of steals. The Colorado trio of List, Hackley (Colorado Springs, Colo./Saint Mary's HS) and Johnson (Aurora, Colo./Grandview HS) each added seven apiece, while List chipped in a team-high three steals.
 
Cecil (Oak Harbor, Ohio/Oak Harbor HS/BGSU) contributed a team-high seven rebounds along with six points and two assists as she pushed her career scoring total to 910, while Antenucci (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill HS) registered a team-high three assists with her six points. 
 
Gulf Coast Showcase Beach Bubble Schedule/Results
 
Friday, Nov. 27
No. 14 Arkansas d. Wake Forest 98-82
No. 11 Maryland d. Davidson 94-72
No. 24 Missouri State d. FGCU 74-49
 
Saturday, Nov. 28
Wake Forest vs Davidson, 11:30 a.m.
FGCU vs No. 14 Arkansas, 2:30 p.m.
No. 11 Maryland vs No. 24 Missouri State, 5:30 p.m.
 
Sunday, Nov. 29
Davidson vs FGCU, 11:30 a.m.
No. 24 Missouri State vs Wake Forest, 2:30 p.m.
No. 14 Arkansas vs No. 11 Maryland, 5:30 p.m.
 
NOTES
Tickets are not available to the Beach Bubble as the event is closed to the public, but fans can watch via FloHoops at the link here. There is a cost to view.
 
For complete coverage of the women's basketball program, follow the Eagles on Twitter and Instagram at @FGCU_WBB, on Facebook at /fgcuwbb and online at www.FGCUathletics.com. You can also sign-up to have news on FGCU women's basketball or 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!
 
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 maintains a record of 555-123 (.819) overall in his career (third highest winning percentage among active Division I coaches behind only UConn's Geno Auriemma and Baylor's Kim Mulkey), including a 201-17 (.922) mark in ASUN regular season play and a 24-2 (.923) record in ASUN tournament play. Over the past nine seasons, including this year, he has guided FGCU to a 137-5 (.975) record in conference play with five undefeated seasons. The 10-time ASUN Coach of the Year has guided the Green and Blue to four 30-plus win seasons over the past six years while compiling a 179-31 (.852) record. He has also guided the program to 16 consecutive 20-win seasons and 10-straight 25-win seasons.
 
#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 in their sport. 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--