MIAMI - Kierstan Bell recorded yet another 20-10 double-double as the FGCU women's basketball team (7-2) defeated Florida International 80-66 on Monday afternoon at Ocean Bank Arena to produce the 500th all-time win in program history.
 
"We got off to a pretty good start, but we didn't close the half off really well," FGCU head coach Karl Smesko said. "I give FIU credit. They're well coached and provided good competition for us today. Fortunately, we started the second half with some energy and got some good, easy looks in transition to get a lead, and we were able to hold on down the stretch."
 
Bell (Alliance, Ohio/Canton McKinley HS/Ohio State) continued to dominate the competition, finishing with game-highs in points (21), rebounds (12), blocks (5) and steals (2), while also adding four assists. It was her fifth double-double in six games played this year, as well as her fifth 20-point outing. Tishara Morehouse dropped in 14 points, five rebounds and a game-high five assists, while Tyra Cox (12) and Aaliyah Stanley (11) also registered double-figures. Another key player was Seneca Hackley, who produced a new season-high as a freshman with nine points, while adding six rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench.
 
For the program, the win pushed FGCU's all-time record to 500-97 overall, which includes the program's pre-Division I era from 2002-07. The Eagles are on their way to becoming the NCAA Division I women's basketball all-time leader in winning percentage at the end of this year once they reach 10 years of full Division I membership.
 
Milestone Wins
100th win - Nov. 18, 2006 vs Puerto Rico Rio Piedras (106-36)
200th win - Feb. 11, 2010 vs Jacksonville (63-55)
300th win - Jan. 23, 2014 vs Jacksonville (56-49)
400th win - Feb. 18, 2017 vs USC Upstate (80-50)
500th win - Dec. 21, 2020 at FIU (80-66)

"With a whole new team, we're trying to work together and play more like a team, play more like FGCU basketball each game," Smesko said. "I think the players were excited about it being the 500th win and we had a nice celebration, but we'll go back, watch film, learn from the game and get ready for No. 501."
 
FIU, a vastly-improved team from a squad that gave up 100 points exactly to FGCU in back-to-back seasons the past two years, led the Eagles 19-14 entering the final minute of the opening quarter, but Morehouse (Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King HS/Western Nebraska CC) drained a 3-pointer, and Bell grabbed a defensive rebound and found Stanley (Boynton Beach, Fla./Oxbridge Academy/Eastern Michigan) on an outlet pass for a fast break layup in the final minute that helped pull FGCU within two.
 
The Green and Blue then got a 3-pointer from Bell to open the second quarter to spur a 12-1 run, capped by a pair of free throws from Stanley, that made it 31-22 with 6:18 left. From there, though, FGCU didn't make a field goal until 24 seconds remained in the half as FIU pulled within one at the break.
 
FGCU scored the first six points of the second half behind the offensive power of Bell and Morehouse to take a 40-33 lead. FIU's Emerald Ekpiteta pulled her team back within three on a layup with 6:26 left in the quarter, but the Eagles scored 13 of the next 15 points in the game to open up a 14-point lead with 1:46 left in the quarter.
 
From there, FIU was able to trim the deficit to as low as eight on two occasions in the final half of the fourth quarter, but a 5-0 run spurred by a bucket from Hackley (Colorado Springs, Colo./Saint Mary's HS) put the game away.
 
Andrea Cecil (Oak Harbor, Ohio/Oak Harbor HS/BGSU) pushed her NCAA career scoring total up to 960 as she had a key 3-pointer in the second half for the Eagles. Cox (Orlando, Fla./Lake Highland Prep/William & Mary) sat almost the entire first half after picking up three quick fouls but bounced back to record her third-consecutive double-digit scoring effort this year. In a snapshot of what this year's team has accomplished, Cox was the team's top returning scorer from last year's team at 2.3 per game, and she is now averaging 12 per game as the team enters conference play.
 
After six straight wins to enter the holiday break, FGCU is now 7-2. They'll open ASUN play on the road next weekend with back-to-back games at North Alabama on Jan. 2-3. The team will next prepare for that, but on Monday, it was all about reflecting on No. 500.
 
"To me, I just remember the people that have been involved," Smesko said when asked what he'll remember about the 500 wins. "That's what it's all about. The shared experiences you have with all the people that went through your program and all the coaches that you have been fortunate to work with. So, to me it's not about any one game or any number of wins, it's more about the relationships you develop with the people involved."
 
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.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 561-124 (.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--