NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A total of 23 points for the Bison off 19 Eagles turnovers proved the difference maker on Saturday evening as Lipscomb (12-14, 7-6 ASUN) defeated the FGCU men's basketball team (8-20, 5-8 ASUN) 64-54 at Allen Arena.
"The turnovers tonight and the points Lipscomb scored off them were the name of the game," said head coach
Michael Fly. "We actually defended pretty well holding them to 38-percent from the floor and, overall, I thought we shot pretty well. But you can't turn the ball over like we did and have them lead to points on the other end. We've got a week to regroup and to get ready for NJIT."
Sophomore
Zach Scott (Miami, Fla.) led FGCU with 12 points, highlighted by four three pointers, while adding five rebounds. Junior
Jalen Warren (Milton, Ontario) added 10 points, while freshman
Cyrus Largie (Miramar, Fla.) had career-highs in both points (9) and rebounds (8). Freshman
Dakota Rivers (Windermere, Fla.) also had nine points after hitting three second-half three points.
Lipscomb was led by Greg Jones who scored a game-high 24 points, while Ahsan Asadullah notched a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Miles Miller rounded out the top scorers with 11 points.
FGCU did secure a spot in the upcoming ASUN Tournament field with a Kennesaw State loss earlier in the day. The Eagles now sit tied with North Alabama for sixth in the ASUN standings while Lipscomb moved into fourth with the win.
Overall, the Bison held a plus-13 advantage in points off turnovers (23-to-10). Both teams hit 20 field goals in the game, but the free throw line also tilted in Lipscomb's favor. The Bison hit 17-of-21 from the charity stripe compared to 5-of-7 for FGCU.
The Eagles jumped out to an early 8-2 lead to start the game, but Lipscomb took advantage of FGCU turnovers to score 13 straight points. Eight of those came off turnovers putting the Bison up 15-8 at the 12 minute mark. A pair of three pointers from junior
Sam Gagliardi (Gig Harbor, Wash.) and Scott pulled the Eagles within one, 15-14, three minutes later.
Lipscomb was able to stretch the lead back to seven twice after that but a jumper from
Malik Hardy with 3:33 to go cut the deficit to 26-21. That proved the last field goal of the half for the Eagles. The Bison were held scoreless from the field, but did convert six free throw attempts over that stretch taking a 32-21 lead into the intermission.
In the second half, FGCU was able to trim the deficit to eight on a Scott three pointer in the first 90 seconds of play, but Lipscomb pushed the lead to 20 over the next seven minutes. The Eagles shaved seven points off the Bison lead to trail 50-37 at the 8:53 mark, but could not get any closer until a Largie lay-up with one second to go gave 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
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2019-20 ASUN CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL STANDINGS
|
CONFERENCE |
|
OVERALL |
|
GP |
W-L |
PCT |
GF |
GA |
|
GP |
W-L |
PCT |
GF |
GA |
L10 |
STRK |
| NORTH FLORIDA * |
13 |
11-2 |
0.846 |
1007 |
875 |
|
28 |
18-10 |
0.643 |
2177 |
2027 |
8-2 |
Won 6 |
| LIBERTY * |
12 |
10-2 |
0.833 |
710 |
561 |
|
27 |
24-3 |
0.889 |
1770 |
1358 |
8-2 |
Won 5 |
| STETSON * |
12 |
9-3 |
0.750 |
732 |
700 |
|
27 |
15-12 |
0.556 |
1717 |
1736 |
8-2 |
Won 4 |
| LIPSCOMB * |
13 |
7-6 |
0.538 |
907 |
899 |
|
26 |
12-14 |
0.462 |
1838 |
1834 |
5-5 |
Won 4 |
| JACKSONVILLE * |
12 |
5-7 |
0.417 |
800 |
808 |
|
27 |
12-15 |
0.444 |
1795 |
1794 |
4-6 |
Lost 1 |
| NORTH ALABAMA * |
13 |
5-8 |
0.385 |
877 |
908 |
|
26 |
10-16 |
0.385 |
1775 |
1826 |
4-6 |
Lost 5 |
| FGCU * |
13 |
5-8 |
0.385 |
801 |
826 |
|
28 |
8-20 |
0.286 |
1715 |
1870 |
4-6 |
Lost 1 |
| NJIT |
12 |
4-8 |
0.333 |
695 |
725 |
|
25 |
7-18 |
0.280 |
1548 |
1662 |
4-6 |
Lost 5 |
| KENNESAW STATE |
12 |
0-12 |
0.000 |
661 |
888 |
|
25 |
1-24 |
0.040 |
1394 |
1895 |
0-10 |
Lost 16 |
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.
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 162-106 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 12-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just eight-plus 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 women's basketball (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 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty-one consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall semester 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--
