FORT MYERS, Fla. – Despite several clutch shots in the final moments of the game, the FGCU men's basketball team (7-18, 4-6 ASUN) fell just short to visiting Stetson (13-12, 7-3 ASUN) on Thursday night at Alico Arena. The Eagles had a chance to tie the game with a three-pointer just before the buzzer, but the shot was just off the mark as time expired.

The Eagles trailed by just one with as little as 13 seconds left in the game, but the Hatters were ultimately able to put it away via a pair of free throws from freshman Rob Perry (24 points). Sophomore Caleb Catto (Cape Coral, Fla.) had the team's final look on its last possession, but his three-point attempt rolled off the rim. 

Sophomore Zach Scott (Miami, Fla.) paced the Eagles in both points (16) and rebounds (seven) and also added a pair of assists. He was joined in the double-digit scoring effort by both Catto (13) and junior Jalen Warren (Milton, Ontario) who finished with 14 points.

"We're obviously frustrated as I thought that was a game we should and need to win at home. It ended up being a one-possession game that came down to that final play. I thought that last play was a bit of a microcosm of how the night went – we did not execute well coming out of a timeout whereas they were able to knock down several shots at the end of shot clocks throughout the game," said head coach Michael Fly. "It's a game that I told the guys we have to find ways to dig out. Our message to the team was that this was a disappointing result, but we have a great opportunity to get back in it with the league-leader in North Florida coming here on Saturday."

Things were tight between the teams in the opening 20 minutes of play, as that stretch alone saw three lead changes and as many ties. The Eagles' defense kept them in it throughout the back-and-forth action, especially when they were able to force back-to-back shot clock violations by the Hatters around the 10-minute mark.

Thanks to a jumper by Scott, FGCU earned a one-point advantage with three minutes to go in the first half. Stetson, however, would not let the team's push go unanswered and responded with a dunk and a three-ball at the buzzer that handed the visitors their 30-25 edge at the break.

Following the trip to the locker room, the Eagles quickly tied things back up at 30-each using a trey from senior Tracy Hector Jr. (Riverdale, Ga.) and a pair of free throws from junior Justus Rainwater (Enumclaw, Wash.). An ensuing 7-0 run by Stetson put Stetson back on top until freshman Cyrus Largie (Miramar, Fla.) found junior Sam Gagliardi (Gig Harbor, Wash.) for a trey to cut the streak short.

Following that play, the momentum favored FGCU as a pair of free throws by Rainwater then sparked an FGCU possession which included three offensive boards for the home team and ended with a jumper by Catto that put the Eagles within two with just under nine minutes to go.

A five-minute offensive drought from the home team then allowed Stetson to jump out to as much as a nine-point lead, which the Eagles were never able to fully recover. Though a pair of treys from Catto and Warren brought the team within one in the final seconds, it was Perry's last trip to the charity stripe, as well as his overall 24-point effort throughout the night, that allowed Stetson to outlast the Green and Blue.

For the third time in the past four games, FGCU outscored its opponent in the second half, doing so tonight 37-35. Though the Eagles did a better job of sharing the basketball, as they held a 15-8 edge in assists, the Hatters owned the advantage in points in the paint (26-18), bench points (12-8) and points off of turnovers (13-6).

The Eagles will remain at the Nest to host UNF at Alico Arena for Homecoming on Saturday, Feb. 8. Tip-off against the Ospreys is slated for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed on ESPN+ with radio coverage on Fox Sports Radio.

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.


 
BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION
FGCU basketball tickets for the 2019-20 season are on sale and can be purchased by contacting 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 162-105 record (.606 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 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.
 
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