FGCU Men's Basketball Game Notes & Information
Game 21	Eastern Kentucky (10-10, 2-4 ASUN) vs. FGCU (12-8, 2-4 ASUN)
Date // Time	Thursday, Jan. 27 // 5:00 p.m.
Location	Fort Myers, Fla. // Alico Arena
Promotions	Blue Out // Military Appreciation Night
Live Statistics	Statbroadcast Live Stats
Watch Online	ESPN+
ASUN Notes	ASUN Standings // ASUN Scoreboard // ASUN Stats
Tickets	Next Home Game: Jan. 29 vs. Bellarmine - Order Online // 866-FGCU-TIX
Twitter	@FGCU_MBB // @FGCUEagles
Instagram	FGCU Men's Basketball
Facebook	FGCU Men's Basketball

  
FORT MYERS, Fla. – After a two-game road stretch last week, the FGCU men's basketball team returns home to host Eastern Kentucky on Thursday night as part of a doubleheader with the No. 20 women's basketball team. The men's game will tip at 5 PM, while the women's game will start at 7:30 PM. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
The game against EKU marks the second divisional crossover match up for the Eagles who will also face West Division foes over the next four contests.
 
The Eagles picked up an overtime win at Stetson before falling on the road at Jacksonville State last week and sit in fourth in ASUN East Division standings. The Colonels have won back-to-back ASUN games after starting 0-4 in league play to sit fourth in the West Division standings.
 
FGCU entered league play after going 10-4 in non-conference play – the 10 wins were the most for the Eagles since the 2016-17 season when they went 11-5 before the league schedule. Overall, it was tied for the second-best start in program history with the 2004-05 squad and only behind the 2003-04 team that started 14-0.
 
Through 18 games this year, FGCU is averaging 76.6 points while giving up 72.6 per game. The Eagles have solid shooting numbers at 45.1 percent from the floor and 35.8 percent from deep. FGCU ranks third in the league in scoring, sixth in scoring margin (+4.0), third in three pointers made (10.6/game), rebounds (758, 38.0/game), while leading the league in blocked shots (93, 4.7/game) and assists (333, 16.6/game).
 
The Green and Blue is led by Tavian Dunn-Martin and Kevin Samuel who are averaging 19.6 and 11.1 points per game, respectively. Samuel is averaging just under a double-double with a team-best 9.6 rebounds, while adding 57 blocks. He has already set the single-season record for blocked shots surpassing Kyle Marks (2008-09) who previously held it with 51. Cyrus Largie is the third leading scorer on the team at 10.9 points while adding 4.7 rebounds.
 
Along with his scoring, Dunn-Martin also leads the Eagles and the ASUN in assists with 5.9 per game which ranks 14th nationally. Caleb Catto and Dunn-Martin are the top three-point shooter (players with more than 40 attempts) at .388 and .369, respectively. Samuel is the overall field goal percentage leader at 66.0 percent from the floor which ranks third nationally. His 3.0 blocks per game also ranks 15th nationally while his eight double-doubles this season is 20th in the NCAA.
 
Eastern Kentucky enters the game having won two straight games against Lipscomb (86-72) and North Florida (67-58) after losing four consecutive to start league play.
 
Four Colonels are averaging double digits on the year led by Devnotae Blanton and Jannson Williams at 11.33 and 11.2 points per game, respectively. Cooper Robb and Braxton Beverly are each averaging 10.1 points, while Michael Moreno and Jomaru Brown are just behind at 9.3 per night.
 
Following Thursday's game, the Eagles will stay at home to host another cross divisional doubleheader against Bellarmine. The women will tip at 4 PM, while the men are slated for a 7:00 PM tip. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+. It will be a Green Out in Alico Arena as we celebrate Azul The Eagle's birthday.

Eagles vs Colonels
• This will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

Leaders Among The ASUN
• Tavian Dunn-Martin is currently second in the ASUN in scoring, averaging 19.6 points per game just behind Liberty's Darius McGhee (23.0). He leads the league in assists (5.9/game, 112), is fourth in three pointers (3.11/game, 59), and second in total field goals (113). He is one of just four ASUN players with multiple 30-point games this season and the only player with four such performances.
• Kevin Samuel leads the ASUN in blocked shots (3.00), rebounding (9.6), field goal percentage (66.0) and double-doubles (8).
• Cyrus Largie is third in the league in total steals (30) and is third in steals per game (1.50).

Among The Nation's Best
• FGCU ranks among the top-15 in several categories nationally this season. The Eagles' 212 made three pointers ranks sixth in the NCAA, while their 592 three-point attempts are seventh overall. The 10.6 three pointers per game ranks 8th nationally.
• FGCU ranks 13th in total assists (333) and 21st in assists per game (16.6).
• Other notable national rankings include: 33rd - total blocks (93), 67th - total steals (147),  39th -  total rebounds (758), and 49th - blocks per game (4.7).
 
Dunn-Martin On Lou Henson Player Of The Year Watch List
• Tavian Dunn-Martin was named to the 2021-22 Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award Mid-Season Watch List at the beginning of January. The award is presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball. Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast. Dunn-Martin along with Liberty's Darius McGhee were representatives of the ASUN Conference.
• Dunn-Martin joins FGCU standouts Brandon Goodwin who was named to the watch list in 2017-18 and Bernard Thompson who was twice named to the list in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Samuel Making an Impact
• Kevin Samuel has made an instant impact on FGCU and is averaging nearly a double-double on the year with 11.1 points and 9.6 rebounds. He already has 57 blocked shots this year giving him 263 for his career. His is the third-leading active career shot blocker behind the Cincinnati duo of Hayden Koval (357) and Abdul Ado (280).
• His 3.0 blocks per game would smash the FGCU single season record of 1.9 which was set by Brian Thomas in 2018-19. With 57 total blocks through 19 games, he has already set the FGCU single season record of 51 blocks set by Kyle Marks in 2008-09. In less than one season, he has also moved into 10th all-time for career blocked shots at FGCU.
• On top of his defense, he has been an efficient scorer shooting 66.0 percent from the field which ranks third nationally. He has eight double-doubles on the year including six over the last nine games.
• The TCU transfer was selected as the ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and as a member of the league's preseason all-conference team.
• He is the third FGCU player to earn the preseason ASUN Defensive Player of the Year award and the first since Demetris Morant did so in 2016-17. Bernard Thompson earned the accolade twice in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
• At TCU, the 6-foot-11, 255 pound center started all 95 career games of his career and set the school record for blocked shots with 206 in three years. For his career prior to FGCU, he averaged 8.8 points and 7.7 rebounds while leading the Big 12 in blocks twice.
• Last season, he averaged 8.8 points, third best on the team, through 26 games. His 7.8 rebounds ranked third in the Big 12, while his 1.7 blocks per game led the conference. His 62.5 field goal percentage was the best on the team as well.

Dunn-Martin Named ASUN Newcomer of the Week (1/24)
• Tavian Dunn-Martin was named the ASUN Newcomer of the Week on Monday after averaging 23.5 points and 7.5 assists last week. His 30-points at Stetson marked his fourth such game of the year.
• Dunn-Martin shot 42.9 percent from the floor, 47.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 88.9 percent from the free throw line.
• In the 93-91 overtime win at Stetson, the graduate guard had a game-high 30 points, his fourth such game of the season, while adding seven assists and three steals. He was 8-of-17 from the floor including 6-of-10 from beyond the arc and 8-of-9 at the charity stripe. He scored 17 points while posting eight assists in the loss at JSU.
 
Dunn-Martin Goes Over 1,000 Career Points
• Tavian Dunn-Martin hit the 1,000 career point plateau in the win over Purdue Fort Wayne with 27 points on the night. He did the bulk of his scoring in his three years at Duquesne with a total of 738 points. He also scored 145 points in 2016-17 during his true freshman year at Akron.
• He enters the Eastern Kentucky game with 1,255 points in his career spanning 135 total games.
 
Eagles On The Verge of Four 1,000 Point Scorers
• In addition to Tavian Dunn-Martin reaching 1,000 points earlier this year, Matt Halvorsen crossed the milestone during his career at Western Carolina and now has 1,415 through five seasons.
• Kevin Samuel reached the mark at Kennesaw State and now has 1,034 in 114 career games.
• Caleb Catto is the next Eagle approaching the milestone as he enters the EKU game with has 947 points in 102 games.

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.

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 201-140 record (.585 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 87 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 14+ seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 43 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 25, 2021-22), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2021) 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 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 24 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall, 2020 Spring, 2020 Fall, and 2021 Spring semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA in each. 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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