FGCU Men's Basketball Game Notes & Information
Game 22	Bellarmine (12-9, 6-1 ASUN) vs. FGCU (13-8, 3-4 ASUN)
Date // Time	Saturday, Jan. 29 // 7:00 p.m.
Location	Fort Myers, Fla. // Alico Arena
Promotions	Blue Out // Azul's Birthday // Coaches vs. Cancer
Live Statistics	Statbroadcast Live Stats
Watch Online	ESPN+
ASUN Notes	ASUN Standings // ASUN Scoreboard // ASUN Stats
Tickets	Next Home Game: Feb. 9 vs. North Alabama - Order Online // 866-FGCU-TIX
Twitter	@FGCU_MBB // @FGCUEagles
Instagram	FGCU Men's Basketball
Facebook	FGCU Men's Basketball

  
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Coming off a thrilling 77-73 win over Eastern Kentucky on Thursday night, it's a quick turnaround for the FGCU men's basketball team as they host Bellarmine on Saturday evening as part of a doubleheader with the No. 20 women's team. Tipoff for the men is slated for 7 PM, while the women will start at 4 PM. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
This will be game three of FGCU's six-game cross-divisional portion of the league schedule. The Eagles sit in fourth place of the ASUN East Division, while Bellarmine is second in the West Division.
 
The Green and Blue bounced back from a road loss at West Division leader Jacksonville State with Thursday's win over the Colonels. Kevin Samuel led the Eagles with 18 points and 14 rebounds in the win over EKU, while Austin Richie also had a season-high 18 points in the win. Cyrus Largie scored 17 points as FGCU improved to 10-2 at home this year.
 
Through 21 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 35.5 percent from deep. FGCU ranks second in the league in scoring, sixth in scoring margin (+4.0), second in three pointers made (10.5/game), while leading the league in rebounds (804, 38.3/game), blocked shots (98, 4.7/game) and assists (346, 16.5/game).
 
The Green and Blue is led by Tavian Dunn-Martin and Kevin Samuel who are averaging 18.8 and 11.5 points per game, respectively. Samuel is averaging just under a double-double with a team-best 9.9 rebounds, while adding 60 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 11.2 points while adding 4.7 rebounds.
 
Along with his scoring, Dunn-Martin also leads the Eagles and the ASUN in assists with 5.8 per game which ranks 15th nationally. Caleb Catto and Dunn-Martin are the top three-point shooter (players with more than 40 attempts) at .382 and .366, respectively. Samuel is the overall field goal percentage leader at 65.6 percent from the floor which ranks third nationally. His 3.0 blocks per game also ranks 16th nationally while his nine double-doubles this season is 14th in the NCAA.
 
Bellarmine has won six of its last seven games including a 72-47 decision at Stetson on Thursday night. The Knights lone loss in that stretch came against Bellarmine.
 
Dylan Penn leads Bellarmine with 17.4 points per game, while CJ Fleming is averaging 12.9 points. Overall, the Knights are averaging 70.4 points a night while giving up 66.1 per game.
 
Following Saturday's game, the Eagles will return to the road with trips to Central Arkansas next Thursday, Feb. 3 (8:45 PM) and at Lipscomb on Saturday, Feb. 5 (5 PM).

Eagles vs Knights
• Bellarmine owns a 2-0 record in the series which began last season. The Knights were one of the surprises in the ASUN last year during their first as new members of the league.

Leaders Among The ASUN
• Tavian Dunn-Martin is currently second in the ASUN in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game just behind Liberty's Darius McGhee (22.8). He leads the league in assists (5.8/game, 116), is fourth in three pointers (3.00/game, 60), and second in total field goals (114). He is one of just four ASUN players with multiple 30-point games this season and the only player with four.
• Kevin Samuel leads the ASUN in blocked shots (3.00), rebounding (9.8), field goal percentage (65.6) and double-doubles (9).
• Cyrus Largie is second in the league in total steals (33) and is third in steals per game (1.57).

Among The Nation's Best
• FGCU ranks among the top-15 in several categories nationally this season. The Eagles' 220 made three pointers ranks sixth in the NCAA, while their 620 three-point attempts are also sixth overall. The 10.5 three pointers per game ranks 8th nationally.
• FGCU ranks 12th in total assists (346) and 21st in assists per game (16.5).
• Other notable national rankings include: 32nd - total blocks (98), 63rd - total steals (154),  21st -  total rebounds (804), and 48th - 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 11.5 points and 9.9 rebounds. He already has 60 blocked shots this year giving him 266 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 60 total blocks through 20 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 a tie for 9th all-time for career blocked shots at FGCU alongside Eddie Murray (2008-13).
• On top of his defense, he has been an efficient scorer shooting 65.6 percent from the field which ranks third nationally. He has nine double-doubles on the year including seven over the last 10 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 Bellarmine game with 1,259 points in his career spanning 136 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 1,421 through five seasons.
• Kevin Samuel reached the mark at Kennesaw State and now has 1,052 in 115 career games.
• Caleb Catto is the next Eagle approaching the milestone as he enters the EKU game with has 952 points in 103 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.

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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 202-140 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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