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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Despite the sixth double-double of the season from junior forward Zach Anderson (Apopka, Fla./Apopka HS), the FGCU men's basketball team (14-8 overall, 4-5 ASUN Conference) suffered an 84-82 road setback against Queens (N.C.) on Thursday night.
 
Anderson, a two-time ASUN Player of the Week this season, scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. His short, twisting jumper in the lane with one second remaining that would have forced overtime rattled out.
 
Sophomore center Andre Weir (Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna College Prep/Richmond) also turned in a dazzling performance in the defeat, tying his career high with 22 points along with five rebounds. Senior guard Isaiah Thompson (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville HS/Purdue) dropped 20 points, including making a game-high six 3-pointers on 12 attempts from beyond the arc.
 
"We have to keep showing up, and keep getting better," said FGCU head men's basketball coach Pat Chambers. "Success is in the details. We are close."
 
Queens (14-8, 4-5) had four players in double figures, led by sophomore guard AJ McKee's 23 points. Sophomore guard Kalib Matthews scored 16 points for the Royals, junior forward BJ McLaurin dropped 14 points and nine rebounds, and senior Kenny Dye added 13 points. Junior forward Jay'Den Turner also had nine rebounds, the last coming on Anderson's tying attempt at the horn.
 
FGCU lost despite outshooting Queens from the field, as the Eagles connected on 30 of 61 shots from the field (49.2 percent) to the Royals' 26-of-59 shooting (44.1 percent). The Green & Blue made 13 of 31 attempts from beyond the arc (one more than Queens' 13-of-30 effort), but the Royals were 20-of-26 from the free-throw line to FGCU's 9-of-12 night at the stripe.
 
The Eagles started out strong Thursday, taking a quick 6-0 lead in the first 90 seconds, and leading by as much as 12 after a Thompson 3 made it 31-22 with 6:38 remaining in the first half. Queens whittled away at the deficit, though, and held FGCU scoreless in the final 4:25 to trail 37-32 at halftime.
 
FGCU's lead evaporated in the opening 90 seconds of the second half, as Queens rattled off an 9-2 run to take a 40-39 lead. It would remain a one-possession game until a 5-0 Royals burst made it 67-61 with 9:46 remaining.
 
The Green & Blue remained undeterred, as Thompson hit two triples and Weir converted on a three-point play as part of an 11-2 run for a 72-69 advantage with 7:28 remaining. FGCU would extend its lead to five points minutes later, as Anderson canned a 3 and made two free throws to make it 80-75 with 4:05 to play.
 
Queens answered quickly, though, scoring seven straight points for an 82-80 edge with 2:12 to go. Weir was pure on an inside bucket to tie it at 82 with 1:46 remaining, but McLaurin drew Weir's fifth foul on a fast-break shot attempt with 26 seconds left for the final margin.

Graduate guard Caleb Catto (Cape Coral, Fla./Southwest Florida Christian Academy), who scored five points and notched four steals, broke the FGCU record for games played with his 138th appearance.
 
The Green & Blue travels to Lynchburg, Va., to take on ASUN co-leaders Liberty (17-5, 8-1) – which defeated Stetson 74-45 on Thursday for its fifth straight victory – at 7 p.m. Saturday. Queens is at home against the Hatters on Saturday.
 
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.   
 
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS, MINI PLANS AVAILABLE 
Tickets for the 2022-23 FGCU Basketball season are on sale now and can be purchased by going online to www.FGCUTickets.com or calling 866-FGCU-TIX. Group tickets can also be purchased for 10 or more people – making a memorable evening for families, businesses, or other organizations. 
 
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 CHAMBERS 
Pat Chambers was officially introduced as the fifth FGCU men's basketball head coach in March 2022 bringing a wealth of experience in college basketball highlighted by head coaching stints at Penn State and Boston University. Chambers spent nine years leading the Penn State (2011-20) program and two years as head coach at Boston University (2009-11). He has 203 career victories in that span including four 20-plus win seasons. Part of his career as a head coach was highlighted by leading the Nittany Lions to a No. 9 national ranking in 2019-20 which tied the program's best-ever ranking set in 1996. Prior to becoming a head coach, he spent five seasons as part of the Villanova staff helping the Wildcats to a Final Four (2009), two Elite Eight, and three Sweet Sixteen appearances during his tenure. 
 
#FEEDFGCU 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (https://www.fgcu.edu/adminservices/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 https://www.fgcu.edu/adminservices/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.  
 
ABOUT FGCU 
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 94 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 15-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 11-plus seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 47 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. In 2022, the men's golf team became the first program to earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22 and No. 25 in 2022-23) beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as four of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green & 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 3.66 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2022 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 27 consecutive semesters. The past seven semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 2022) saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher cumulative 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. 
 
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