FORT MYERS, Fla. - Coming off its biggest win of the season, Florida Gulf Coast University will play another contest on the road Sunday as the Eagles take on the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio Sunday afternoon. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on ESPN+ in men's basketball action.
FGCU (2-6) used a tremendous defensive effort to defeat Florida International University, 68-65, last Tuesday in Miami. Down 15 early in the second half, FGCU clamped down defensively and got five 3-pointers from
Dallion Johnson to rally back. A 26-7 run, capped by a
Cyrus Largie dunk, gave the Eagles a 56-54 lead with 11:14 to go. After FIU tied the game,
Franco Miller, Jr., connected on a 3-pointer to give the Eagles back the lead and the guests would never trail again.
The Eagles would hold FIU to just two points in the final four minutes of the contest. The Panthers would come up empty in five of their final six offensive possessions in the game as FGCU came away with the win.
Isaiah Thompson scored 21 points in the win, with Johnson's 19 points serving as a new career-high. On the strength of five games with double-digit point totals, Thompson now leads the Eagles in points per game, averaging 14.0 per contest.
Zach Anderson, who has been FGCU's most consistent scorer so far this season with six games of 10 points or more, is now second on the squad in scoring with 12.0 points per game.
Keeshawn Kellman, who was a point shy of his third double-double of the season at FIU, leads the team in rebounds with 7.6 per game to go with his 10.5 points per contest.
This will be the first time the Eagles have played the Bearcats on the hardwood. Cincinnati (6-0), which is receiving votes in the AP Top 25, is off to its best start to a season since a 7-0 mark to begin 2017-18. This is the first season for UC as members of the Big 12 Conference. In its last game, UC needed overtime to get a win at Howard, 86-81.
Following Sunday's contest, the Eagles will be back home Tuesday to host New College of Florida. Alico Arena will be the site for the 7 p.m. start on ESPN+.
