FORT MYERS, Fla. - Finally, a bounce went the way of
Pat Chambers' squad.
Blaise Vespe's shot to win the game bounced off the back iron and flew higher than the top of the backboard before draining through the hoop and to the Alico Arena floor, sending the crowd and the Florida Gulf Coast University bench into hysterics as the Eagles earned a 75-72 victory over Florida Memorial University Friday night.
"You know how many times that's happened to us this year? That big bounce? Or a lob for an alley-oop goes in for a 3-pointer? It feels like that happened to us every game," Coach Chambers said. "It's worked against us all season and I felt like, this one time, the basketball Gods were looking down on us tonight and going, 'You know what? We're going to throw one your way.'"
Playing against an 11-1 NAIA team with junior college and NCAA Division I transfer that viewed the game as an exhibition contest with nothing to lose, the short-handed Eagles entered the game down two starters and their first-choice big man off the bench. With just under five minutes to go, they would be without another starter as
Dallion Johnson was kicked in the head as he pump-faked on a 3-point attempt. Once the game got to overtime, they would be without another starter as
Keeshawn Kellman, who entered the night ranked third in field goal percentage, fouled out. Still, the Eagles had the resiliency to stay in the game.
With 11.5 seconds to go, a rebound by
Franco Miller, Jr., off a missed free-throw by FMU gave the Eagles the ball 94-feet from the basket in a 75-75 game. Miller hit
Rahmir Barno, who had just cleared the 40-minute mark of playing time in the game for the first time in his career. Barno drove the floor, building momentum as he reached the free-throw line. The FMU defense began to collapse, and Vespe made his adjustment.
"I recognized that my guy left me, so I popped back for the three," Vespe said. "Anytime I get an open shot, I'm always going to shoot it with confidence."
"We were trying to get Rahmir downhill and let him make a play," said Coach Chambers. "He had a full head of steam and everyone converged on him. The possession before that, we had a very similar set-up and
Zach Anderson had a wide-open look for a 3. I was glad he shot it because I thought we had our guys in position to get a rebound."
Instead, as the shot went through for Vespe's first points of the season, whistles blew from the referees to review the clock and to give FMU the timeout. That gave the Eagles (5-9) a chance to mob Vespe, albeit briefly. "I was very emotional," Vespe said. "I still had to stay locked in because the game wasn't officially over. But I've worked very hard in the gym, so for my first basket of the season to come like this is very special to me."
Barno scored a season-best 17 points to lead the way for the Eagles, with
Cyrus Largie adding 16, Miller connecting for 13, and Anderson putting in a dozen. Barno's five assists were also a team-best, while
Keeshawn Kellman came up with four blocks and also hit the game-tying free-throws with 4.4 seconds left in regulation.
Derrius Ward led FMU with 20 points.
The Eagles will now have over a week to rest and recover before taking on No. 14-ranked Florida Atlantic University in Alico Arena Dec. 30. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
