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FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU men's basketball team (16-13 overall, 6-10 ASUN Conference) aims to solidify its postseason fortunes Wednesday night in a pivotal ASUN Conference home game against Lipscomb at Alico Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and the game is available to view on ESPN+. It is American Heart Association and FGCU Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night.
The Green & Blue is 10
th in the ASUN standings entering Wednesday, but need a combination of a victory against the Bisons and a Jacksonville loss to earn a spot in next week's 10-team ASUN Tournament. Jacksonville plays host to Bellarmine on Wednesday.
FGCU is facing Lipscomb for the first time this season, but has had recent success historically against the Bisons – winning two straight games, including a 77-68 come-from-behind effort on Feb. 5, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. Lipscomb leads the all-time series 17-14.
The Bisons have lost two of their last three games, though they edged Jacksonville 62-59 on Saturday on Senior Day. Sophomore guard AJ McGinnis hit a last-second 3-pointer to secure the victory. Graduate forward Matt Schner led the way with 15 points, with sophomore forward Jacob Ognacevic adding 13 points, McGinnis dropping 12 points and sophomore guard Derrin Boyd adding 11 points. Graduate center Ahsan Abdullah grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.
Ognacevic leads the Bisons at 16.7 points per game, while Abdullah pulls down a team-best 5.9 rebounds per outing. Lipcsomb's offense ranks sixth in the ASUN, scoring 75.7 points per game. The Bisons defense is seventh in the conference, allowing opponents 70.3 points per game.
FGCU looks to end a two-game losing streak, having dropped back-to-back decisions to Stetson by a combined seven points – including an 88-84 setback against the Hatters last Saturday on Senior Night. Junior guard
Isaiah Thompson (
Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville HS/Purdue) led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds. Graduate guard
Caleb Catto (
Cape Coral, Fla./Southwest Florida Christian Academy) added a season-high 16 points, sophomore center
Andre Weir (
Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna College Prep/Richmond) contributed 11 points off the bench, and junior guard
Chase Johnston (
Boca Raton, Fla./Westminster Academy/Stetson) chipped in 10 points.
Thompson leads the Eagles in scoring at 14.9 points per game and in assists at 3.2 per contest. Sophomore forward
Zach Anderson (
Apopka, Fla./Apopka HS) hauls in a team-best 7.0 rebounds per game. FGCU is fourth in the ASUN defensively, allowing just 66.4 points per game, and is 10
th offensively at 71.4 points per outing.
After Wednesday's game at Alico Arena, FGCU's regular-season finale sees Austin Peay come to town at 7 p.m. Friday for Fan Appreciation Night.
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 206 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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