Florida Gulf Coast University women's basketball captured its tenth straight win Saturday by fending off Austin Peay 65-54 in Clarksville, Tennessee.
"It was a very tough game today," head coach Karl Smesko said. "Fortunately, we were able to hold them off at the end. Emani had another amazing game."
With the victory, Smesko notched win No. 599 at FGCU, improved to 17-4 on the year and 7-0 in the Atlantic Sun Conference, sweeping its Tennessee road trip. FGCU's 65 points Saturday marked the most that FGCU has ever scored against the Governors. The Eagles managed to drop only 51 and 55 points in the first two meetings a season ago. FGCU also extended the nation's longest conference win streak on Saturday to 29 consecutive games against current ASUN member institutions.
Emani Jefferson led all Eagles once again, providing 23 points for her third game of the season with 20 or more points. Jefferson was nearly perfect on Saturday. She shot 7-of-8 (87.5 percent) from the floor and went 9-of-10 from the line.
Uju Ezeudu provided the early offensive spark for the Eagles with three treys in the opening period. Ezeudu would finish with 17 points and four boards. Ajulu Thatha showed off her athleticism Saturday, picked off a pass under the bucket, found the outlet, became the trailer and knocked down a three. FGCU finished 7-of-19 from deep.
FGCU opened a nine-point lead over Austin Peay, 20-11, to end the first. Sofia Persson connected on a buzzer-beating three to send the Eagles up 33-24 into the break.
The Green and Blue climbed out to an 18-point advantage in the third, 46-28, for its largest lead of the evening. With an 8-2 run to begin the fourth, Austin Peay clawed its way back to within a two-possession game, trailing only by six (54-48) with 5:34 left to play. After a much-needed timeout, the Eagles settled back in to keep the Govs at bay en route to their double-digit victory.
FGCU traded threes for twos Saturday as Austin Peay scored 42 points in the paint, while FGCU shot 37 percent from downtown.
The Eagles aim to close its three-game road stretch at Bellarmine next Wednesday, Jan. 31. Tip-off from Louisville, Kentucky, is set for 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
