FORT MYERS, Fla. – Casey Santoro hit three triples Saturday to lift FGCU women's basketball past Chattanooga 61-53 to wrap up the Homewood Suites Classic at Alico Arena.
"Happy with the players' effort and it was good to have Casey step up big for us today, especially down the stretch," first-year head coach Chelsea Lyles said.
FGCU clung to a two-point 46-44 lead in the fourth period, but Santoro put the Eagles on her back. The fifth-year transfer drained three straight 3-pointers in a span of a minute to give FGCU a 55-47 advantage with just 7:12 to play, sparking life into Alico Arena and the Eagles bench.
The 9-0 run was just enough to derail the Mocs down the stretch and secure the victory. FGCU finished the classic 2-0 with wins over Cal Baptist and Chattanooga. Saturday's victory extended FGCU's home win streak to 35 games, the second-longest active home win streak in the nation. First-year coach Lyles improved to 5-0 at the helm of the program. FGCU (5-2) has held six of its seven opponents this season to under 60 points.
FGCU managed to score just eight points in the third quarter struggling to break the Chattanooga zone defense. The Mocs made some halftime adjustments and switched to cut off the FGCU driving lines, holding the Eagles scoreless for nearly five minutes in the period. FGCU held a seven-point lead at the half, 38-31.
With 30 seconds to go in the third, Dolly Cairns provided the first blow to the zone scheme with a 3-ball. FGCU fluttered into the final period up five, 46-41.
The Eagles scored the first six points of the contest and soared out to a 19-15 lead through the first 10 minutes. FGCU feasted on the early man-to-man defense with team speed and used an 11-0 run to jump-start the second quarter, leading the Mocs by as many at 15 up 30-15 just three minutes into the period.
Four Eagles reached double figures Saturday. Emani Jefferson scored a team-leading 12 points. Santoro finished with 11 points, while both Cerina Rolle and Cairns had 10. Santoro hit three of FGCU's eight 3-pointers. Lauryn Taylor emerged one rebound shy of a double-double effort with 10 rebounds and nine points.
FGCU returns to the nest Wednesday to host New College of Florida. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. on ESPN+.
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