Down one with 14.6 seconds to play, Florida Gulf Coast University's game-winning shot spun out as the Eagles fell 57-56 Tuesday at Davidson in the season opener from Davidson, North Carolina.

"Tough game," head coach Karl Smesko said. "Davidson played hard. We have a lot to learn. Our offensive execution was slow, and our shot selection was bad."

Davidson missed two late free throws on the other end of the floor to give FGCU the opportunity at the buzzer. Smesko called a timeout to advance the ball up the floor and decided to draw up a game-deciding play for his Eagles. The play ended with the ball in the hands of North Alabama and Kansas transfer Skyler Gill who put up a floater near the foul line, only for the ball to spin out and seal the comeback win for the Davidson Wildcats in the mid-major battle.

The Wildcats outscored FGCU 16-7 down the stretch in the fourth quarter and also scored the first seven points in the final period. The Eagles led by eight heading into the fourth quarter, 49-41, and led by as many as 11 in the third.

FGCU struggled from distance, connecting on only two of 13 attempted 3-pointers Tuesday. The Eagles averaged 9.5 made threes per game a season ago.

Emani Jefferson, who fouled out with five minutes to go, sank one trifecta in her team-leading 15 points. Lauryn Taylor produced the other three for the Eagles, finishing with seven points in her FGCU debut. Taylor's three gave the Green and Blue its largest lead of the night, 43-32.

Jefferson scored the first basket and points of the game and of the season. She also knocked down the first Eagles three of the year. Her 11 first-half points propelled FGCU to an eight-point lead at the half, 31-23.

FGCU led for the first 35 minutes Tuesday and held onto that lead until 3:27 to go. Davidson would execute a driving layup to give the Wildcats just a taste of their first lead at 54-53 for the eventual win.

Dolly Cairns tied the game at 54-all making one of two free throws, and Khamari Mitchell-Steen would make the front end to pull the Eagles back to within one, 57-56 with 40 seconds remaining. FGCU shot 66.7 percent from the line Tuesday, making 14 of its 21 attempts.

The Eagles shift their focus to their second road game of the season at Columbia on Monday in New York. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.