FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast Univerity women's basketball rings in the new year with its Atlantic Sun Conference home opener Thursday at 6 p.m. against Queens University of Charlotte. The Eagles also host the University of West Georgia this week for a 4 p.m. Saturday contest at Alico Arena.
For Thursday's ASUN home opener (Queens), New Year's party favors will be available at the marketing table in the Alico Arena lobby. Hot chocolate, $2 popcorn and $4 nachos will be available at the concession stands. Saturday (West Georgia) is Pet Appreciation Day. Submitted pet pics will be shown on Eagle Vision throughout the game. FGCU Athletics will also be accepting pet food donations in the Alico Arena lobby. Fans who donate will receive an FGCU water bowl for their furry friend. $3 student beer (ages 21+) will be available for purchase at both games.
Tickets start at just $12 for general admission. Eagles fans can create and select their own mini-plan of four-, six-, or nine-game packages this season starting at $44. For more information on single-game and season tickets, please click here or call the FGCU Ticket Office at 1-866-FGCU-TIX (866-324-8449).
CONFERENCE OPENERS & AGAINST THE ASUN:
FGCU is 15-2 all-time in conferencing opening games, and are winners of 15 straight. The last conference-opening loss for the Eagles occurred in 2008 as the Stetson Hatters bested FGCU 77-68 in DeLand, Florida. FGCU has never lost an ASUN home opener, going a perfect 17-0.
The streaks do not stop there. FGCU has won 33 consecutive ASUN games. Only South Carolina and South Dakota State currently hold a longer conference winning streak at 38 games apiece. FGCU's last loss to an ASUN opponent occurred some 712 days ago, Jan. 21, 2023, against Liberty. In its last 100 ASUN regular season games, FGCU is an astounding 97-3.
A NOD TO 2023-24:
FGCU enters league play Thursday at 9-3 overall under first-year head coach Chelsea Lyles and was picked as the preseason favorites in both the ASUN Coaches and Media Polls. The Eagles posted their seventh undefeated mark in conference play a season ago, 16-0, to win its seventh straight ASUN regular season title and 14th all-time in program history. FGCU won each regular season conference game by double digits, with the smallest margin of victory being 11 for an average of a dominating 24.5 points.
ALL-TIME VS QUEENS/WEST GEORGIA:
FGCU is 3-0 all-time against Queens (6-5) dating back to 2023, and will face West Georgia (6-5) on Saturday for the first time in program history as a DI program (2-1 all-time). The Eagles defeated Queens 86-60 in Charlotte and 82-57 in Fort Myers a season ago. Emani Jefferson scored 16 points in the last meeting against the Royals. The West Georgia Wolves are the newest member of the ASUN Conference. Queens and West Georgia were both picked to finish at the bottom of the preseason polls, 11th and 12th respectively.
MID-MAJOR TOP 25:
Despite going 2-0 hosting the FGCU Classic, the Green and Blue slipped to No. 16 overall in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll. The Eagles have climbed as high as No. 2 in the poll this season. FGCU is the lone ASUN representative in the poll and is 0-2 when facing teams currently in the Top 25. Eastern Kentucky is receiving votes. FGCU's two losses have come against No. 15 Montana State and No. 4 Columbia.
OTHER NOTES FROM FORT MYERS:
FGCU boasts the eighth-best scoring defense in the country, allowing just 52.1 points per game. FGCU has held 11 of its 12 opponents this season to 58 points or less, surrendering a season-high of just 62 points.
Offensively, FGCU is 8-0 on the year when the Eagles hit eight or more 3-pointers. Preseason All-Conference selection Dolly Cairns paces the Eagles from behind the arc, shooting 39.3 percent from long range. FGCU has knocked down 300 or more made threes for 15 straight seasons, leading the country in made threes in five out of the last seven seasons. The Eagles produced 325 treys a season ago, placing sixth overall in the nation. In 2018, the Green and Blue set the NCAA record for the most made threes in a single season with 431.
The Preseason ASUN Player of the Year Emani Jefferson leads the Eagles in scoring with 13.4 points per game, ranking seventh across the ASUN. Jefferson has scored 10 or more points in all but one game and collected her fourth career ASUN Player of the Week honors on Dec. 23.
The Eagles have enjoyed the friendly confines of the nest the entire month of December, going 6-1 during the extended home span. FGCU has not played a true road game since Nov. 11 against Columbia.
