FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast University women's basketball outlasted No. 9 Jacksonville 76-69 Saturday at Alico Arena to advance to the semifinal round of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament.
"I thought Jacksonville was really aggressive," head coach Karl Smesko. "They were getting extra possessions off the boards and were shooting at a high percentage, especially from three. That definitely kept them in the game. We turned the ball over too many times. Twenty possessions where we don't get a shot. This is March. That's why everybody loves March; anything can happen. You have to be as prepared as you can."
FGCU survived Saturday and now advances to play No. 7 Austin Peay on Tuesday, March 12, at 7 p.m., hosting the semifinal matchup at Alico Arena. The Governors upset No. 2 Stetson 49-45.
Throw records and seeds out the window in March. Despite opening the third quarter on a 12-0 run, FGCU witnessed its 24-point lead eventually dwindle minute-by-minute. The Eagles led the Dolphins 57-33 at the 6:20 mark.
FGCU entered the final period up 11, 63-52. Led by Edyn Battle's 33 points, Jacksonville turned a potential blowout into a two-possession game with under a minute to play, connecting on a deep, heat-check three. Both FGCU and Jacksonville made eight 3-pointers Saturday. Battle scored 11 of JU's 17 points in the third.
With just 27 seconds left, the ASUN Player of the Year, Emani Jefferson, stepped up to the line and made two game-deciding free throws to push the Eagles' lead to a six-point advantage (75-69). JU missed two 3-point attempts on the next possession and was forced to foul Jefferson once again as only eight seconds remained.
Jefferson then hit one-of-two to officially put the game out of reach. Jacksonville outscored the Eagles 36-31 in the second half. The Eagles did not hit a single field goal in the final 6:26 minutes of the game.
Jefferson and Uju Ezeudu offset Jacksonville's comeback hopes. Ezeudu produced a team-leading 20 points and 12 boards, and Jefferson finished with 19 points.
Fifty combined fouls were called Saturday. Three Dolphins fouled out, and three Eagle starters played with four fouls down the stretch, forcing the Green and Blue out of their desired matchups. FGCU hit 20 of its 30 free throw attempts, shooting 66.7 percent in the win.
