FORT MYERS, Fla. -
Zavian McLean scored 20 points and
Jevin Muniz had a double-double with 17 second-half points and 12 rebounds to help Florida Gulf Coast University to a 77-71 victory over the University of Central Arkansas Saturday afternoon at Alico Arena.
The Eagles have now won three of their first four Atlantic Sun Conference games of the season and are winners of five of their last six overall. This one came thanks to another balanced effort scoring as four players were in double-figures for the Eagles.
Keeshawn Kellman and
Rahmir Barno each scored a dozen points to help push FGCU over the top in the contest.
"We just took what [Central Arkansas] gave us," said FGCU head coach
Pat Chambers. "We're coming together. We're starting to see the results of us being battle tested from non-conference. We're starting to see that pay off for us."
FGCU (8-9, 3-1 ASUN) nearly trailed at the half as the Bears led 28-23 at the under-4 media timeout. The Eagles would lock down defensively to close the period out as Kellman scored five points in the final minutes of the half. When he dunk sent through the hoop just before the halftime horn off a feed from
Dallion Johnson, FGCU held a 30-28 lead heading to the locker room. McLean would finish the period with 12 points to lead all scorers.
"I think that this week, specifically, I just wanted to make sure that I came out and just did what I had to do for the team early on," McLean said.
UCA (5-12, 1-3 ASUN) would see FGCU slowly build its lead up towards double-digits. A 9-0 run by the Green and Blue, capped by a Barno driving layup on the fast break, gave the Eagles a 44-33 lead and sent the Bears into a timeout. The lead would continue to swell for the home side as a McLean pass to break UCA's press found Kellman to put the lead at 12, 52-40.
Moments later, Barno would cut to the lane and score as he was fouled for the three-point play opportunity to stretch the advantage to 15.
"It's just been taking what the defense gives me," Barno said. "I'm realizing that in some instances I have to be a little bit more aggressive and make guys guard me in order for me to be able to get guys involved."
While the Bears would trim the lead down to six before the final buzzer, FGCU would control the scoreboard in the second half. The Eagles shot 16-of-25 (64 percent) as a team in the final 20 minutes. Muniz would score nine of FGCU's final 15 points as the Eagles took another ASUN win.
"I think it was just a matter of time before we got clicking and we were able to really put everything together," McLean said. "Any guy can step up and be that guy for us. Understanding that makes it easy to go out on the court and play knowing that your brother has your back."
Muniz finished with his third double-double of the season and set a new high for FGCU in rebounds for the campaign with 12. The Eagles out-rebounded UCA 35-29 and also won the battle in the paint with a 36-26 advantage in points. FGCU would also come up with seven blocked shots, including three from Kellman.
Elias Cato scored 29 points for UCA to lead all scorers.
FGCU will be back in action at Alico Arena this Thursday as it plays host to the University of West Georgia in the second meeting of the season between the two schools. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
