FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast University women's basketball embarks on a four-game road stretch beginning Thursday against North Florida at 7 p.m. in Jacksonville, Florida. FGCU remains in Jacksonville for the weekend to face the Jacksonville Dolphins on Saturday at 2 p.m. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Eagles have not had a true road game since Nov. 11, the second game of the season. In fact, FGCU is winless on the road this season, 0-2, but the Eagles soar up the state riding a four-game win streak, 11-3 overall and 2-0 in conference play. FGCU has improved to 11-1 under first-year head coach Chelsea Lyles. North Florida is 4-11 and 0-2 in the league, while Jacksonville is 6-8 and 0-2 in the ASUN.
Last week, FGCU took care of business at home against both Queens (81-58) and West Georgia (63-49). Khamari Mitchell-Steen produced a team-leading 20 and 19 points to propel FGCU to its 2-0 start. Preseason ASUN Player of the Year Emani Jefferson continues to pace the Eagles this season with 13.8 points per game, ranking eighth overall across the ASUN, and is shooting 63.6 percent from the floor which ranks ninth nationally. Lauryn Taylor's 7.5 rebounds per game ranks fifth in the ASUN. Taylor had a season-high 16 rebounds against Queens. Cerina Rolle leads the Eagles in offensive boards with 44.
TOP 25 SCORING DEFENSE:
The Eagles rank No. 7 nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 52.3 points per game. FGCU has held 13 of its 14 opponents to 58 points or less with an opponent season-high of just 62. FGCU has forced 12 or more turnovers in every game this season and has caused 20 or more in six contests. The Eagles are averaging 11 steals per game, disrupting any offensive momentum for long periods of time.
#RAINING3S:
Offensively, FGCU is 9-0 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 39.1 percent. 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.
USA TODAY TOP 25/MID-MAJOR TOP 25:
The Green and Blue received a single vote in the latest USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll. FGCU began the year with four votes in the same poll but dropped out since then until this week (January 7). Despite making its second appearance in the USA Today Poll, FGCU remained perched at No. 16 overall in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll. Two of FGCU's losses this season have come against teams currently in the Mid-Major Poll, No. 14 Montana State and No. 3 Columbia.
ALL-TIME VS UNF/JU:
Thursday will mark the 39th all-time meeting between the Eagles and the Ospreys, dating back to 2008. FGCU holds a 35-3 record and has won the last 14 meetings against North Florida. The Eagles have not lost to UNF since 2018. FGCU dominated the Ospreys a season ago, winning 70-38 and 75-33. North Florida was picked to finish ninth in the Preseason ASUN Coaches Poll.
Against Jacksonville, FGCU is 37-3 all-time. The series dates back to 2008 as well. Saturday will mark the 41st all-time meeting between the long-time in-state foes. FGCU has won 18 straight against the Dolphins, knocking out Jacksonville in the ASUN Quarterfinals a season ago 76-69. Jefferson had 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds in the game. JU was picked to finish fifth in the Preseason ASUN Coaches Poll and has not beaten the Eagles since 2017.
AGAINST THE ASUN:
FGCU has won 35 straight games against ASUN opponents. FGCU's last loss to an ASUN program occurred Jan. 21, 2023, against Liberty, some 717 days ago. Liberty has since moved on to the C-USA. Only South Carolina and South Dakota State currently hold a longer conference winning streak at 40 games apiece. Entering the season, FGCU was an astounding 97-3 in its last 100 ASUN regular season games.
CHAMPS AGAIN (2023-24):
The Eagles were picked as the preseason favorites in both the ASUN Coaches and Media Polls. FGCU posted its 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. FGCU went on to capture its eighth straight ASUN Tournament title on its home floor to punch its ticket back to the Big Dance for the 10th time in the last 13 years.
ALL WE DO IS WIN:
Coming into the 2024-25 campaign, FGCU rose to No. 3 overall in total wins over the last three seasons. FGCU's 92 wins during the span trails only South Carolina (109) and UConn (94). Only FGCU and UConn have won 25 or more games for 14 consecutive years. FGCU has three 30-win seasons in the last five years, tying UConn and Stanford. Only South Carolina has more with four.
