FORT MYERS, Fla. -
Jevin Muniz scored a team-high 21 points, but his final six of the night were the biggest as Florida Gulf Coast University defeated North Alabama 75-70 in Atlantic Sun Conference men's basketball play from Alico Arena Thursday night.
With FGCU trailing 70-69 after a pair of UNA free-throws with less than 50 seconds to go, Eagles head coach
Pat Chambers called a timeout to set up a play for Muniz. The Eagles (7-9, 2-1 ASUN) worked the ball to
Rory Stewart on the left wing, who bounced it down to Muniz just outside the paint. The junior transfer worked down low and connected on a reverse layup with 30.7 seconds to go to give the Eagles a 71-70 lead.
"Coach drew it up, and we ran it exactly how he had drawn it up," Muniz said. "Everyone trusted each other and we executed the play perfectly."
"They executed the play great," Coach Chambers said. "Rory didn't get the minutes he normally does. I put him in there cold, but he delivered the right pass. He does he job, and then Jevin just took advantage to get a baseline reverse."
UNA would have its chance to take the lead back. The Lions crashed into the paint, but the Eagles packed inside. After a kickout up top, a drive to the hoop resulted in a pass that was deflected away. Muniz would get the ball in hand and get tripped, with the whistle giving FGCU an inbound with 5.9 seconds left. Muniz would be fouled on that inbound play and head to the line for a 1-and-1 opportunity. He would make the first, then the Lions called a full timeout to make Muniz think.
"I was just locked into the moment," Muniz said. "I knew it was a big free-throw. I just took my time and knocked them down."
UNA (10-6, 2-1 ASUN) would have a chance to go the length of the floor after a timeout with 5.4 seconds to go, but the Lions took too long getting the ball in as the whistle went for a 5-second call, turning the ball over to the Green and Blue. Muniz would get the ball again on the next inbound play, making both ends of the 1-and-1 to salt the game away.
After an 11-0 run gave the Eagles a 34-24 lead with 5:18 left in the opening half, UNA would answer back with a 15-0 run to take a 39-34 lead. A bucket before the buzzer by
Zavian McLean gave the graduate transfer 13 points in the first half and cut the deficit to three at halftime, 39-36.
Even after two turnovers out of the gate in the second half, FGCU came right back, taking the lead back after a
Keeshawn Kellman layup capped a 7-0 run that put the home side up 43-41. The lead would swing back-and-forth for the next eight minutes, with
Rahmir Barno putting FGCU up 62-57 with 8:28 left after two free-throws. UNA responded again, tying the game at 69-all after a three-pointer with 2:18 left.
Last year, UNA took a 70-69 lead late and the Eagles would miss three chances to tie or take the lead in the final 10 seconds. This year, the Eagles made sure that wouldn't happen.
"I watched [tape of] last year's game, and we played great there," said Chambers. "We had our opportunities and we just let it slip away. "I think our teams from the last couple of years appreciate how we gutted it out. That's how it's going to be against North Alabama. It's toe-to-toe. It's an absolute rock fight and whoever is the last one standing is going to win the game. I feel like we punched through a little bit."
Muniz scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half. McLean would close the night with 18 points. Barno added another double-figure game to his tally on the season by scoring 10 points for the eighth time this season.
Michael Duax would go 4-of-5 from the field for a 10-point effort as FGCU finished with four players in double-figures in points.
UNA entered the game with five players averaging in double-figures but only had two in tonight's contest. Jacari Lane scored a game-high 22 points with Daniel Ortiz hitting five 3-pointers en route to 17.
The Eagles will stay home to wrap up the weekend with a Saturday afternoon contest against Central Arkansas. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m., with tickets available at
FGCUTickets.com.
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