FORT MYERS, Fla. - In a milestone night inside Alico Arena, the FGCU Eagles delivered a dominant 92–37 victory over Ave Maria, giving head coach
Raina Harmon the first win of her head coaching career. Behind efficient offense, disruptive defense, and several standout performances, the Eagles controlled the game from start to finish.
RECORDS: Florida Gulf Coast 1-1, 0-0 ASUN | Ave Maria 1-4, 0-0 SUN
SCORE: Florida Gulf Coast 92 | Ave Maria 37
LOCATION: Alico Arena | Fort Myers, Fla.
First Quarter: FGCU came out firing, pushing the tempo and attacking the rim from the opening possession.
Karina Gordon set the tone with a transition layup, while
Sinai Douglas and
Nay Staton added early scoring to build rhythm. The Eagles' defensive pressure forced multiple turnovers, allowing them to get out in transition and pile up points in the paint. A late three from Gordon and a pair of timely finishes from Douglas powered FGCU to a 28–15 lead after one.
Second Quarter: The Eagles kept their foot on the gas, using active hands and strong rebounding to generate extra opportunities.
Eve Alexander sparked the offense with a fast-break layup and put-back finish, while Staton and
Cerina Rolle continued to add pressure inside and out. FGCU held Ave Maria to just five points in the period, closing the half on a 21–5 run and taking a commanding 49–20 advantage into the locker room.
Third Quarter: FGCU's energy never dipped coming out of halftime. Alexander opened the quarter with another transition bucket, and Staton continued to dominate the paint, finishing through contact and knocking down free throws. Rolle and Douglas added timely defensive plays to fuel more fast-break opportunities. The Eagles' defensive length suffocated the Gyrenes as the lead grew to 68–32 heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter: In the final frame, FGCU closed out the night with some of its best offensive possessions. Gordon capped off her career night with back-to-back finishes, and Alexander continued to control the interior on both ends. The Eagles ended the game on a 26–5 burst to secure the 55-point win.
Head Coach
Raina Harmon -
Karina Gordon - 24 PTS (Career High), 5 REB, 7 AST
Eve Alexander - 17 PTS (Career High), 5 REB, 3 ST
Nay Staton - 15 PTS, 9 REB
Jordan Campbell - 8 PTS, 12 REB (Career High)
The Eagles will travel to Fairfax, VA to take on the George Mason Patriots on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
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