FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast men's basketball used JR Konieczny's third straight 20 point game to sail past Chattanooga 91-73 on Saturday afternoon.
The Eagles beat the reigning NIT Champions in the first ever matchup between FGCU and Chattanooga behind 24 from Konieczny and 20 from
Rahmir Barno. Konieczny became the first Eagle to have 20+ point games in each of his first three Division I games at FGCU, and Barno had back-to-back 20 point outings for the first time in his career.
"Really proud of our bounce back after Georgia Southern," head coach
Pat Chambers said. "To come back out here, go to practice the last two days, and really be intentional and purposeful and get better, I think that's what you saw today."
The two teams went back and forth in the first ten minutes, with an emphatic Konieczny dunk and three straight FGCU 3-pointers giving the Eagles an early lead.
The defense and rebounding that Chambers has emphasized jumped another level in the last seven minutes of the first half. FGCU went on a 14-0 powered by ten points from Barno and took a 41-25 lead into the break.The Mocs managed just three made baskets and one offensive rebound in the final ten minutes of the first half.
With a 16 point halftime cushion, the defense and rebounding translated to offense in the second half. Several players notched season or career high days in the 50 point half, including a season-best 12 for
Michael Duax, including two spectacular dunks, and career best outings for freshmen
Jordan Ellerbee (14 points) and
Gabe Tanner (four points).
Isaiah Malone's nine rebounds and
Darren Williams' five boards are also the best marks of their careers.
Next, FGCU looks to earn its second win of the ASUN-SoCon challenge when it travels to Birmingham to face Samford at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 19
For more information on FGCU men's basketball, follow @FGCU_MBB on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook, and visit
fgcuathletics.com.
