FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast men's basketball travels to No. 17 Illinois for its first power conference game of the season on Friday, Nov. 7 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.

The Eagles rolled to a 96-60 season-opening victory over New College of Florida on Monday behind 14 points from junior guard Rahmir Barno and graduate guard Brandon Dwyer's first collegiate points.

Junior forward Isaiah Malone dominated the first half in his FGCU debut, posting a ten point, seven rebound, four block stat line in 13 minutes. FGCU also got double-digit outings from Rory Stewart and George Washington III, who posted 11 and 10, respectively. Washington III added three steals, a career best mark for the Richmond transfer.

The Eagles controlled the glass to the tune of 59 rebounds, setting the single-game program record for rebounds in a regulation game. The only time in the Division 1 era of FGCU men's basketball that the team had more was 61 rebounds in a triple overtime victory over Youngstown State on Nov. 21, 2015.

No Eagle had double-digit rebounds, but JR Konieczny, Tristen Guillouette and Michael Duax all tied for the team lead with eight boards, and six Eagles had more than five rebounds.

The +24 rebound margin is FGCU's best since matching that total on Nov. 21, 2021 against Eckerd. The 25 team offensive rebounds, led by Konieczny's seven, enters a four-way tie for the program record for offensive rebounds in a single game, matching the total against both Eckerd and the Penguins, along with 25 against Ave Maria on Nov. 29, 2015. Konieczny's seven offensive rebounds are a career high and Guillouette's five offensive rebounds tied his best outing.

Illinois enters off a 113-55 home rout of Jackson State. Tomislav Ivisic and Ben Humrichous scored 21 points each, and David Mirkovic posted a 19 point, 14 rebound double-double. The Illini shot a scalding 17-37 from beyond the arc and 54.8% from the field, as all five starters scored in double-digits in the wire-to-wire win.

For more information on FGCU men's basketball, follow @FGCU_MBB on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook, and visit fgcuathletics.com.