FORT MYERS, Fla. – Undefeated Florida Gulf Coast University women's basketball heads to Conway, Arkansas, this Thursday to take on 13-1 Central Arkansas at 7:30 p.m. in a game likely to determine the fate of the Atlantic Sun Conference regular season champion.
First-place FGCU and second-place Central Arkansas have not met this season, but the Eagles are 4-0 all-time when facing the Sugar Bears. FGCU captured its eighth straight ASUN Tournament title the last time the two teams met a season ago. The Eagles punched their ticket to the Big Dance with a convincing 76-47 win over the Sugar Bears in the championship game.
Emani Jefferson scored a team and game-high 20 points, and this season is averaging 13.8 points per game this season. The ASUN Preseason Player of the Year has scored 10 or more points in all but two games.
Central Arkansas' only loss in conference this season was a 68-60 stumble at Bellarmine. Since then, UCA has won 12 games in a row, eight of which have been by double-digit margins. The Sugar Bears are 15th in the country in blocks per game, averaging 5.1 per contest. Bree Stephens is fifth nationally in total blocks with 70.
Great news for the undersized Eagles as UCA's 3-point percentage defense is 10th in the ASUN. Teams this season are shooting 34 percent against the Sugar Bears. FGCU has hit 223 3-pointers and is averaging 32.5 percent from beyond the arc. FGCU's 8.6 treys per game rank No. 25 nationally. Dolly Cairns and Alahna Paige have hit more than 40 threes this season, and Cairns leads the way with 53. Her 44.5 shooting percentage from 3-point land ranks No. 16 in the country.
FGCU will also counter with a double-double machine and rim protector of their own in Lauryn Taylor. Taylor has produced nine double-doubles this season and her 9.4 rebounds per game ranks second in the ASUN. As a team, FGCU possesses the fifth-best scoring defense in the country, allowing just 52.4 points per game.
FGCU has won 16 in a row and is still perfect in ASUN play at 14-0, winning all but one conference game by double-digits. The Green and Blue has also won 47 consecutive games against ASUN opponents dating back to Jan. 21, 2023. The Eagles received seven votes in this week's USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll. FGCU has earned votes in the poll for seven straight weeks and is No. 9 overall in the CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Top 25 Poll.
Looking ahead to Saturday, FGCU is scheduled to face North Alabama (12-13, 7-7 ASUN) at 7 p.m. The Lions have clinched the spot in the upcoming ASUN Tournament are currently tied for the sixth seed.
