Florida Gulf Coast University women's basketball won its 25th game of the season Saturday, backed by a season-high 13 points from Skyler Gill to seal a 60-50 victory over North Alabama at CB&S Bank Arena.
"We didn't execute as well as we would have liked, but we were able to get a few key stops down the stretch that helped secure the win," head coach Chelsea Lyles said.
Rapid Recap:
Saturday's victory was earned, not given to FGCU. The Eagles came out flat against a block-hungry Lions defense and found themselves down 8-0 to start the night. UNA finished the game with eight total blocks. FGCU's first basket came over four minutes into the contest. The Eagles showed championship poise and rattled off a 8-0 run to pull within two, 10-12. Despite finishing the first quarter on a 10-2 run, North Alabama led 14-10. Chari Gallegos scored seven of UNA's first 12 points.
Dolly Cairns lined up a three to tie the game at 16 apiece at the 8:52 mark of the second. Emani Jefferson put the Eagles ahead for the first time with a hard finish at the rim, a shaky lead that FGCU would not relinquish. FGCU used an 11-0 run to grab a five-point lead, 21-16. UNA responded with a 5-0 answer to cut the deficit to one, 21-20, but FGCU took a six-point advantage into the break, up 30-24.
UNA cut the deficit back to one, 30-29, off a third-quarter Gallegos three. A Gill three pushed the Eagles lead back out to nine, 38-29, with 4:33 left to play in the quarter. FGCU hit four threes in the third period. Again, UNA cut the lead to two, but FGCU fluttered into the final period up eight, 46-38. In the final 30 seconds of the third, Cairns hit a transition three in the corner, which was sparked by a UNA turnover on the other end.
An early fourth-quarter layup by Gill extended the Eagles' advantage to 10. The Lions just kept fighting back time and time again. Lyles called a timeout as UNA drew to within four, 48-44, with just over six minutes to play. Khamari Mitchell-Steen drained a three coming out of the timeout as the Eagles soon pushed the lead out to 11, 57-46, the largest of the night courtesy of another Jefferson finish at the rim. A double-digit deficit with just over two minutes to play extinguished any UNA upset hopes as FGCU sealed the deal at the line. Ultimately, the Eagles avoided the let-down loss after drumming second-place Central Arkansas on Thursday.
Notes and Numbers:
- Only FGCU and UConn have won 25 or more games for 15 straight seasons.
- FGCU has won 18 straight games, having yet to lose in 2025. The Eagles remained perfect in ASUN play on Saturday, sitting at 16-0 by winning all but one conference game this season by double digits. The Green and Blue also extended its win streak against ASUN opponents to 49.
- With a win at home against Jacksonville next week, FGCU will clinch the outright ASUN regular season title for the eighth straight year.
- Gill scored a season and team-high 13 points Saturday. Jefferson had 12, and Cairns provided 11 for the Eagles.
- Gallegos scored a game-high 16 points for the Lions, and India Howard recorded six of UNA's eight blocks.
Up Next:
FGCU returns to the nest Thursday, Feb. 27 to host Jacksonville for the final home game of the regular season on American Heart Association Night. Tipoff for the Red Out at Alico Arena is set for 6 p.m.
