FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast University will carry a four-game win streak into the postseason following an 80-61 victory Wednesday at Alico Arena. The win locked in a 13-5 Atlantic Sun Conference record for the Eagles, the No. 3 seed and Alico Arena as a host site in next week's ASUN Tournament. Information on ASUN Tournament tickets is coming soon.
Rapid Recap:
It took less than five minutes for FGCU to gain its first 10-point lead, 14-4, on a 3-pointer for
Dallion Johnson, his 10th point of the game. Bellarmine chipped the Eagles' lead down to four points, 38-34, with 1:23 before the half, but a
Keeshawn Kellman layup and last-second fastbreak steal and layup by
Michael Duax gave FGCU a 42-34 halftime lead.
Momentum carried into the second half as the Eagles built an 11-1 run to lead in the first eight minutes to lead by 18 points, 53-35, on a
Darren Williams 3-pointer. The Eagles' 63.6 percent 3-point shooting in the second half propelled the Eagles down the stretch.
Notes and Numbers:
- Johnson led all players with 26 points, tying a career-high, to pull closer to his 1,000 career mark. He will enter the postseason with 971 career points, including 813 as an Eagle.
- Kellman had a double-double for the second-straight game, collecting 20 points and 12 rebounds.
- FGCU shot 50 percent from beyond the 3-point arc (13-of-26), while holding the Knights to 7-of-24 from long range. The Eagles nearly doubled Bellarmine's rebounds, grabbing 42 to the Knights' 22.
- Thirteen wins in conference play is the most in the
Pat Chambers era and the most since the 2012-13 season, the same year the Eagles pulled off its infamous Dunk City Sweet 16 run. Eighteen wins in the overall column is the most since 2021-22.
- The last time FGCU hosted an ASUN Tournament game was 2022. Monday's quarterfinal matchup will be the first home tournament game for coach Chambers.
- The third seed is the highest FGCU has earned in a non-divisional format since 2016-17.
Up Next:
FGCU (18-13) will host sixth-seeded Queens (18-13, 11-7) in the ASUN quarterfinals Monday, March 3 at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
