FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast University women's basketball defended home court Thursday with a 78-64 win over Jacksonville to capture its eighth straight Atlantic Sun Conference regular season title.
Rapid Recap:
The Dolphins swam out to a 6-0 lead, a stark contrast to FGCU's 42-point win in the first matchup of the season. Jacksonville held the lead for first nine minutes and five seconds on Thursday. FGCU finally surpassed JU on a Lauryn Taylor two-point basket, giving the Eagles a 21-20 lead. FGCU held onto its one-point lead to end the quarter and the lead for the rest of the game.
Alahna Paige opened the second quarter with a three-ball. Paige hit five of FGCU's eight made threes on Thursday. After being down 20-16, FGCU used an 11-0 run to take a seven-point advantage, up 27-20. Late in the second, Taylor secured a loose ball turnover and fed a sprinting Khamari Mitchell-Steen for a fastbreak transition layup and a 38-27 halftime lead.
FGCU grounded out its lead to a 20-point spread through 30 minutes of play, up 61-41, with a game-high 23-point third quarter. The Eagles would lead by as many as 25 in the final period. Karina Gordon sent one final message to the Dolphins at the 7:59 of the fourth, powering through and knocking over her defender for an old-fashioned 3-point play. A total of 41 fouls were called Thursday, but FGCU kept its composure despite being tagged with 23 to JU's 18. Jefferson and Taylor finished the game with four fouls.
Notes and Numbers:
- FGCU won its eighth straight ASUN regular season title to clinch the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming ASUN Tournament. The title is the 15th in the program's history but the first under coach Lyles.
- The Eagles (26-3, 17-0 ASUN) have won 19 straight games and are one win away from back-to-back years of perfect records in conference play. FGCU also extended its win streak against JU to 20 games and its ASUN win streak to 50.
- Mitchell-Steen and Paige contributed a team-high 17 points. Cerina Rolle and Taylor pitched in 12. Rolle shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the field.
- FGCU struggled from close range, making only 17 of 36 layup attempts. JU also outrebounded FGCU on the glass, 54-35.
Up Next:
FGCU closes out the regular season Saturday on the road at Stetson. Tipoff in DeLand is set for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
