FORT MYERS, Fla. – Top-seeded Florida Gulf Coast University women's basketball advanced to the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament semifinal round next Tuesday with an 82-48 thrashing of 10th-seeded Austin Peay at Alico Arena Saturday night.
FGCU, winners of 21 straight and seeking its ninth consecutive ASUN Tournament crown, played with purpose against an upset-minded Austin Peay squad. In the first meeting of the year, the Governors (13-18) held the Eagles to just 45 points, but FGCU nearly surpassed that total at halftime. FGCU (28-3) shot close to 50 percent from both the floor and from downtown on Saturday.
FGCU's leading 3-point scorer, Dolly Cairns, drained her opening long-range attempt with a successful pump fake, and the ASUN Player of the Year in Emani Jefferson lined one up from the wing, making it 6-1 FGCU through two and a half minutes. FGCU sank nine treys Saturday and entered the day No. 21 overall in 3-pointers per game, averaging 8.7 per game.
The Eagles later used an 8-0 run in the first to then take a 21-8 lead over Austin Peay. The Governors closed the opening quarter on a 6-1 spurt, but FGCU would still lead 22-14.
Lauryn Taylor capped a 9-0 FGCU counter response with a three, forcing an Austin Peay timeout as the Eagles took a 33-16 advantage behind the home crowd. Jefferson extended the cushion to 20 points just over a minute left before reaching halftime, 40-20 soaring through the lane with a driving layup. The nation's ninth-best scoring defense limited Austin Peay to just six points in the quarter and has held 12 opponents this season to 50 points or less.
FGCU kept its foot on the gas in the third and scored the first five points to extend the lead to 25. Three Eagles had reached double figures before the end of the third quarter. Jefferson finished with a game-high 18 points Saturday. Dolly Cairns had 15, and Khamari Mitchell-Steen added both 12 points and the official stamp on the ASUN bracket.
Casey Santoro pushed the lead even further in the fourth. Her deep three gave FGCU a 30-point advantage, 65-35, with 6:37 to play. Santoro put the icing on the cake for head coach Chelsea Lyles' first ASUN Tournament victory by taking a Skyler Gill block coast-to-coast for an easy basket. Karina Gordon shot a perfect 3-for-3 from deep in the late going off the bench.
FGCU extended its win streak against ASUN opponents, regular season and conference tournament action, to 52 games. In the semifinals on Tuesday, March 11, the Eagles will host No. 4 Eastern Kentucky at 6:30 p.m.
