CONWAY, Ark. - The FGCU women's basketball team got a complete effort on both ends Thursday night, picking up a 63-52 road win over Central Arkansas at the Farris Center in Conway. The Eagles led wire-to-wire after a fast start, then leaned on timely shot-making and defensive stops down the stretch to improve to 6-3 in the conference.
FGCU set the tone early behind the shot-making of
Sinai Douglas and the spark of
Anna Mortag, then separated with a dominant second quarter that held Central Arkansas to five points. The Sugar Bears trimmed the margin in spots, but the Eagles answered each push with poised execution, including a strong third-quarter response highlighted by a
Nay Staton steal that turned into an and-one and a buzzer-beating jumper from Mortag to end the period. Central Arkansas made one last charge in the fourth by forcing turnovers and generating second chances, yet FGCU steadied itself with key baskets from Douglas,
Jalei Pillow,
Jordan Campbell and
Karina Gordon, and closed the final minutes at the free-throw line to secure the 11-point win.
RECORDS: Florida Gulf Coast 10-10, 6-3 ASUN | Central Arkansas 11-9, 4-4 ASUN
SCORE: Florida Gulf Coast 44 | Central Arkansas 53
LOCATION: Farris Center | Conway, Ark.
First Quarter: FGCU wasted no time settling in, as
Sinai Douglas buried a three-pointer just 10 seconds into the game to jumpstart the offense. Central Arkansas answered with a pair of finishes at the rim, but the Eagles responded by going right back inside. Douglas set up
Nay Staton on a smooth pick-and-roll for a layup midway through the quarter, then stayed aggressive herself, converting an and-one as FGCU continued to push the tempo.
Anna Mortag sparked the Eagles off the bench, first finishing at the rim off a Douglas assist before knocking down a three to answer a Sugar Bear run. Mortag capped the quarter with another late triple, and FGCU's ball movement and shot selection kept the Eagles level at 18-18 heading into the second.
Second Quarter: The Eagles' defense took over in the second, flipping the game with stops, steals and disciplined half-court possessions.
Jordan Campbell jumped a passing lane for a steal and finished a layup off a Douglas assist to give FGCU the lead, and the Eagles used their activity to force Central Arkansas into rushed possessions and empty trips. FGCU kept pressure on by getting to the free-throw line, with Staton converting multiple trips to build the margin, and the Eagles continued to win key moments on the glass to prevent second chances. Douglas added a late pull-up jumper to cap the half, and FGCU's 11-point quarter was more than enough when paired with a defense that limited Central Arkansas to just five points, sending the Eagles into the break up 29-23.
Third Quarter: FGCU responded well after halftime, answering early Central Arkansas energy with crisp execution. Douglas opened the half by finding
Jalei Pillow for a layup at the rim, and
Karina Gordon followed with a midrange jumper as the Eagles kept attacking gaps in the defense. Central Arkansas briefly found a rhythm from the perimeter, but FGCU countered in the middle of the quarter with one of the game's biggest sequences: Staton picked off a pass, raced ahead and finished an and-one layup to stretch the lead, then later knocked down a three-pointer to push the margin even further. The Eagles also protected the paint with multiple blocks from Mortag, and they closed the quarter with Mortag burying a buzzer-beating jumper at the end of the period, off a Douglas assist, to send FGCU into the fourth with a 46-37 advantage.
Fourth Quarter: Central Arkansas made its final push by forcing turnovers and turning them into quick points, cutting into the lead early in the quarter. FGCU answered with composure, as Pillow hit a jumper off another Douglas setup to steady the offense, and the Eagles continued to value key possessions despite pressure. Douglas delivered a timely jumper midway through the fourth to keep the Eagles in control, and Campbell provided a lift by knocking down a three-pointer, again set up by Douglas, to restore breathing room. Staton helped close out the win by finishing defensive possessions with rebounds and converting at the line in the final minute as FGCU withstood the late surge and secured the 63-52 road victory.
FGCU shot 20-for-45 from the field and went 18-for-19 at the free-throw line, while holding Central Arkansas to 19-for-58 shooting. Staton led the Eagles with 19 points and eight rebounds, going a perfect 10-for-10 at the stripe, while Douglas added 17 points and six assists to go with five rebounds. Mortag finished with 10 points, two three-pointers and a game-changing four blocks, and Campbell chipped in five points, two steals and a three-pointer off the bench. Pillow added six points and a block as FGCU totaled six steals and six blocks and controlled the game with defense, timely shot-making and steady late-game execution.
Head Coach
Raina Harmon - "This was a complete team effort and a big road win for us. Central Arkansas is a very good three-point shooting team, so holding them to 24% really shows our growth defensively.
Nay Staton gave us a huge lift with 19 points and 8 rebounds, and Sinai was outstanding running the offense. She scored when she needed to and did a great job of hitting her teammates in their money spots."
Forward
Nay Staton - "Tonight was about us. Getting back to FGCU basketball. We played together for a complete 40 minutes."
FGCU stays on the road, traveling to Florence, Alabama, to face North Alabama on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT inside CB&S Bank Arena at Flowers Hall.
To purchase tickets to any home FGCU game, please visit this
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