FGCU alum Chase Fieler posts dominating Dunk City performance

(via Captive Photons)

Fort Myers, Fla. will always be the home of Dunk City, but former Florida Gulf Coast star Chase Fieler made a strong case for the nickname's temporary move to Ourense, Spain.

The Eagles' all time leading rebounder and face of FGCU's Sweet Sixteen team shut down the gym with multiple rim-shaking slams in a recent game with Ourense Termal (see video below). He ended up with 16 points (7/8 FGs), 4 rebounds, and 4 steals in a 94-66 win over Oviedo.

Fieler is averaging 7.1 points and 3.6 rebounds so far in his rookie season as Ourense sits fourth in the LEB Oro standings with a 9-5 record. The former two guard is also shooting 36.1% from three, on 36 attempts.

"They said I need to make sure my perimeter game is a strength that I use to maneuver the league and use it to my advantage," Fieler said in August. "It's kind of something I went away from this season."

At the conclusion of the LEB Oro year, the regular season and post season champions are promoted to the Liga ACB, Spain's top tier league.

"Being my first year playing professionally, I just want to go out there and play as hard as I can to produce enough to help the team win more games than last year," Fieler said in August. "Then try to get into the playoffs and make a run."

Dunks
0:48, 1:30, 1:35, 2:14, 2:47

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Eagles' recent struggles show room for improvement

By: Cameron J. Kaiser

It's no secret to anyone, but the FGCU men's basketball team has been in a bit of a rut the past two weeks. After racing out to a 8-1 start, the crew from Dunk City have lost three of their last four to drop their record to 9-4. It's easy to point the finger to the fact that they have been playing better opponents lately, but that doesn't tell the full story. FGCU has the ability to knock off big time opponents; they've done it before and certainly have the talent to do it again. With a huge road game against Pittsburgh coming up Tuesday night, the Eagles will have to correct a grave mistake that has plagued them all season.

The main problem for Dunk City over the past two weeks has been their inability to hold down the opposition's offense. FGCU held opponents to an average 58.7 points through their first nine games. In their last four, the Eagles are allowing an inflated 76 points per game. However, their defense is not to fully to blame for these problems. The Eagles showcase a strong defense that puts pressure on shooters, and is physical in the paint. The problem is that the offense has been turning the ball over too much all season, and the good teams they have been facing lately are making them pay the price.

FGCU is averaging 12.8 turnovers per game, which is tied with Stetson and Cleveland State for 124th in the country. While that number doesn't seem much larger than the 8.5 turnovers the top team in the country, Cal Poly, is averaging, over the course of a game those four extra possessions for an opponent can turn into double digit points, which can kill a team. Teams are averaging 12.5 points off turnovers per game in the last four, compared to the 11.4 points opponents were averaging in their first nine. While a one point difference doesn't seem like a lot, turnovers can also kill the team that commits them by taking offensive chances away.

Not only do turnovers lead to points for the opposition, they takeaway a possession from the team that commits them. The Eagles have an explosive offense that can score swiftly when it gets into a rhythm, however turning the ball over does not allow them to find that groove. Against sharp-shooting opponents like Iona and Xavier, FGCU needs all of the possessions they can get.

FGCU can get away with 13 turnovers a game against their lower level opponents, but that number might not fly against the teams they will need to beat down the stretch to win the Atlantic Sun conference, and definitely won't work when trying to knock off a national powerhouse should they earn a spot in the NCAA tournament. Turnovers are part of the game, but if FGCU can knock off around three per game, that could give them a six shot swing in their favor. The Eagles feature a talented, deep roster, but in order to fully reach their potential they will need to protect the ball better going forward.

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FGCU vs Xavier Recap: Turnovers Doom Eagles

Florida Gulf Coast dropped their second consecutive regular season game in over a year on Sunday evening, as the Eagles fell, 71-57, to the Xavier Musketeers.

The glaring problem for the FGCU was giving the ball away. The Eagles committed 16 turnovers, tied for 2nd most on the season. Xavier took advantage, netting 14 points off those mistakes.

"We turned the ball over uncharacteristically in some situations which I though they took advantage and pressured us into. I thought we dug ourselves into a hole which we could never overcome," head coach Joe Dooley said.

That, combined with a poor shooting first half for the Eagles, left the Blue and Green trailing 43-29 at the half. Comer and Thompson combined for just 7 points before the break but fortunately, Julian DeBose picked up the slack - netting 12 first half points en route to a career high 17.

"I didn't feel as though it was pressure, I just felt I needed to bring what I'm capable of bringing to the team every game, and thats what I tried doing," DeBose said.

But starting the 2nd half, the Eagles started to find their rhythm as Bernard Thompson knocked down 4/7 from three point range. The Musketeers lead was cut to just 9, at 52-43, with 11:33 remaining.

"I was just being more aggressive, taking shots that I just happened to be open," Thompson said. "In the first half, I was just a little passive. It kind of came together in the 2nd half."

Despite the Atlantic Sun Preseason Player of the Year's best efforts, Florida Gulf Coast couldn't seem to get over the hump and get any close than 8 or 9 points.

"We had a couple shots at the rim we didn't finish. We had a couple turnovers at inopportune times," Dooley said. "We just never could get consecutive stops, they scored and put us in some tough situations."

But Joe Dooley and staff can't dwell on this loss for long as they continue on their road trip  to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers on Tuesday night.

"We'll rally tonight, talk about some things we can do better," Dooley said. "Pittsburgh's got a good team, it enables us to find out where we are...it's a quick turn around so we'll be able to refocus our guys."

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FGCU vs. Xavier Preview: Q&A with Banners on the Parkway

(via Captive Photons)

In anticipation of Sundays game between Florida Gulf Coast and Xavier, we conducted a brief question and answer with Musketeers hoops expert Caleb Childers of Banners on the Parkway. Be sure to check out their site and my answers.

LJ: Xavier has a very high powered attack, ranking very well in offensive stats, such as PPG, FG%, assists, etc en route to a 8-3 record. What has been key to such a great start to the season?

CC: The key to success is exactly what you just said. Our offense is explosive. Several players putting up points and lots of good ball movement. On the flip side we haven't played very good defense, but we're averaging 82 points per game. So to answer your question, lots of talented players on offense. 

LJ: Who are a few players to watch for the Musketeers?

CC: I tend to love just about everyone on this team, but I'm going to focus on two guys for y'all to watch out for. First up is our senior big man Matt Stainbrook (lovingly known as the Stain Train). He's putting up big numbers and as a monster around the glass. The other is Trevon Bluiett, our superstar freshman forward. He has exceeded every expectation so far this season and constantly puts up points. Everyone has been impressed with him and he plays a lot of minutes for the team. Those two are almost always on the court for the Musketeers, so watch out for them.

LJ: Xavier dropped two games to mid-major opponents, in UTEP & LBSU. Is there anything from those games that FGCU can learn from - how to maybe slow down the Xavier attack?

CC: Ouch. I kinda figured that you would bring up the Thanksgiving tournament, but it still hurts to think about. Xavier historically (granted it's only been 3 or so years) has been horrid during holiday tournaments. This year they defeated San Diego just to lose to UTEP and blow a game to Long Beach State, who they had already beaten earlier in the season. Both teams shot well from behind the arc and Xavier never clamped down on defense. Basically both teams outshot the musketeers and made us look bad.

LJ: Are there any Musketeers suspensions/injuries that FGCU fans should be aware of. How will these absences affect Xavier?

CC: This team has been lucky this year to be avoiding injuries and suspensions. Sumner is on a medical redshirt, but he was a freshman far down on the depth chart so his absence is not really missed at all this season. This looks to be a fair fight on our end, everyone is healthy is eligible besides the student section who is home for the holidays.

LJ: How do you see this one playing out?

CC: I tend to be an optimist, so I'm thinking that Xavier is going to be sloppy to start the game and it will be close for the first 10 or so minutes, then Xavier is going to pull away and win by about 9 or 10.

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Breaking down FGCU basketball RPI, 12.22.14

(via Captive Photons)

By: Sterling Thomas

As we are getting set to turn the page on the calendar, it is time to look at FGCU and some of its opponents thus far. At the time that this is being written, FGCU has the 85th ranked RPI (editor's note: FGCU now at 93) in the nation coming on the heels of one of the programs best road wins ever. The Eagles are 1-1 against other teams in the top-50 and 5-1 versus all other division one opponents. In games against D-1 oppositions, FGCU has a scoring margin of 6.7 points per game, which is good for 82nd in the nation.

It is still early for bracketology, but FGCU has been seeded everywhere from a 13 seed down to a 16 seed. The more FGCU handles their business the lower that number is likely to be. TeamRankings.com gives FGCU a 32.1% chance of making the big dance as of right now, which is about twelve percent behind USC Upstate who has been surging as of late with key victories over Georgia Tech and Mississippi State.

UCSB: After a slow start which saw the Gauchos drop their first two games at Kansas and at FGCU, they have gone on to win five of their next eight and seen their RPI climb up to 101st. Their rank should continue to rise thanks to the strength of their remaining non-conference games. This in turn will make FGCU’s victory over them look better and give the Eagles a solid non-conference win. The Eagles and the Gauchos will meet again on January 5th, which will be a pivotal matchup for the Eagles if they want to secure a decent seed in the tournament.

Ohio: The Ohio Bobcats have struggled thus far in 2014, falling to 3-4 on the season with an RPI of 242. Ohio has played a relatively easy schedule to this point and it doesn’t get much tougher the rest of the way. The Bobcats are in the Mid-American Conference which is a step up from the A-Sun and the competition, this fact alone will boost Ohio’s RPI and will only serve to improve FGCU’s standing with the committee come selection time.

Marist: Arguably the worst team the Eagles have played this team has been the Red Foxes. The lone win for Marist was against Fresno State in the seventh place game of the Gulf Coast Showcase. This was a game the Eagles were favored to win and they did not disappoint. Marist’s RPI is ranked an abysmal 332nd out of 351.

San Francisco: The Dons are a mediocre 6-6 with an RPI over 200, which does not look very good, but they play in a very good conference and even if they continue to struggle, the rest of the conference is strong enough to lift them to a top-150 RP, if not better. Additionally if San Francisco is able to get their act together, that number has a chance to climb even higher - giving the Eagles another quality win.

Green Bay: The Eagles suffered their first loss of the season versus the Phoenix of Green Bay in the championship of the Gulf Coast Showcase. Although the loss is disappointing, it is not as damaging as it would seem to the untrained eye. Green Bay has a fantastic RPI of 16 and peaked at number one in the nation earlier in the year. Barring a collapse of epic proportions Green Bay’s RPI will be in the top 100 at the end of the season. This will not hurt the Eagles as long as we continue to win the games we should and then steal one or two more on the road.

South Dakota State: Since losing to FGCU on November 30th the Jackrabbits have rattled off seven straight victories. This run has included impressive victories over Saint Louis and Utah State, both of whom should be contenders for the big dance when it is all said and done. SDSU has a few more out of conference games against top tier competition - they should finish with an RPI around 150.

Massachusetts: Possibly FGCU’s best regular season victory away from Alico ever, the Minutemen have played a very ambitious out of conference schedule. Even though they have had their struggles thus far, you wouldn’t know it by looking at their RPI (43). UMass has given themselves a chance to earn key non-conference victories with games against BYU and Iona, before going into conference play.

Florida International: The most disappointing game for the Eagles this season was against the Panthers, who are a mundane 6-6. FIU is 139th in the nation in RPI and unfortunately they don’t play in a power conference. Even if they play well the rest of the way it is unlikely that the Panthers finish with an RPI above 200, which makes this loss hurt even more.

Furman: The Eagles bounced back from the FIU loss with a win over the Paladins. Furman is not a great team this year, and the Eagles needed to handle business - which they did. Furman is ranked 248th in the nation and are going to hurt FGCU’s RPI. Outside of a game at Minnesota next week, the Paladins don’t have any chances to make a splash and help FGCU.

Atlantic Sun: The Atlantic Sun as a whole is ranked as the is a poultry 28th out of 33 conferences. Although the conference’s RPI is weak there have been a couple of bright spots. FGCU, USC Upstate, and North Florida have all scored victories over top level competition. Upstate has beaten both Georgia Tech and Mississippi State away from home, to go along with FGCU’s victory over UMass. To top it all off, North Florida went to West Lafayette and upset Purdue. These wins, along with the post season success the Atlantic Sun has experienced in the last couple of years, do wonders for the conference image

So what does all mean for the Eagles? Honestly, not much until FGCU finds a better conference or builds the clout necessary to be a consistent at-large threat. The only way the Eagles are making the big dance is via the conference tournament. FGCU has been impressive through the first eleven games of the season, but the last five games of the non-conference schedule are the types of games that could put the Eagles over the top for a possible at-large bid. The only thing the Eagles can do at this point is continue to play hard and win as many games as possible. As the season progresses we will track the progression of the Eagles and each of their non-conference opponents as well as the rest of the conference.

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FGCU basketball adds VCU transfer Antravious Simmons

(via VCU Athletics)

VCU transfer Antravious Simmons has been added to the Florida Gulf Coast basketball roster, the school announced on Friday.

Simmons averaged .7 points and .7 rebounds through the Rams first eight games before deciding to transfer from the program. The 6-foot-9 forward was ranked as a three star prospect and the No. 207 player in the 2013 class (via 247Sports).

He held offers from VCU, Alabama, Clemson, Kansas State, and FIU, among other schools. The South Miami High product is reportedly good friends with FGCU freshman guard Zach Johnson as the two played AAU together on Team Breakdown.

According to ESPN

"Simmons is a true low post player that has great size good footwork and hands. He runs the floor well for his size as well. Simmons does a good job of scoring around the rim with nice feel and touch. He does a great job of providing the passer a good target and does a good job job hitting his hook shot and drop step through contact."

He will start classes in January and will be eligible to play for FGCU following the completion of the 2015 Fall Semester, per the program release. Simmons redshirted his freshman year at VCU before being used sparingly this season. He has three years of NCAA eligibility remaining.

This fills the Eagles' final scholarship opening for the 2015-16 season, assuming there are no other unexpected roster changes.

This story is developing and the FGCU Eagles Nest will have more info soon.

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Performance of the Week: Kaneisha Atwater vs. Providence

By: Cameron J. Kaiser

If you're like me and attend Florida Gulf Coast University, then you know very well that last week was exam week. If you don't go to FGCU, well, last week was exam week, so the campus was relatively quiet. Same goes for the basketball program, which had their quietest week of the season. Both the men of Dunk City and the women of Raining Threes played one game each this week, both within the friendly confines of Alico Arena. The women once again flexed their muscles by beating the Big East's own Providence, while the men gave a lackadaisical effort against Florida International in their baffling loss to the Panthers.

Friars get grilled by Eagles

FGCU vs. Providence (Thursday, Dec. 11) W 68-58: Before their first match up ever against the Friars, FGCU had a program record of 2-3 against Big East teams. The lady Eagles built a 15 point lead deep in the first half against the Friars, and never looked back. Both teams tallied 33 rebounds and created 18 turnovers, but FGCU shot 51 percent to beat Providence by 10.

Disappointment in Dunk City

FGCU vs. Florida International (Sunday, Dec. 14) L 63-69: After racing out to a 20-6 lead in the first ten minutes of the game, the Eagles dilapidated right before the crowd's eyes. FIU turned up the defensive intensity in the second half, holding both Bernard Thompson and Julian DeBose scoreless. The Panthers out-rebounded FGCU 39-27 for the game, and outscored the Eagles by 10 in the second half on 65 percent shooting.

Performance of the Week

This week's "Performance of the Week" was by far the easiest to select to date. Kaneisha Atwater of the lady Eagles has earned the honor in week four for her record setting performance against Providence.

Courtesy of Captive Photons

Kaneisha Atwater, junior from Fort Pierce, Florida, had a monster night in the Eagles' impressive victory over the Friars of Providence. In 31 minutes of playing time, she put up an FGCU Division 1 record of 33 points, and did it on a nice 11 of 18 shooting. She also led the Eagles in steals with 4.

Atwater set the tone for the Eagles in the first half, scoring 12 of the first 21 points. She totaled 15 before the break, and then proceeded to not let up out of the locker room. Despite only scoring 26 points as a team in the second half, Atwater stayed strong by adding 18 more, sealing the victory over the Friars.

"She's an aggressive player. She's an emotional player. She's a high energy player. She's somebody that you have to respect her three, and then she's super quick with the ball. She's somebody that can provide a lot of defensive intensity, and I mean she's a very high level athlete, and then she has a high amount of competitiveness to go along with it," said head coach Karl Smesko about Atwater's ability as a player.

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Performance of the Week: Taylor Gradinjan vs. Southern Miss

 By: Cameron J. Kaiser

After two busy weeks to start the season, week three was much less hectic for the FGCU basketball program. Dunk City played a mere two games, while Raining Threes only played one. The lady Eagles beat their lone opponent to push their record to 6-2, while the men won both of their games to improve to 8-1.

Dunk City Dominance

FGCU vs. Florida Tech (Wednesday, Dec. 3), W 77-58: When the 7-0 Panthers of Division II came to Alico Arena, the fans expected to see a blowout. Well, while the final score wasn’t close, the Eagles only held a 3-point advantage at halftime. Led by an astounding 51 bench points, FGCU rallied to outscore the Panthers by 16 in the second half.

FGCU at Massachusetts (Sunday, Dec. 7) W 84-75: Dunk City took its show on the road to play in the Basketball Hall of Fame Holiday Showcase in Springfield, Massachusetts against the Minutemen of UMass. UMass, who was ahead of FGCU in the RPI ranking going into the contest, was knocked out by Tennessee in the round of 64 in last year’s NCAA tournament. In a game that was tightly contested for its majority, FGCU pulled away and led by as many as 18 with 3 minutes remaining in the game.

Extremely-southern Lady Eagles take on the almost-as-southern Lady Eagles...

FGCU vs. Southern Mississippi (Saturday, Dec. 6) W 78-62: Saturday night pitted Eagle against Eagle, as Southern Miss. came to take on FGCU at The Nest. USM, coming off a 27-7 season, played a physical style of basketball against the lady Eagles of FGCU. As their nickname suggests, FGCU used the long ball to knock out Southern Miss. The lady Eagles of FGCU hit 13 three pointers in their 16-point victory.

Performance of the Week

Week three of the season featured three individual standout performances from the FGCU basketball program. Freshman Christian Terrell of the men's team exploded off the bench against Florida Tech for 22 points, while Bernard Thompson tied a career high by hitting 6 three pointers against UMass. However, the best performance of the week came from red-shirt freshman Taylor Gradinjan of the Lady Eagles in their win over USM.

Courtesy of Captive Photons

On a night where Whitney Knight fouled out early and Stephanie Haas played limited minutes due to an illness, head coach Karl Smesko was forced into giving more minutes to his reserves. Gradinjan, who missed the bulk of the last two seasons due to a right ACL tear, came off the bench and gave FGCU 23 minutes of nonstop energy.

Taylor Gradinjan led the Eagles in scoring and rebounds, setting personal records in points with 23, rebounds with 9, three pointers with 4, and free throws with 7. In the first half, Gradinjan capped off a 17-0 run for FGCU by nailing 2 three pointers in a row, and then in the second half scored 10 points in a row for the Eagles.

"Taylor was knocking down open shots and looking for opportunities to go to the basket, being aggressive getting to the rim," said coach Smesko. "I thought offensively Taylor gave us a huge spark and a huge lift. She's had a couple good days of practice, and she followed it up with a great performance in the game."

Through all of the scoring, Gradinjan's 9 boards might be the most impressive stat from her big night. FGCU is not a team with a lot of size, and rebounding has been their achilles heel so far this season. At a modest 5'9", Gradinjan's activity on the glass provided a huge boost for the Eagles. Southern Mississippi only had 14 second chance points, while FGCU had 17. That, in part, can be attributed to Grandinjan's 8 defensive rebounds.

When asked about her breakout performance, Gradinjan answered humbly. "I just kind of went in and played. Just did my role, played with the team, and stuck to our game plan the entire time."

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FGCU vs. UMass Basketball Preview: Q&A with Hustle Belt

(via Captive Photons)

In anticipation of Sunday's game between Florida Gulf Coast and Massachusetts, we conducted a brief Q&A with UMass hoops expert Max Moore of Hustle Belt. Be sure to check out hustlebelt.com and follow them @HustleBelt.

LJ: One of our writers noted UMass' struggle with transition defense against LSU. Has this been a season long struggle you've noticed and something you think the Eagles would be wise to take advantage of? 

MM: Well UMass likes to fly at a uptempo style which means they like to press a lot. As most fans know when a press works its great. There are a bunch of turnovers and easy buckets. However, when your opponent breaks your press they are likely to get an easy bucket. So against teams with good guards who can break a press, than the answer is yes UMass plays suspect transition defense. If FGCU has capable point guards than they may be able to exploit this.

LJ: Most casual college basketball fans were aware of Chaz Williams' tremendous impact at UMass last year. How has his departure changed the dynamic of the offense and has UMass struggled to find other leaders/scorers? 

MM: Obviously losing Chaz is a huge loss and no one would say that it helps the team by not having him. He was the emotional leader last year and played harder than anyone I have seen in a long time. To say his was the fan favorite would be an understatement.

That being said he was a ball-stopper, which isn't exactly what you want from your point guard. There were many times last year, especially later in the season, where Chaz would just try and dribble through entire defenses by himself. Cady Lalanne saw his production dip significantly in the second half of the season last year. With Chaz gone now, Lalanne has been more involved and is the leader of this team. The ball is moving more fluidly, although assist numbers are down. While Trey Davis has struggled to replace Chaz this year I think that as the season progresses he will feel more comfortable in his role.

LJ: How often does UMass play in Springfield and what is the general sentiment from the team and fans about playing off-campus? 

UMass usually plays at Springfield once a year. With Springfield being only roughly 30 minutes away from Amherst I really doubt that any fan is that upset about playing there. Although I do find it odd to do this to the players seeing as it is the weekend before finals week. I would think that they would want to have this game on campus to lessen travel time and give players more time to be on campus to study. Also it might discourage students from traveling also.
 
LJ: Cady Lalanne has put up an impressive stat line so far this season. How does the big man do the most of his damage and what is the key to containing him? 

MM: Cady does his damage by being the best big man on the court. Seriously he is that good. He could be the A-10 player of the year and is already averaging 15-10 that includes playing four power conference teams plus Harvard. He is a deadly low post player who will score if not double teamed. To contain him you will need to double team him and have a third defender playing some very tight help defense. He does get sloppy with the ball when pressured so having a guard slip down to help would be a good idea. Also he has a tendency to shoot three pointers for some reason. Try to make him shoot as many 20 footers as possible. Other than that you will have to live with him scoring in double figures. He hasn't scored less than 11 points all year and I don't that changing now.
 
LJ: How do you see this one playing out?

MM: I think this one will be a close one with a lot of basket trading. However, Cady Lalanne will prove just too much for the Eagles and UMass pulls it out 71-68 along with a triple-double from Derrick Gordon. Also the FGSU players will be frightened of this foreign white substance falling from the sky and be too distracted to play (Yes, it is currently snowing as I write this).

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7-1 start provides optimism for Eagles; are they ready to take the next step?

By: Bryan Cooney

Winning on the road in any level of athletics is a satisfying accomplishment. It can mean many things for a college basketball program looking to establish itself as a legitimate threat in the landscape of the sport. Florida Gulf Coast, through eight games early this season, has tasted defeat only once to Green Bay at a “neutral site” tournament at Germain Arena in Fort Myers, in a game that Joe Dooley was less than pleased with on all fronts. The response from his club on their first trek outside Lee County - 1700 miles away to Sioux Falls, South Dakota? A strong team effort and a 13 point win against South Dakota State, an NCAA Tournament team two of the last three years.

Statement made?

As we all know, one game can mean very little in the run of a long season but for this group of Eagles, a win away from home, albeit at a “neutral” arena against an opponent playing less than an hour from its campus, is a rarity in its D-I history as a program. Since the 2011-2012 campaign, FGCU’s total number of regular season wins on the road out of conference? Two, against Samford and Furman, far from well-known commodities in the college basketball world. That total can be matched in one season this coming Sunday with a matchup against Massachusetts, a perennial contender in the Atlantic 10 year in and year out. It will take a better effort than the one shown against Florida Tech on Wednesday night.

Joe Dooley removed his starters just three minutes into the game, letting reserves battle for playing time and roles for games down the road. One player made the most of his opportunity: Christian Terrell. The 6-foot-2 freshman from Jacksonville poured in 22 points on 8/13 from the field, including 5/8 from beyond the arc, leading FGCU to a 77-58 victory.

“He’s been afforded a great opportunity because he has two great senior guards to teach him, and this year, we’ve talked about this, he’s going to be a really good player because he has to guard them every day in practice, and that’s really going to help him,” Dooley said regarding Terrell and his development going forward.

Having a game where the reserves competed for extended minutes should set up Joe Dooley’s rotation well as the Eagles roll into the difficult month of December. The trip to Springfield, Massachusetts looming on Sunday against UMass kicks it off. Julian DeBose has picked up his production offensively, and has rotated between the starting lineup and the first wave of reserves off the bench, along with Marc-Eddy Noreila throughout the first eight games. Brian Greene, Christian Terrell, and Logan Hovey have become more comfortable in recent showings, rounding out the five reserves I see getting the minutes when called upon going forward.

I was able to watch UMass playing against LSU on Wednesday night and saw one notable area in which FGCU should be able to attack. LSU’s guards raced all over the UMass transition defense after turnovers and loose balls, which should be make Brett Comer's eyes light up. UMass struggled from distance, going 2-13 from beyond the arc, but has two talented bigs in Maxie Esho and Cady Lalanne. They could pose issues for FGCU’s frontline. I expect Joe Dooley to rotate his bigs throughout the ballgame, and give his guards breathers to go uptempo against UMass. I see this game as a potential turning point in the confidence level of the squad going forward. A road 'W' against a quality opponent would be huge for this team heading into even tougher matchups against Xavier and Pittsburgh later on this month.

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Postgame Reaction: FGCU defeats Florida Tech, 77-58

(via Captive Photons)

Florida Gulf Coast was finally able to put away the pesky Panthers of Florida Tech, but that's not the real story from Wednesday night.

After the starters (Comer, Thompson, Jones, Morant, and Hicks) were on the floor for three minutes, Joe Dooley had seen enough and promptly subbed in five new players. They didn't see any time for the rest of the 1st half and didn't check back in until 16:31 left in the 2nd half.

We don't know if Dooley was simply trying to rest the starters, especially Comer and Thompson, against a D-II who they should have easily handled. Or if he was sending a message to step up the hustle and intensity.

Regardless, the "twos", as the announcers put it, showed some promise. And good thing, because they will be the main group of players running the show next season for Dunk City. Let's get into some of my post-game thoughts.

• Christian Terrell is going to be a superstar for years to come in Fort Myers. The freshman guard finished with 22 points and 3 rebounds. His confidence impressed me most of all. After air-balling a three point attempt in the 1st half, he confidently knocked one down from long range just a few possessions later.

• The Eagles answered the call. After sitting on the bench for about 20 minutes, the starters proved to be efficient in the 2nd half and went on a 21-8 run to put the game out of reach for Florida Tech.

• Marc-Eddy Norelia has added the mid-range jumper to his multifaceted game. We've heard about him working hard in the gym all off season to improve his jumper, and it's great to see it paying off. This adds another dimension to the Eagles' offense.

• FGCU needs to be dominate from the whistle and put teams like this, and Nova Southeastern, away early. Because in other situations, their talent alone won't be enough to pull out a win.

And a few from our writers.

An observation that I have after 8 games is that Jamail Jones is a tremendous passer. He's got great court vision.
— Cameron J. Kaiser (@CKaiser_FGCUNDN) December 4, 2014

I take stock in the programs freshmen come from in college athletics. Christian Terrell played high-level comp at Providence HS, it shows.
— Bryan Cooney (@Coondog16) December 4, 2014

The reserves are playing well, but you can tell they lack the gel that makes the core group so good.
— Cameron J. Kaiser (@CKaiser_FGCUNDN) December 4, 2014

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FGCU Basketball Recruiting Weekly Wrap: Thanksgiving Edition

(via HoopSeen)

Each week, the FGCU Eagles Nest will be bringing you statistics, videos, and more from Florida Gulf Coast's group of 2015 commits. This week, the trio of Eagles signees were all in action over the week of Thanksgiving.

Reggie Reid: 2015 PG - Harlem High School (Ga.)

Tuesday, Nov. 18
68-64 win vs. Evans
23 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists

Friday, Nov. 21
70-64 win vs. Grovetown
22 points, 12 rebounds, 13 assists

Saturday, Nov. 22
50-44 win vs. Lakeside
32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists

Rayjon Tucker: 2015 SF - Northside Christian Academy (NC)

Monday, Nov. 24
66-62 win vs. Calvary Baptist
24 points, 14 rebounds

Friday, Nov. 28
60-48 win vs. Stephenson
17 points
Saturday, Nov. 29
54-53 loss vs. Greenforest Christian
20 points

#DunkCity commit @Rayjon_Tucker24 GOT UP in last night's Northside Christian game. Eagles signee has major hops. pic.twitter.com/cqKnzgL5OM
— FGCU Eagles Nest (@FGCUEaglesNest) November 30, 2014

Elijah Long: 2015 PG - John Carroll HS (Md.)

*USA TODAY ranks John Carroll as the No. 24 team in the country

Monday, Nov. 17
76-44 win vs. Chapelgate Christian Academy

Wednesday, Nov. 19
59-41 win vs. Friends School
Stats: 6 points
QUOTE: "...set the tempo on the defensive end and never let Friends get into their halfcourt offense comfortably" (via Prep Hoops Maryland)

Friday, Nov. 21
57-51 win vs. Boys Latin School
Stats: 24 points

Monday, Nov. 24
60-25 win vs. Severn

Wednesday, Nov. 26
52-50 win vs. St Paul's

Monday, Dec. 1
54-52 win vs. Gilman
Stats: 17 points
VIDEO: Elijah Long Sinks Three Pointer

AVG: 15 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals, leads the team in charges taken (provided by Coach Tony Martin)

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Performance of the Week: Julian DeBose vs. Marist

 By: Cameron J. Kaiser

After a busy opening week for FGCU, it’s only natural that the second week was even more hectic. The men’s and women’s teams played a combined seven games in seven days over the Thanksgiving week.

The men of Dunk City were featured in the Gulf Coast Showcase, no more than five miles from campus at Germain Arena, while the women of Raining Threes headed to the Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam. In addition to the holiday showcase, the men also went on their first road trip of the year in Sioux Falls to take on South Dakota State.

Gulf Coast Showcase

FGCU vs. Marist, W 58-43 (Monday Nov. 24): Despite lacking the depth that FGCU possesses, the Red Foxes took advantage of the Eagles’ slow start. At halftime, the score was locked at 21. However, the second half was a different story. FGCU went on a 13-0 run out of the break and that’s all they needed to push their record to 4-0.

FGCU vs. San Francisco, W 62-47 (Tuesday Nov. 25): In the semi-finals, the Eagles took on a physical San Francisco team. The Eagles got off to a much quicker start, and beat the Dons in dominating fashion, 62-47. FGCU led by 26 at one point in the second half.

FGCU at Green Bay, L 45-59 (Wednesday Nov. 26): In the championship, FGCU took on the Green Bay Phoenix. In a battle featuring two of the top mid-major point guards in Brett Comer and Keifer Sykes, the Phoenix got off to a 15 to 0 lead that proved insurmountable. The Eagles’ perfect season was lost, but their record still stood at an impressive 5-1.

Wings Up, literally! First game played outside of the friendly confines of Fort Myers

FGCU at South Dakota State, W 71-58 (Sunday Nov. 30): Although the Eagles were considered the road team in the Gulf Coast Showcase championship, their first 'real' travel trip took them to the freezing temperatures found in South Dakota. The Eagles played somewhat of a sloppy game, committing 20 total fouls, but dominated the Jack Rabbits offensively in the second half.  

Dunk City’s record currently sits at a gaudy 6-1.

U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam

FGCU vs. Wichita State, W 56-39 (Thursday Nov. 27): In the first game of the Paradise Jam, the Eagles dominated the Shockers in the opening half, holding them to 13 points. They played solid defense all game, swiping 12 steals. FGCU cruised to the victory to move to 4-1 on the season.

FGCU at Clemson, W 86-61 (Friday Nov. 28): After falling to the Auburn Tigers in the previous week, the Eagles gained a little bit of figurative redemption by hammering the Clemson Tigers by 25. FGCU was led by Whitney Knight, who scored 28 points in only 24 minutes.

FGCU at Ohio State, L 83-90, 2 OT, (Saturday Nov. 29): In the final game of the tournament, the Eagles were locked in a battle for the ages with the Buckeyes. In a back and forth contest that featured 4 ties and 5 lead changes, FGCU eventually got into foul trouble, and ran out of steam in the second overtime period.

Despite their loss on the final day, the Eagles were named champions of the Paradise Jam due to their large scoring margin. Their record now sits at a solid 5-2.

Performance of the Week

Courtesy of Captive Photons

Unlike the first week where most of the games featured one stand out performance to lead the way, the second week was more about the team collectively getting it done. Bernard Thompson had a great game against San Francisco, and Whitney Knight had a huge game in limited minutes against Clemson, but the second annual performance of the week has to go to Julian DeBose for his FGCU debut against Marist.

Despite a slow start, Julian DeBose found his footing as the game progressed. Maybe it was because he was tired of watching his teammates have all the fun during his three game suspension. Maybe it was because he was amped up to play his first game in the Blue and Green after sitting out a year due to transfer rules. Or maybe, and I think this is the most likely, DeBose is an athletic specimen that is simply really good at putting an orange ball in a hoop.

Whatever option you want to go with, Julian DeBose turned in an explosive night in what started as a lackluster game for the Eagles. He broke onto the scene with 15 points, and they all came in the second half. He hit a three right out of the break that generated some life in the fans at Germain Arena, and then got everyone out of their seats by flying through the lane for a monster and-one dunk.

DeBose, while not known as a great defender yet, had 2 steals. He also used his length to come up with 3 blocks in the game.

“I think that Julian can be an outstanding defender. We’ve talked about this, and I think he’s long, he’s lanky, he’s athletic, and I think he can be one of those guys that can be a lockdown type defender,” said head coach Joe Dooley in regards to DeBose’s defensive potential.

Julian Debose capped off his stellar debut by stealing an inbounds pass from Marist, and then dunking it to nail the coffin shut.

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Team effort powers FGCU to 71-58 win over South Dakota State

(via Captive Photons)

Brett Comer and Bernard Thompson have seemingly taken turns putting on dominating performances in the first few games of the season but neither could find much production in the first half against South Dakota State.

The senior guards combined for just two points and two assists before the break. But other Eagles, mainly the FGCU big men, were able to step up and contribute to keep the Eagles tied at halftime, and eventually give them the win, 71-58.

Eagles center Nate Hicks, who has shown incredible toughness in his return from an ACL tear, manned the paint and recorded 9 points and 9 rebounds. And despite being in some foul trouble, the ever energetic Marc-Eddy Norelia snatched 10 boards to go along with his 8 points.

"The other guys started scoring the ball and did their thing, and it opened up the court for us, made them more of targets," Comer said of himself and Thompson. "We have so many weapons on our team that some nights it's not gonna be us, it's gonna be other guys."

And on Sunday evening, FGCU really had all the other guys to work with. For the first time this season, Florida Gulf Coast was at full strength. Logan Hovey seems to be nearing full health. Jamail Jones returned from his three game suspension, joining Julian DeBose (who missed the first three contests). They're Eagles, and Joe Dooley let 'em fly.

"It was kind of the game plan since we have everybody here now we could throw bodies at guys on the other team to tire them out," Thompson said. "It was great to have everybody, so we could sub in, sub out real quick if people needed a breather."

But no team can contain one of the best mid-major backcourts for too long. The Jackrabbits were no exception. FGCU went on a 10-0 run to star the half as Comer tallied 12 points in the second half and did a phenomenal job facilitating the ball inside. Thompson suddenly got hot and nailed 3/4 from three en route to his 11 points after the break.

What impressed head coach Joe Dooley more, however, was the Eagles' defensive effort. They held SDSU to just 27 second half points on 7/31 (22%) shooting. The only real damage South Dakota State was able to inflect was from the free throw line, knocking down 12 of 15 from the charity stripe in the 2nd half.

"We did a better job of not giving up easy baskets...we just simplified," Dooley said. "The guys were a little bit more aggressive, more solid."

Florida Gulf Coast now heads home to battle Florida Tech on Wednesday, before heading to UMass on Sunday. With DeBose and Jones back from suspension, as well as Hovey and Hicks healthy, Dunk City has become a very deep and dangerous team.

"It takes some of the pressure off Bernard and Brett," Dooley said. "The big thing for us will be having practice time together. We haven't had a practice recently with everybody yet."

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FGCU defeats Marist, 58-43, in DeBose's debut

(Courtesy of Captive Photons)

By: Cameron J. Kaiser

It wasn’t pretty at times tonight, but the Eagles are 4-0 for the first time in the Division 1 era. FGCU took on the Marist Red Foxes tonight in their first of three games in the Gulf Coast Showcase, and won by a final score of 58-43.

Despite being a solid defensive team that thrives in the Princeton-zone set, Marist did not have a primary source of offense due to injuries to their starting backcourt.

Even with the loss of senior Jamail Jones due to a three game suspension for an undisclosed violation of team rules, this was the type of game that seemed destined to be blowout in the Eagles favor. 

FGCU got off to a rough start against the Red Foxes, making only one field goal in the first six minutes of the game. Marist led 11-4 all the way till the 10:15 mark in the first half when a jumper from Bernard Thompson ignited a 10-0 run that was capped off by a monster dunk from Marc-Eddy Norelia with two Marist defenders draped on his back. However, FGCU was not able to keep the pace up and pull away. As unlikely as it seemed, the Eagles went into the half with the score tied at 21.

Whatever FGCU head coach Joe Dooley said to his crew at halftime must’ve worked, because the Eagles came out looking like the team we have seen for much of the first three games.

Fresh off his three-game suspension, red-shirt junior Julian DeBose got the scoring started for FGCU in the second half with a corner three for his first bucket as an Eagle, then followed that up with a monster put-back, and-one dunk for an old fashioned three-point play. FGCU went on a 13-0 run to start the half, and never took their foot off the gas pedal.

From then on, the game became a showcase for FGCU to show off why they’re known as Dunk City. Sophomore Demetris Morant had a high flying jam courtesy of a nice inside pass from Norelia to push the lead 18, then sophomore Brett Comer brought the house down with a two handed jam off a fast break that he started with a steal.

DeBose, who led the Eagles with 15 points, closed the casket on the Red Foxes with a steal on an inbounds pass that led to an exuberant dunk with 50 seconds left. FGCU outscored Marist 37 to 22 in the second half.

“From the beginning we turned it over, we missed some easy ones around the rim, and then we got sped up and took some poor shots,” said coach Dooley in regards to his team’s slow start. “I thought that once we settled down and got the ball to the high post, once we settled in offensively we played a little bit better.”

The Eagles will play the winner of Hawaii against San Francisco on Tuesday night at 8:30. Both teams are considered much better than Marist, so FGCU can’t afford to get off to another slow start.

When asked if FGCU will come out with a higher level of energy on Tuesday, Brett Comer responded, “I think we have to. We will lose if we don’t come out with more energy.

FGCU is the first team in the Atlantic Sun conference to start 4-0 since Central Florida in 2004.

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Performance of the Week: Brett Comer vs. UCSB

(Courtesy of Captive Photons)

Every Monday our own Cameron J. Kaiser will write a weekly review of both the men's and women's basketball teams, and will choose a "performance of the week" to analyze.

It’s here, it’s finally here! After eight months of eagerly waiting, FGCU basketball is back, and the Eagles are looking as good as ever! Both the men’s and women’s teams started their respective seasons, and both are off to hot starts.

The FGCU women of Raining Threes kicked off their season on Friday the 14th, while the men of Dunk City started on Saturday the 15th.

The women opened their year against a talented George Washington team by winning 88-75. In their second game, which was mainly a tune-up for them, against Florida International, the Eagles won by a lofty score of 97-49. The FGCU ladies faced a big early season test against Auburn, and played well, but couldn’t finish the job on the road and lost 72-69. Sunday night in their fourth game, the Eagles faced Ave Maria at home. FGCU took care of the lady Gyrenes by winning 102-54 recording their largest margin of victory since beating Warner by 69 in November of 2012.

The men underwhelmed against Nova Southeastern in their opener, but still won 63-51. In their second game the Eagles faced California Santa Barbara, a team anchored by a strong post presence. In a back and forth contest, FGCU gutted out the W in overtime by a score of 81-75. For their third game in five days, FGCU faced a daunting task in taming the Bobcats of Ohio. In front of a sold out crowd at Alico Arena, the Eagles ran the Bobcats all the way back to Athens with a 79-62 victory.

The first week of basketball season featured four standout individual performances from the FGCU men’s and women’s basketball teams. Marc-Eddy Norelia burst onto the scene in the men’s season opener against NSU, while Bernard Thompson broke the school’s individual game D1 scoring record with 34 against Ohio, and despite losing on the road to Auburn, Stephanie Haas of the women’s team went off for 30 points.

However, the inaugural title of “performance of the week” goes to Dunk City’s facilitator, Brett Comer for his efforts against California Santa Barbara. Last Monday night, Comer came out and shredded UCSB for 28 points and 11 assists, shooting an astounding 11-14 from the floor.

In a game that FGCU won in overtime, the Eagles needed every bit of Comer’s monster night.

The Gauchos took a 49-47 lead with eight minutes remaining in the second half as Brett Comer waited at the scorer’s table to check in. After that, he didn’t check out. In those final eight minutes of the half, Comer took over the game scoring 10 of his 12 second half points, including a step back jumper to temporarily give the Eagles a temporary two point lead with six seconds left.

If it weren’t for Alan Williams making 2 free throws with a second left in regulation to send the game to overtime, Comer’s step back would’ve been a perfect way for him to end his spectacular night. Instead, overtime just gave him five more minutes to showcase his greatness.

In overtime, Comer added 8 more points, including a huge free throw that gave FGCU a 4 point lead with only a minute left to play. The Eagles won the game in thrilling fashion 81-75.

When asked about his big second half and overtime, Comer answered intelligently. He cited reasons such as players in foul trouble for UCSB, and their inability to defend the on ball screens he was getting as to why he was able to take over down the stretch.

“I was in an area to attack, so I was attacking, and if I had a layup I’d shoot it and if not I would kick it out to an open teammate for a shot.”

Brett Comer was named to the Atlantic Sun preseason First Team, and he is already showing why he is considered to be one of the best point guards in conference history. Included in the crowd that realizes Comer’s greatness are his own teammates, most specifically Bernard Thompson, who helps him form the most prolific backcourt in the NCAA.

“He has a hard work ethic. He goes in, gets shots up, he pushes himself to be a better player. It’s been good just watching him develop as a player, as a person, and I’m very proud of him,” said Bernard Thompson in praise of his teammate and fellow A-Sun preseason First Team Selection.

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2015 PG Reggie Reid signs NLI to Florida Gulf Coast

Florida Gulf Coast landed their third commitment of the 2015 class on Friday when the school announced that Harlem, Ga. point guard Reggie Reid had signed his NLI to the Eagles.

Rivals and 247Sports rank the 5-foot-11 floor general as a three-star recruit. Multiple outlets have reported that he also held an offer from Appalachian State.

After averaging 27 points per game as a sophomore at Harlem HS, Reid transferred to Elev8 Sports Instituite in Delray Beach, Fla for his junior year. However, the 2x All-County Player of the Year is reenrolled at Harlem and has set high goals for his senior season.

“Make it back to state, get past the first round and try to get a ring,” Reid told the Columbia County News-Times.

Reid joins point guard Elijah Long (John Carroll HS, Md.) and small forward Rayjon Tucker (Northside Christian Academy, NC) in Dunk City's 2015 recruiting class. All three have signed their NLIs, and the Eagles still have one scholarship open for the 2015-16 season.

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Former FGCU star Sarah Hansen signs in Finland

(via Captive Photons)

Former Florida Gulf Coast women's basketball star Sarah Hansen signed her first pro contract on Sunday when she inked a deal with Forssan Alku in Finland.

Forsann competes in the Naisten Korisliiga, the highest tier of women's basketball in Finland, and has won a record tying eight championships since the league's inception in 1944. However, they are currently 1-7 on the year. Hansen informed the FGCU Eagles Nest that Forsann is not happy with their season and is bringing in a whole new team and coaching staff.

"I recently signed with a new agent. She knew the new coach from previous contracts," said Sarah Hansen. "He liked the way that I played and everything. It all pretty much came from there."

"Hopefully we can win more games...1-7 is not exactly the best," Hansen continued. "I obviously don't know much about the team or playing overseas so initially, I just want to contribute in ways that they need me to."

Hansen will look to carry over the tremendous success from her senior year. She averaged 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds a game en route to being named the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year for the second season in a row. The Eagles captured the Atlantic Sun title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament as she was inducted into the FGCU Hall of Fame.

"Florida Gulf Coast made me into a significantly better ball player. Coach Smesko is one of the most amazing coaches I've ever come across," Hansen said.

That was just the final season in her tremendous collegiate career, in which she finished as the Eagles' all time leader in points, field goals made, rebounds, steals, games started, and minutes. After redshirting her freshman year, she landed on the Atlantic Sun All-Conference 1st team and earned a plethora of other awards as a sophomore and junior.

"When I came into FGCU, I redshirted. I wasn't good enough to be on the court. I was basically a practice player," Hansen said. "In my five years, I grew a lot as a player, intelligence wise and talent wise. It completely changed my game and changed me as a player."

The McKean, Pa. native flies to Finland on either Nov. 18 or 19 to continue her baksetball career. She will be joining former Eagle Brittany Kennedy, who spent the 2013-14 season with Saarlouis Royals (Germany), in the professional ranks.

"I've talked to some coaches and Brittany Kennedy. There's less physicality overseas than here. That's going to be a big change - it will be a lot more finesse and things like that," Hansen said.

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Norelia's energy lifts FGCU past Nova Southeastern, slow start

(via Captive Photons)

A sluggish start from the Florida Gulf Coast men's basketball team had Eagles fans anxiously squirming in their seats. When would they see the Dunk City squad that was predicted to dominate the conference and return to the NCAA Tournament?

"In the first half we were frustrated. We weren't running our offense the way we wanted to, and defensively we were giving up way too many easy layups and shots," said senior guard Brett Comer.

Well, the Eagles' first dunk came with 6:31 left in the first half when Brett Comer threw a lob to athletic UNLV transfer Demetris Morant. It got Alico Arena on its feet, and it sparked the Eagles as well; they went on a 9-2 run to end the half.

Once FGCU had the momentum on their side, both Jamail Jones and Marc-Eddy Norelia made sure they kept the foot on the gas pedal. The two transfers were flying all over the floor, as they racked up a combined 33 points and 23 rebounds.

"His energy level was great in the second half, rebounding the ball with two hands...a big offensive putback to give us some room," Coach Dooley said of Norelia. "It took him a little while to ease into it, but we've seen it for the last year, he's had great energy for us everyday."

Also proving to be a tenacious defender alongside Jones and Norelia was freshman guard Christian Terrell. Despite a few silly turnovers, which is to be expected in his first collegiate game, the Jacksonville native racked up 7 points on 3/5 shooting.

"He made a big shot in the first half to give us a little momentum. He's very actively defensively, you saw he had a couple deflections," Dooley said. "It's just a learning process and I think one of the things that helps him is having the senior guards."

Speaking of newcomers (it's quite a theme here in Dunk City), Auburn transfer Brian Greene Jr. took over the point guard duties when Brett Comer needed a breather. Meanwhile, former UNLV forward finished the day with 2 points, on his lone dunk; he looked a little tense and dropped a few easy passes and rebounds.

Players Missing: Julian DeBose (three game suspension), Logan Hovey (foot), Nate Hicks (ACL)

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Marc-Eddy Norelia slams home putback dunk

Tulane transfer Marc-Eddy Norelia made quite a splash in his Florida Gulf Coast debut, Saturday. The 6-foot-8 redshirt sophomore slammed home this putback dunk en route to 16 points and 13 rebounds in a 63-51 win over Nova Southeastern. Expect the athletic forward to continue making highlight reels as the Eagles continue their season on Monday against UC Santa Barbara.

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FGCU Basketball 2014-2015 Season Outlook

By: Bryan Cooney

The thrilling run to the Sweet 16 in 2013 brought national attention and a following with fans hooked on the wave that Dunk City rode on with wins over Georgetown and San Diego State. The expectations for Florida Gulf Coast and new head coach Joe Dooley were off the charts. In 2014, a promising season ended in the NIT against Florida State, after a defeat at the hands of arch-rival Mercer in the Atlantic Sun Championship thwarted a return trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Eagles. With three departures from last season’s team, Chase Fieler, Eric McKnight and Dajuan Graf, one would think that void that is hard to replace. Fortunately for Joe Dooley, four transfers from Division-I programs are ready to step in and provide depth and production. Marc-Eddy Noreila (Tulane), Julian Debose (Rice), Brian Greene Jr. (Auburn), and Demetrius Morant (UNLV) combined with the familiar cast of characters in Brett Comer, Bernard Thompson, Jamail Jones, and Nate Hicks, give FGCU its most talented roster in the school’s history. Senior Marcus Blake along with JUCO transfer Eric Moeller, true freshman Christian Terrell, and Logan Hovey who took a medical redshirt last season due to a leg injury should factor into the rotation as well.

A potential eleven-deep rotation should allow maximum flexibility for Joe Dooley to mix and match lineups and provide rest for players when needed. Possibilities are endless with five on the floor, but the starting lineup in the opener against Nova Southeastern on November 15th should feature familiar faces. Comer, Thompson, and Jones have cemented themselves as the staples of the Eagle lineup, with the trio starting all but five games all of last season. Comer begins the season as the active leader in assists amongst any player in college basketball entering this season and is closing in on the Atlantic Sun all-time record of 634, sitting 35 assists shy of that mark. Thompson’s prowess as a dynamic scorer and defender makes him one of the more valuable players in the Southeast. Jones settled into his own the latter third of the regular season and postseason and will be looked upon as a leader on and off the court. Noreila appears to have the first crack at the power forward position with his mobility and athleticism hard to leave out of the starting lineup. Hicks looks to return from an ACL injury sustained in the NIT matchup against Florida State and if healthy, should provide an imposing force at the rim and on the boards.

I believe there are three keys to success this season for FGCU, with one common theme: The letter B. The first B I look at is the bench. Bench depth in a conference like the A-Sun always gives the opposition issues with matchups, and with the talent at Joe Dooley’s disposal, whichever way he goes will be impressive. The situations that can arise during a game or a season, from foul trouble to an injury, can be problematic for some clubs. But for the Eagles, the bench should be a strength. DeBose averaged over ten points a game for Rice two years ago, with impressive offense ability. Greene was asked to play point guard at Auburn, but seems to be more comfortable off the ball, and his athleticism should be very useful on both ends of the floor. Morant is athletically gifted and coming along in his development offensively. Out in the open floor, none may be better on this roster, and his length on the defensive end should allow him minutes to produce and gain experience. Hovey could be an important piece to the roster being a skilled forward who coaches have been high on since he arrived on campus. The rotation excludes sharpshooter Filip Cvjeticanin, who will miss the season after back surgery. Depending on the starting lineup, the bench roles can fluctuate, which is a luxury FGCU will be able to experience with many guys to choose from.

The second B, that may be the most critical key to the success of this team, is the bigs. Last season, outside of Chase Fieler, production on the offensive end was inconsistent. This year's squad will feature more skilled and of course eligible players in the frontcourt that simply were not available last season. The mix of Noreila, Hicks, Moeller, Morant, Hovey, and Blake are not established offensive threats, but are capable of finishing at the rim and causing havoc on the defensive end. Getting out in transition will have to begin with solid backline defense, which should be attainable from this group. I believe the use of Hicks, Noreila, Hovey and Moeller and their shooting ability can draw out the opposition’s bigs to create more space for the guards to attack the basket. It will be interesting to see how these guys are utilized, and after the first few games it will be easier to gauge how Dooley will approach this part of his club.

The third and final B to look at are the names Brett and Bernard. The two have started the majority of their careers at FGCU, and have established a relationship that is infectious to how the team dynamic can be established. I believe a stronger bunch in the locker room will emerge from this year’s team with the leadership on and off the court from Comer and Thompson, with no question the taste of the defeat in the A-Sun title game still in their mouths. I will find it hard to believe these two will allow the rest of the team to slip up mentally for any game this season, particularly in conference and going towards the conference tournament as March becomes closer. It has been a pleasure watching these two come in as freshmen and develop as players and as people, and it will be a lot of fun watching them do what they need to do to lead this team as far they can.

A quality non-conference schedule awaits the Eagles, highlighted by trips to Xavier and Pittsburgh at the end of December. An in-season home and home series with UC Santa Barbara and a meeting at Iona will be fun matchups on the mid-major side of the schedule. Plenty of road games to gain experience for the newcomers should be valuable heading towards conference play, and a well-tested bunch should be ready to take on the conference’s best teams as the calendar turns. Do not be surprised if at one point in January, the Eagles get on national radar if they are able to go on the road and score big wins in tough environments, as I believe this team is capable of doing. As Eagle fans saw in Andy Enfield’s second season, big things happened. A second season under Joe Dooley, with many of the eligible transfers having a year of practice under their belt, should lead to better play out of the gates and greater continuity throughout the whole roster.

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