The matchup, which signifies the first home game for the Eagles since a season opening win over Illinois on Nov. 12, will mark the first meeting between the two teams since Jan. 25, 2003, which resulted in a 103-31 win for FGCU.
Last Time Out:
FGCU completed an eight-game road trip that spanned 19 days. During the trip, the Eagles ventured from Miami, Akron, Ohio, Loudonville, N.Y., Las Vegas, and Abilene, Texas where they produced a 6-2 record during the stretch that included a win over then #21 DePaul in the Play4Kay Showcase at Mandalay Bay. The team's two losses came to #8 Ohio State and Belmont, two teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year.
In the most recent game on the road, the Eagles played Abilene Christian and won by a score of 94-55.
In the most recent game on the road, the Eagles played Abilene Christian and won by a score of 94-55.
Tay-Grad Goes For 1,000:
The top storyline entering Tuesday's matchup will be on Taylor Gradinjan's pursuit of 1,000 career points. The sixth-year senior is currently just one point away from becoming just the 10th player in program history to reach the milestone and only the 9th player in the program's Division-I era. In the game against Abilene Christian, Grandijan had 18 points all from the 3-point line, placing her at 999 points. In addition, Grandijan is also 18 points away from passing Courtney Chihill (1,016, 2008-12) for 8th place on the program's Division-I career scoring list. Gradinjan is currently averaging 11.7 points over nine games this year.
The top storyline entering Tuesday's matchup will be on Taylor Gradinjan's pursuit of 1,000 career points. The sixth-year senior is currently just one point away from becoming just the 10th player in program history to reach the milestone and only the 9th player in the program's Division-I era. In the game against Abilene Christian, Grandijan had 18 points all from the 3-point line, placing her at 999 points. In addition, Grandijan is also 18 points away from passing Courtney Chihill (1,016, 2008-12) for 8th place on the program's Division-I career scoring list. Gradinjan is currently averaging 11.7 points over nine games this year.
Veteran Lineup:
Along with Gradinjan, seniors Rosemarie Julien and Erica Nelson and sophomores Nasrin Ulel and Tytionia Adderly have been a strong foundation for the starting lineup.
Julien leads the team in scoring at 13.1 PPG while shooting .404 from 3-point range. Julien had 10 points in the game against Abilene Christian.
Ulel is second on the team in scoring at 12.8 PPG. The sophomore guard exploded for a team-high 19 points on 5-for-9 shooting from 3-point range against Abilene Christian. She now has at least 17 points in five of nine games this year, including a career-high 28 in the team's win over FIU on Nov. 15.
Ulel is second on the team in scoring at 12.8 PPG. The sophomore guard exploded for a team-high 19 points on 5-for-9 shooting from 3-point range against Abilene Christian. She now has at least 17 points in five of nine games this year, including a career-high 28 in the team's win over FIU on Nov. 15.
Nelson leads the team in assists with 26 and is averaging 7.6 PPG. Against Abilene Christian, Nelson had eight points and three assists.
Adderly leads the team in rebounding at 7.9 RPG, while contributing 6.4 PPG. Adderly had nine points and seven rebounds against Abilene Christian.
Adderly leads the team in rebounding at 7.9 RPG, while contributing 6.4 PPG. Adderly had nine points and seven rebounds against Abilene Christian.
Bench Role:
The FGCU bench is led by redshirt senior China Dow and redshirt junior Lisa Zderadicka,
Dow is averaging 11.2 PPG, which is fourth best on the team. Against Abilene Christian, the Louisville native had seven points.
Zderadicka checks in at 6.9 PPG and is tied with Nelson for the team-high in assists with 26. Zderadicka had five points and four assists against Abilene Christian.
Another bench player who has been coming on of late is redshirt freshman Chandler Ryan, who had a season-high 11 points in the win over Abilene Christian. Ryan is averaging just over 7 PPG over the past three outings.
Dow is averaging 11.2 PPG, which is fourth best on the team. Against Abilene Christian, the Louisville native had seven points.
Zderadicka checks in at 6.9 PPG and is tied with Nelson for the team-high in assists with 26. Zderadicka had five points and four assists against Abilene Christian.
Another bench player who has been coming on of late is redshirt freshman Chandler Ryan, who had a season-high 11 points in the win over Abilene Christian. Ryan is averaging just over 7 PPG over the past three outings.
Scouting Southeastern:
The Fire (11-0) enter Tuesday's game having won 35 consecutive regular season games dating back to Feb. 10, 2016. On top of that, they haven't lost a game in the state of Florida since Jan. 26, 2016 (Keiser University, 56-51).
The Fire are the two-time defending Sun Conference regular season and tournament champions, and have made the NAIA Division II National Tournament three consecutive seasons, including a quarterfinal appearance last year.
The Fire are the two-time defending Sun Conference regular season and tournament champions, and have made the NAIA Division II National Tournament three consecutive seasons, including a quarterfinal appearance last year.
Southeastern is currently ranked #3 in the nation in the NAIA Division II poll, and lead the NAIA Division II rankings in field goal percentage at 55.2 and rank second in 3-point shooting at 42.4 percent. They have shot 50 percent or better in nine of 11 games this year, including three above 60 percent. The Fire have won their 11 games by an average margin of 32.8 points. Defensively, they are third in the nation in field goal defense, holding opponents to 31.6 percent from the field and only one team has shot better than 37 percent against them this year - Northwestern College.
Furthermore, Southeastern has defeated ranked NAIA teams #13 Indiana University East (101-72), #17 Northwestern College (80-75), #20 Loyola University (80-63), RV Keiser (116-48) and RV Xavier University (60-39). They have scored 100 or more points four times this year, including three of the past four games. The Fire also played the Martinique National Team, winning by a score 121-11.
Southeastern is led by Tim Hays, who is in his second year at Southeastern. During Hays' time, the team has compiled a 39-1 record, and led the team to regular season and tournament championships in the Sun Conference last year and a trip to the NAIA quarterfinals.
He was previously a head coach at NCAA Division II Colorado Christian for six years, where he led them to a National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) national title in the 2011-12 season and berths in the NCAA Division II tournament in 2010-11 and 2014-15.
The Fire have five transfers from NCAA DI universities on the squad: senior Ana Richter (Miami (OH)), juniors Jaycee Coe (Kentucky) and Halee Printz (Toledo), sophomore Marlena Schmidt (West Virginia), and grad student Maja Michalska (High Point).
Richter leads the team offensively while averaging 22.9 points per game. In her most recent against Keiser, Richter had 25 points (10-for-10 FG, 5-for-6 FT).
Coe has also been a key factor on the offensive end for the Fire. Coe is averaging 14.7 points per game. The Kentucky transfer had 21 points against Keiser.
Schmidt is averaging 7.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She had eight points and five rebounds against Keiser.
Printz averages 7.8 points and 5.7 assists per game. Printz had five points and four assists against Keiser.
Michalska is averaging 7.6 points and 2.3 assists per game. Michalska had eight points and two assists against Keiser.
Series History:
This will be the second time both teams will meet. In the first-ever meeting between FGCU and Southeastern in 2003, Jill Bair produced a career-high 28 points to lead FGCU to a 103-31 road victory.
The game was played during FGCU's first year of women's basketball, and the team's scoring output still stands as the program's ninth most in a single game.
The game will start at 4:30 P.M. and will air on ESPN3. It is also dubbed as tank top Tuesday, so marketing is encouraging fans and Dirty Birds to wear their white tank tops to the game.
He was previously a head coach at NCAA Division II Colorado Christian for six years, where he led them to a National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) national title in the 2011-12 season and berths in the NCAA Division II tournament in 2010-11 and 2014-15.
The Fire have five transfers from NCAA DI universities on the squad: senior Ana Richter (Miami (OH)), juniors Jaycee Coe (Kentucky) and Halee Printz (Toledo), sophomore Marlena Schmidt (West Virginia), and grad student Maja Michalska (High Point).
Richter leads the team offensively while averaging 22.9 points per game. In her most recent against Keiser, Richter had 25 points (10-for-10 FG, 5-for-6 FT).
Coe has also been a key factor on the offensive end for the Fire. Coe is averaging 14.7 points per game. The Kentucky transfer had 21 points against Keiser.
Schmidt is averaging 7.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She had eight points and five rebounds against Keiser.
Printz averages 7.8 points and 5.7 assists per game. Printz had five points and four assists against Keiser.
Michalska is averaging 7.6 points and 2.3 assists per game. Michalska had eight points and two assists against Keiser.
Series History:
This will be the second time both teams will meet. In the first-ever meeting between FGCU and Southeastern in 2003, Jill Bair produced a career-high 28 points to lead FGCU to a 103-31 road victory.
The game was played during FGCU's first year of women's basketball, and the team's scoring output still stands as the program's ninth most in a single game.
The game will start at 4:30 P.M. and will air on ESPN3. It is also dubbed as tank top Tuesday, so marketing is encouraging fans and Dirty Birds to wear their white tank tops to the game.
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