"I'm just really proud of the effort our young ladies had out there," FGCU head coach Karl Smesko said. "Jacksonville is an excellent team. They're definitely one of the most physical teams we ever play. It's always a challenge for us. We found a way to compete on the boards with a great rebounding team. We had players step up and just have outstanding performances that helped with a very tight, contested game."
Senior A-SUN All-Conference First team member Rose Julien lead the way offensively with 19 points (6-for-12 FG, 1-for-4 3FG, 6-for-6 FT) and six rebounds.
Senior Erica Nelson finished with nine points (3-for-4 FG, 3-for-3 FT), five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Sophomore Nasrin Ulel contributed with one rebound and one block.
Sophomore A-SUN All-Conference Second Team member Tytionia Adderly had two points, eight rebounds (six offensive, two defensive) and three steals. With her six offensive boards, Adderly tied Robyn Swain (236) for third all-time.
Redshirt senior A-SUN All-Academic Team member Taylor Grandijan finished with three points, three rebounds, one assist and two steals. Grandjian's three points came from behind the Arc. She now has 299 career 3-pointers made.
Off the Bench, redshirt senior A-SUN All-Conference First Team member China Dow finished with 18 points (6-for-18 FG, 2-for-6 3FG, 4-for-8 FT), five rebounds, one assist and one block.
Redshirt junior Lisa Zderadicka had a season-high 17 points (7-for-13 FG, 1-for-2 3FG, 2-for-2 FT), two rebounds, two assists and three steals.
"It's a tough loss for us. We had opportunities to take advantage of some situations and we just couldn't put enough stops together; we couldn't convert enough on the offensive end," stated head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. "If we're going to lose to someone, I'd want it to be to the number one team. Just us getting here, I'm very proud of."
For the Dolphins, senior Naqaiyyah Teague had 13 points, nine rebounds, two assists, one block and two steals.
Senior A-SUN All-Conference First Team member and A-SUN Defensive Player of the Year Kayla Gordon had eight points, nine rebounds and two assists.
Junior A-SUN All-Conference Second Team member Jasmyn Brown had seven points, two rebounds, one assist and two blocks.
Senior Brandi Buie had seven points, two rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal.
Junior Lindsay John had three points and two assists.
Off the Dolphins, redshirt junior Shakayla Nevitt had 12 points, one rebound, one block and one steal.
Sophomore Alexis Burns had two points and two rebounds.
Redshirt junior La'Karis Salter had two points, one rebound and one steal.
At the end of the conference, the A-SUN All-Tournament Team was announced:
Representing JU was Teague and Brown.
"I'm proud of our team. This is our most winning season and on the bright side, it's fortunate that we can still play. We'll see where we go in the WNIT and continue to try to represent the university and the program as best as possible. I'm just proud to think that we made history multiple times this season and I look forward to the future," added McPhee-McCuin.
For FGCU, it was Julien, Zderadicka and Dow. Dow was also named A-SUN All-Tournament Team MVP for the second straight year, and the first back-to-back A-SUN tournament MVP since Siarre Evans of East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Senior A-SUN All-Conference First Team member, A-SUN All-Academic Team member and A-SUN Player of the Year Loren Cagle from Lipscomb and redshirt senior A-SUN All-Conference Second Team member Keonna Farmer from UNF were also named members of the All-Tournament Team, but were not in attendance due to being eliminated from their respected semifinal games.
As it sits, all, along with FGCU, the other 31 teams have also punched their tickets to the national tournament:
ACC: #3 Louisville
AEC: Maine.
AAC: #1 U-Conn
A-10: George Washington.
Big 12: Baylor
Big East: Depaul
Big Sky: Northern Colorado
Big South: Liberty
Big Ten: Ohio State
Big West: Cal State Northridge
Colonial: Elon
C-USA: Western Kentucky
Horizon: Green Bay
Ivy: Princeton
MAAC: Quinnipiac
MAC: Central Michigan
MEAC: NC A&T
MVC: Drake
MWC: Boise St.
NEC: St. Francis (PA)
OVC: Belmont
Pac-12: Oregon
Patriot: American
SEC: South Carolina
Southern: Mercer
Southland: Nicholls St.
SWAC: Grambling St.
Summit: South Dakota St.
Sun Belt: Little Rock
WCC: Gonzaga
WAC: Seattle
For Northern Colorado, Mercer, Nicholls St. and Seattle, this is their first times going to the NCAA national tournament in their programs history.
Up next, FGCU will find out who they will play in the first round of the national and what seed they will be and what regional they will be in. It will all be determined by a selection show on Monday, March 13 at 7 P.M.
To close this blog, I want to say I was so happy for this moment. This is my third A-SUN Conference women's basketball tournament I've been to.
When I first came to FGCU, we lost to JU at home and had to play in the WNIT.
Last year, I went to the conference tournament finals at Stetson and we won before falling to Miami in the first round of the national tournament.
Now in 2018, I got to see the ladies win one last time before I graduate. I have never been so ecstatic like this. I want to say thank you to the whole team and to the cheerleaders and basketball band for keep the spirit up for them and the team.
This was my last conference tournament as a student and I'm happy that I ended part of 2018 on a good note with another conference tournament championship to witness.
Below are pics of the team cutting off the net and me with some of the basketball players and cheerleaders:
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| I got to hold the A-SUN Conference Tournament trophy (yes, it was heavy) |
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| With senior cheerleader Brittany Borman |
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| With redshirt junior Keri Jewett-Giles |
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| With redshirt freshman Tyra Cox |
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| A selfie with redshirt senior Jessica Cattani |
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| With freshman Alyssa Blair |
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| With freshman Sheahen Dowling |
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| With junior cheer captain Caragan Phillips |
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| With sophomore Paige Pitkin and senior Ernest Dorman |
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| With Dorman |
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| With Pitkin |
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| With freshman Joe Wright |
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| With senior Zahra Fayad |
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| With redshirt freshman Chandler Ryan |
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| With Nelson |
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| With Ulel |
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| Grandijan holding the net in victory |
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