The FGCU women's basketball team opened its season in record-breaking fashion by securing a 100-54 win over Florida International in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center on Tuesday.
"I thought we had great energy in the first half," FGCU women's basketball head coach Karl Smesko said. "We forced turnovers and got out in transition. I thought it was a great first half, especially this early in the season. In the second half, I thought FIU showed some great intensity and made some good adjustments and played us really well. We'll learn from some of those mistakes and get better."
The Eagles not only used a 47-0 run in the first half to break the game open, but they outscored FIU 41-2 in a record-breaking second quarter. FGCU previously had not scored more than 37 points in any quarter since the NCAA switched to quarters, and the two points allowed is tied for the second-fewest they've allowed in any quarter.
Furthermore, the 41-point outburst is the highest-scoring second quarter in NCAA history since the switch to quarters (T-5th most in any quarter), and the 39-point margin in the frame is also a national record for a quarter. The 100-point outburst overall was also the 18th time FGCU has reached the century mark in program history, including the second consecutive such performance against FIU.
Senior Nasrin Ulel led four players in double-figure scoring with 18. She finished 7-for-12 from the field, while Keri Jewett-Giles (15 points, six assists), Davion Wingate (14 points, 5-for-7 shooting) and Alyssa Blair (13 points, 5-for-8 shooting) also played large roles offensively.
Eight others also scored, including several who were making their debut in the Green and Blue - Anja Marinkovic (8), Ashli O'Neal (6), Erna Normil (6) and Ashley Panem (3). Tytionia Adderly was one of just two players who didn't score, but she tied Kerstie Phills for the team-high in rebounds (8) and finished second in assists (5).
Adderly surpassed Lisa Zderadicka (201, 2017-19) for 10th place on the program's Division I era assist leaders list, and she is now three steals shy of passing Brittany Kennedy (148, 2011-13) for sixth-most steals. Finally, the senior started her 91st career game on Tuesday, surpassing Adrianne McNally (90, 2007-10) for eighth-most in the Green and Blue.
FGCU extended its regular season winning streak that carried over from last year to 17, while improving to 13-5 in season openers and upping its all-time clean slate against FIU to 11-0.
The game itself was close early as the Eagles struggled from distance, opening 2-for-12 as a team and leading just 10-8 with 2:24 left in the first quarter, while Wingate had both of the makes.
Jewett-Giles got FGCU going, though, as she hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer with the shot clock expiring with 2:06 left to spur what resulted in a 47-0 run that eventually saw the Eagles lead 57-8 with 1:09 left in the half following a layup from Phills.
FGCU allowed just two made field goals in the first half. After their 2-for-12 start, they finished 10-for-15 before halftime while racking up 11 steals that helped lead to 39 points off turnovers in the first 20 minutes alone.
Overall, the Eagles finished 36-for-75 (.480) from the field, including a 19-for-49 (.388) performance from 3-point range.
Up Next:
The Eagles will have their home opener as they welcome NAIA Webber International (1-1) to the Alico Arena Thursday night, November 7 at 7 pm.
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