FGCU WBB @ North Alabama Recap

In a game that featured six of the NCAA's all-time 1,000 point scorers, redshirt Keri Jewett-Giles poured in a game-high 25 points - including 13 in the fourth quarter alone, to lead the FGCU women's basketball team (18-2, 5-0 A-SUN) to a 74-63 win over North Alabama (13-4, 4-1 A-SUN) on the road in Flowers Hall on Saturday. With the win, the Eagles became the first team nationally to reach 18 wins while pushing the nation's third-longest conference winning streak to 33 straight. Overall, they've now won seven straight, while conversely snapping North Alabama's streak at four. Furthermore, the Green and Blue now own sole possession of first place in the conference standings heading into Monday's 7 p.m. home game against Kennesaw State.

"This was a very difficult game," FGCU head coach Karl Smesko said. "North Alabama is a really good team. It was just good to see us be able to come together and come from behind in the second half and find a way to win. Keri was exceptional. Nas played great defense. Everyone who got out there made a positive contribution, so that was a positive step."

After a first half that saw six ties and 11 lead changes, North Alabama scored five straight to open up a 42-36 lead with 4:23 left in the third quarter. However, the trio of redshirt seniors Davion Wingate, Jewett-Giles and Ashli O'Neal combined for six straight points in just over a minute to tie the game, and the surge continued as the Eagles closed the quarter on a 12-0 run. Six of those points came from Wingate, while four came from Jewett-Giles.

Then, with her team up 55-49 and 5:35 remaining, Jewett-Giles scored FGCU's next 13 points, including a pair of free throws with 1:15 left that gave the Eagles an 11-point lead.

Jewett-Giles finished 10-for-23 from the field en route to her game-high 25 points while adding three rebounds and two assists. It was the most field goal attempts by an Eagle all-time against an A-SUN opponent in the regular season. Wingate (14) chipped in 14 points, three steals, three rebounds and two assists, while senior Nasrin Ulel had 11 points, four rebounds and two steals.

With her nine points, O'Neal is now two shy of reaching 1,000 in her NCAA career. She added five rebounds and went 4-for-4 from the foul line.

Meanwhile, senior Tytionia Adderly produced six points along with team-highs in rebounds (9), assists (5) and steals (3). Aside from Wingate, redshirt sophomore Tyra Cox also tied Adderly for the team-high in steals.

FGCU's 12-for-12 performance from the free throw line represented the third time they've attempted double-digits without a miss against a conference team in the regular season.

North Alabama's Emma Wallen, who came in averaging over 13 points per game, was held scoreless over 37 minutes on 0-for-5 shooting. Her sister, Ivy, joined Olivia Noah with a team-high 17 points for the Lions. Ansley Eubank (13) and Kenysha Coulson (12) also scored in double-figures.

Notes:
Adderly is now one start away from tying Courtney Chihil (111, 2008-12) for the third-most in the program's Division I era. She also moved into a tie with Chihil (120) for the 10th-most games played. Furthermore, she has 1,035 career rebounds, which moves her past Kayla Gordon (Jacksonville, 1,031, 2014-18) for 10th place on the A-SUN career list.

With her two steals, Ulel has 115 in her career, which moves her past Taylor Gradinjan (114, 2012-18) for ninth-most in the program's Division I era. She also pushed her career scoring total to 1,177, which is five shy of surpassing Adrianne McNally (1,181, 2007-10) for seventh-most in the same era, and she tied USC Upstate's Tee'Ara Copney (199, 2009-13) for 16th-most 3-point field goals made in A-SUN history.

The Eagles improved to 6-0 all-time against North Alabama.

Saturday's performance was the second 25-plus point effort of the season for Jewett-Giles, and it was the third of her career. She also surpassed Wingate with her season-high sixth game with at least 20 points, while pushing her career total to 13.

Furthermore, Jewett-Giles now has 1,237 career points, which moves her past Taylor Gradinjan (1,234, 2012-18) for the seventh-most scored in an NCAA career by a player to wear the Green and Blue.

Meanwhile, Wingate produced her 60th career game with at least 10 points.