ASUN QUARTERFINAL RECAP: #1 FGCU VS #9 STETSON

Fort Myers, FL- #1 seed and #24 nationally ranked FGCU (30-3) defeated #9 seed Stetson University, 66-48, Sunday night from Alico Arena, in the ASUN Conference Quarterfinals. The Eagles have won twelve games in a row.

Stats (#9 SU):

Stetson shot 40.4% (19/47) from the field, 16.7% (1/6) from beyond the arc, and outrebounded FGCU 35-30. The Hatters dished out 7 assists, had 7 steals, and 2 blocks in the game. Stetson forced 13 FGCU team turnovers, while having 20 team turnovers of their own.

Stats (#1 FGCU):

FGCU shot 44.4% (24/54) from the field, 34.4% (11/32) from beyond the arc, and were outrebounded 35-30 by the Hatters. The Eagles dished out 16 assists, had 13 steals, and 5 blocks in the game. FGCU forced 20 Stetson team turnovers, while having 13 team turnovers of their own.

Outstanding Players (#9 SU):

Jaelyn Talley 15 pts, 9 reb

Khamya McNeal 13 pts, 6 reb

Outstanding Players (#1 FGCU):

Sha Carter 20 pts, 13 reb

Uju Ezeudu 10 pts, 4 reb

Sophia Stiles 10 pts, 2 asts

Overview:

The Eagles took their first step towards an NCAA Tournament berth, winning their quarterfinal game in the ASUN Conference tournament vs the Hatters Sunday night. FGCU was led offensively by Sha Carter, who finished with a team high 20 points, and 13 rebounds, and continues to carry this Eagles team offensively. Sophia Stiles and Uju Ezeudu each scored 10 points, finishing in double figures for the Eagles. Stetson was led offensively by Jaelyn Talley, who finished with 15 points. Khamya McNeal also finished in double figures in the game for the Hatters, scoring 13 points.

The Eagles would not be denied, as FGCU dished out 16 assists to keep the offense flowing, and defensively finished with 13 steals, and 5 blocks in the game. At this point in a season, you take every win, and it’s even more impressive that FGCU has another 30 win season under Head Coach Karl Smesko. FGCU has two more games to handle their business, so it will be fun to see how they look in the ASUN Semifinals, with the hope their season can extend into March Madness!

What’s Next:

#1 seed FGCU (30-3) faces #4 Austin Peay University (17-11), Wednesday, from Alico Arena, in the ASUN Conference Semifinal.