Momentum has been everything for the FGCU men’s basketball program, as it has won five of its last six games following a disappointing 1-5 start. A 77-71 win over Central Arkansas on Saturday, Jan.11, puts the team’s conference record to 3-1, tying them for second in the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference standings.

“We have eight new guys, four freshmen and four transfers,” FGCU coach Pat Chambers said. “You’re starting to see them battle, we’re battle-tested from the nonconference and you’re starting to see all that pay off right now.”

Muniz had 12 rebounds and six assists to go along with his 17 points. McLean stuffed the stat sheet on the defensive end of the court, racking up two steals and two blocks. Sophomore guard Rahmir Barno also made his presence felt off the bench, contributing another 12 points on 3-7 shooting and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line. 

The Eagles had a difficult first half. They struggled to make shots early and trailed for much of the half. After shooting 37% from behind the arc throughout their last three contests, FGCU only managed to shoot 2-for-14 from downtown in the first half. The constant double-teaming and full-court pressure from the Bears forced nine turnovers.

Towards the end of the half, the Eagles began to find their footing. Zavier McLean led this charge with an impressive three-possession sequence in which he tallied five points, a steal and a block consecutively. His defensive intensity and shot-making ability sparked the Eagles’ offense and snapped them out of their cold shooting streak. McLean kept this up as he stuffed the board, racking up 20 points, two steals and two blocks throughout the afternoon.

Interior defense was another highlight of the first half for the Eagles. They racked up four blocks and kept Central Arkansas from scoring at the rim. FGCU also won the defensive rebounding battle 27-to-16, capitalizing on and scoring second-chance points. 

It wasn’t until the second half that FGCU began to find its rhythm. Muniz scored all 17 of his points in the second half, improving the team consistencies to 6-for-9 (66.6%) from three-point range. The Bear’s full-court press, effective in the first half, didn’t show dividend after the Eagle’s halftime adjustments. As a result, the team found more open looks in the paint for easier scoring opportunities. 

“You can’t really draw up too much for double team pressure,” Barno said. “Just really being ball players and being strong at the ball. Dribbling around guys, stepping through guys and making the next play and making the next pass.”

Despite shooting 11-for-33 (33.3%) from behind the arc, the Eagles managed to dominate in the paint, outscoring the Bears 36-26 down low. Points in the paint have been a key factor for the team during its win streak, as FGCU has outscored their opponents by 14 points per game during the team’s last four wins. 

“It’s really just taking what the defense gives you,” Chambers said. “That’s what we need to do. We need to get in the paint, either finish or kick it out for open shots, or drop it off to Key [Kellman] so he can make a layup or a dunk. I thought that was the key to us finding success.”

The Eagles return to Alico Arena on Thursday, Jan. 16, to rematch West Georgia University for the third game of their four-game home stretch.