The FGCU women’s basketball team continued its perfect season in ASUN conference play by securing its 50th consecutive conference win on Thursday, Feb. 27, after a 78-64 victory against the Jacksonville Dolphins.
The Dolphins came out aggressive in the first quarter and made their presence felt in the paint. Sloppy defense from the Eagles and five offensive rebounds by Jacksonville left FGCU trailing by eight points early on. However, the Eagles clawed their way back into the game with good three-point shooting, going 3-4 (75%) on their attempts from behind the arc in the first quarter.
Guard Lauryn Taylor set the tone on the defensive end for FGCU with multiple early steals that led to fast-break points on the other end of the court.
“We didn’t play the best first quarter. We missed some shots that we thought we should’ve hit and we were just trying to get ourselves going,” Taylor said. “We just used our defense to speak for our offense and limit their possessions. Anytime we can get a steal, turn them over or get a rebound we’re just looking to run and score on our end.”
The second quarter was a complete turnaround from the first for the Eagles, as this time it was them who went on a 6-0 run right out of the gate. FGCU guard Alahna Paige hit three shots from three-point range in the first half to contribute to an efficient 5-10 (50%) three-point shooting half for FGCU.
While Jacksonville maintained a 13-3 offensive rebounding advantage, the Eagles played good interior defense and converted the rebounds into second-chance points. The Dolphins scored seven points in the second quarter as they struggled to take care of the ball, which led to 13 fast-break points the other way in the first half. The Eagles ended the period with a 38-27 lead on the scoreboard.
Efficient 7-for-14 (50%) shooting from behind the arc helped them extend their lead in the second half. Jacksonville’s poor 3-16 (18.8%) shooting from around the arc allowed FGCU to adjust their defensive scheme and combat the rebounding advantage more. While they were still outrebounded, 42-30, the Eagles managed to limit the number of shots being converted in the paint. Size and rebounding have been a long-standing issue for FGCU, so finding defensive schemes to combat these issues will be pivotal for its long-term success in tournament play.
“We knew what their strengths were, which were offensive rebounds and free throw shooting, and we didn’t do a great job containing those areas,” FGCU coach Chelsea Lyles said. “We’ve definitely got to do a better job if we have to see them again in the conference tournament, but all around we had a few players step up for us, especially when we got in foul trouble. At this point in the year, you’re just trying to win each game and keep moving forward.”
Fouls were an issue for both teams in this game, with 41 combined fouls being called between the two. This has been an issue for the Eagles as they allowed Jacksonville to shoot 22 free throws over 40 minutes. Even when the whistle wasn’t going their way, the Eagles managed to keep their composure and not pick up any technical fouls.
“We just have to understand that every game is going to be a competition, whether it’s between the refs or the other team,” Taylor said. “There were some moments where we did kind of lose it a little bit, but just understanding we still have a game to win and there’s a bigger goal than worrying about this one little call.”
FGCU continued its ASUN dominance on Saturday and closed the regular season with an 86-60 win over Stetson. Senior guard Emani Jefferson led the way for the Eagles with 22 points on 7-12 (58.3%) shooting, and the team responded to the rebounding disparity from Thursday’s game with a 41-28 rebounding advantage. Even with these positives, fouling was once again an issue for FGCU, with the team committing 21.
The defense for the Eagles has been as consistent as ever throughout their final two games, holding Stetson and Jacksonville to a combined 6-29 (20.6%) shooting from beyond the three-point line and 43-127 (33.8%) from the field, to go with 10 steals.
The Eagles will begin ASUN conference tournament play on Saturday, March 8, at home in Alico Arena against No. 10 Austin Peay. The Governors defeated the No.9 Wolves 60-49 to advance to the ASUN Quarterfinal round.
