FGCU women earn 10th victory
Special to the Breeze
After trailing by as many as eight points, the FGCU women’s basketball team took control and used a 12-5 run to close out the game and defeat Arkansas State 74-68 Monday night in Jonesboro, Ark.
The Eagles sank five free throws in the final minute en route to their 10th victory of the season. It extends the Eagles’ current winning streak to five in a row. They have three nonconference games left before beginning Atlantic Sun Conference play on Jan. 10 at home against Stetson.
The women’s team now head to St. Joseph’s for two games in the Hawk Classic on Dec. 28-29. After a Jan. 2 game at Harvard, the Eagles start Atlantic Sun Conference play at home Jan. 10 against Stetson.
Meanwhile, the men’s team went looking for its 10th victory of the season before Christmas for the first time in school history Tuesday at Iona (N.Y.). The men finish the three-game road trip to close out the month at Xavier on Dec. 28 and Pittsburgh on Dec. 30. They return home to host Ave Maria on Jan. 2.
Trailing by seven at the beginning of the second half, the Eagles (10-2) rallied with a 14-2 streak that included nine points by Kaneisha Atwater that helped FGCU reclaim the lead with 15 minutes to play. The teams traded momentum six times in the final seven minutes before the Eagles used five straight points by Jenna Cobb to take back the advantage at the two-minute mark.
“Arkansas State really outplayed us in the first half,” said Eagles coach Karl Smesko. “They were tougher and their defensive pressure threw us off from where we needed to be. The start of the second half was huge for us. We took the lead by the first media break and it got us playing with a little more energy. They hit big shot after big shot and it was one of those games where whoever could make the plays in the last few minutes was going to win. I feel good that our team responded and was able to make those plays.”
Atwater led the Eagles’ well-balanced attack with 18 points, four rebounds and three steals, while fourothers contributed double-figures.
In Eagles weekend game action:
Brett Comer tossed in a team-high 19 points, a dozen of those coming in the final seven minutes of Friday night’s 83-78 win over Furman. Comer also handed out 10 assists to finish with a double-double.
Sophomore Demetris Morant benefited from Comer assists that led to five slam dunks to finish with a career high 13 points and seven rebounds. Junior Julian DeBose contributed 14 points and seven rebounds to reach double figures in scoring for the fifth straight game.
Despite winning by just five, FGCU controlled the game throughout as Furman led for just 51 seconds, 14-13, midway through the first half.
FGCU 69, Northern Colorado 56: Strong offensive performances by Stephanie Haas and Whitney Knight carried the Eagles past Northern Colorado Friday night.
The Eagles opened a game-high 21-point advantage before the Bears went on a 14-4 spurt in the last four minutes to tighten the margin.
A three-pointer with 2:19 left pulled the Bears within 64-53, but the Eagles converted 5-of-6 free throws to hang on for the victory.