Following a third-straight 20-win season which resulted in a third-consecutive postseason appearance for the FGCU men’s basketball team, the Eagles’ complete 2015-16 schedule was released on Thursday.
Season tickets are still available for the upcoming season in both reserved and general-admission areas, and more information about how fans can secure their seats in advance of the 2015-16 campaign is below.
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
Included in the docket are a record 18 home games – the most since the program’s final year in Division II in 2006-07. The Eagles will host the pre-Thanksgiving Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic and welcome participants Youngstown State, North Dakota and Bowling Green before embarking on a pre-New Year stretch at home which features Massachusetts, South Dakota State, Louisiana Tech and La Salle all visiting Alico Arena between Dec. 13-31.
Of FGCU’s 16-game non-conference slate, 12 contests are against Division-I opponents and the breakdown of those dozen formidable opponents based off 2014-15 results is as follows:
7 teams with a winning record
7 teams with a top-125 RPI
5 teams with a top-85 RPI
4 teams which made postseason appearances
4 teams which won at least 20 games
In the four-game stretch alone from Dec. 13-31, FGCU will face a pair of Atlantic 10 Conference teams and a pair of clubs which won 24 and 27 games a year ago, respectively, in South Dakota State and Louisiana Tech. Combined, SDSU, La Tech, UMass and La Salle went 85-51 last year, won three postseason contests and finished with an average RPI of 79.
TICKET INFORMATION
Pricing information for 2015-16 season-ticket packages can be found below, and seats are still available with packages ranging from $139 for general admission to $299 for select lower-level seating. All club seating is already sold out for the 2015-16 season. Fans can secure their season tickets by calling the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by emailingtickets@fgcu.edu.
For reserved seating, membership to the Eagles Club may be required depending on priority level. The Eagles Club is the official booster organization for FGCU Athletics which provides financial support for each of the Eagles’ 15 teams. For a detailed seating map and additional ticket information, visitFGCUAthletics.com/Tickets.
Priority 1: $299 (limited amount remaining)
Priority 2: $233 (limited amount remaining)
Priority 3: $173
General Admission: $139
Those season-ticket prices represent approximately a 33-percent savings over the single-game ticket price (single-game sales begin on Oct. 1 with more information available at that time). Dating back to the 2012-13 season, the Green and Blue has orchestrated a dominant 43-7 record inside the friendly confines of The Nest.
“We’ve put together a great and challenging non-conference schedule and are very pleased to be able to bring so many quality opponents to Alico Arena,” said head coach Joe Dooley, whose team will also face SEC foes Florida and Texas A&M on the road. “We’ve been fortunate to receive tremendous support at The Nest the last few years, and we’re looking forward to having that continue in 2015-16.”
SCHEDULE DOWNLOAD
The complete 2015-16 schedule can be accessed at the beginning of this release, including options for fans to print a PDF-friendly version and easily download directly to their smartphone and calendar on any tablet for free by visiting the schedule online and then hitting “subscribe” on the top-right corner of the page. For fans viewing on a mobile device, they can easily subscribe by hitting Menu, Sports, All Schedules and selecting 2015 Men’s Basketball.
TEAM-BY-TEAM SNAPSHOTS
Below is a breakdown of each of FGCU’s non-conference opponents, with records and other statistical information from 2014-15.
Ohio | Saturday, Nov. 14 | 2 PM | Athens, Ohio
Record: 10-20, 5-13 Mid-American Conference
RPI: 236
Postseason: MAC Tournament
Noteworthy: FGCU opens the season in a difficult environment after defeating the Bobcats in the only other meeting between the two sides last year, 79-62.
Texas Wesleyan | Monday, Nov. 16 | 7 PM | Alico Arena
Record: 15-15, 4-14 Sooner Athletic Conference
RPI: N/A
Postseason: SAC Tournament
Noteworthy: FGCU’s home opener is against a first-time NAIA opponent which started last season 12-0 before slipping in conference action.
HILTON GARDEN INN FGCU CLASSIC | ALICO ARENA
Youngstown State | Saturday, Nov. 21 | 7 PM
North Dakota | Sunday, Nov. 22 | 7 PM
Bowling Green | Monday, Nov. 23 | 7 PM
Youngstown State
Record: 11-21, 2-14 Horizon League
RPI: 296
Postseason: Horizon Tournament
Noteworthy: The Penguins return nine letterwinners as they will square off with the Eagles for the first time.
North Dakota
Record: 8-22, 4-14 Big Sky Conference
RPI: 308
Postseason: N/A
Noteworthy: North Dakota, the alma mater of Phil Jackson, defeated FGCU in its season opener in 2004-05, 74-63, as part of the Disney Tip-Off D-II Classic at the Wide World of Sports.
Bowling Green
Record: 21-12, 11-7 Mid-American Conference
RPI: 121
Postseason: CIT (1-1 record)
Noteworthy: Like FGCU, the Falcons competed in the CIT last year but this year are under the direction of new head coach Michael Huger. The BG alumnus and former Miami assistant was on the sidelines in 2012-13 when FGCU defeated the eventual ACC Champion Hurricanes in Alico Arena, 63-51.
Florida | Friday, Nov. 27 | TBA | Gainesville, Fla.
Record: 16-17, 8-10 SEC
RPI: 69
Postseason: SEC Tournament
Noteworthy: The two in-state foes will meet for the first time since UF ended FGCU’s Cinderella run to the 2013 Sweet Sixteen, 62-50.
Ave Maria | Sunday, Nov. 29 | 5 PM | Alico Arena
Record: 11-19, 4-14 The Sun Conference
RPI: N/A
Postseason: The Sun Tournament
Noteworthy: FGCU leads the all-time series against the Southwest Florida NAIA member, and the game is technically classified as part of the exempt Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic.
Texas A&M | Wednesday, Dec. 2 | TBA | College Station, Texas
Record: 21-12, 11-7 SEC
RPI: 68
Postseason: NIT (1-1 record)
Noteworthy: It will mark the first meeting between FGCU and Texas A&M, which returns three all-SEC seniors and welcomes a top-10 nationally-ranked recruiting class.
FIU | Sunday, Dec. 6 | TBA | Miami, Fla.
Record: 16-17, 8-10 Conference USA
RPI: 217
Postseason: Conference USA Tournament
Noteworthy: FIU leads the all-time series, 4-3, after claiming victories each of the past two seasons over FGCU.
Massachusetts | Sunday, Dec. 13 | 1:30 PM | Alico Arena
Record: 17-15, 10-8 Atlantic 10 Conference
RPI: 83
Postseason: A-10 Tournament
Noteworthy: FGCU emerged victorious last year on the road over the Minutemen, 84-75, for arguably one of the program’s best regular-season victories away from Alico Arena.
South Dakota State | Saturday, Dec. 19 | 5 PM | Alico Arena
Record: 24-11, 12-4 Summit League
RPI: 84
Postseason: NIT (1-1 record)
Noteworthy: FGCU defeated the Jackrabbits in Sioux Falls – one hour from their campus – last year, 71-58, against almost an entire arena filled with SDSU supporters. SDSU went on to post an unblemished 13-0 mark at home.
Louisiana Tech | Tuesday, Dec. 22 | 7 PM | Alico Arena
Record: 27-9, 15-3 Conference USA
RPI: 48
Postseason: NIT (2-1 record)
Noteworthy: Considered by many an NCAA Tournament snub, the Bulldogs are now without graduated Kenneth Smith who went head-to-head with former FGCU standout Brett Comer last year for the active career assist lead. Smith finished his career 23rd on the all-time NCAA career list with 858 assists, while Comer finished his career 24th on the list with 845 helpers.
South Dakota | Monday, Dec. 28 | 8 PM | Sioux Falls, S.D.
Record: 17-16, 10-8 Summit League
RPI: 212
Postseason: Summit Tournament
Noteworthy: The two teams will meet for the first time as FGCU returns to the Sanford Pentagon where it defeated South Dakota State last year.
La Salle | Thursday, Dec. 31 | 1:30 PM | Alico Arena
Record: 17-16, 8-10 Atlantic 10 Conference
RPI: 105
Postseason: A-10 Tournament
Noteworthy: 13th-seeded La Salle also advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2013 along with 15th-seeded FGCU. It will be the first meeting between the Eagles and the Explorers.
Eckerd | Saturday, Jan. 2 | 4 PM | Alico Arena
Record: 12-16, 4-12 Sunshine State Conference
RPI: N/A
Postseason: Sunshine State Tournament
Noteworthy: The two teams have met twice before: an 81-79 Eckerd win to close FGCU’s 2004-05 season and a 72-55 Eagles’ win in 2013-14. Eckerd is a D-II member.
Webber International | Tuesday, Jan. 5 | 7 PM | Alico Arena
Record: 13-19, 9-9 The Sun Conference
RPI: N/A
Postseason: The Sun Tournament
Noteworthy: The NAIA member and FGCU will be meeting for the first time.
A-SUN SLATE
The Atlantic Sun Conference schedule gets underway for the Eagles when they host Stetson on Jan. 9 before welcoming league newcomer NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology) to Alico on Jan. 14. The Highlanders joined the conference on July 1 after Northern Kentucky unceremoniously departed for the Horizon League. The Newark, N.J.-based school will present firm opposition for A-Sun challengers as NJIT is coming off a 20-win season, CIT semifinal appearance and a signature win over then-No. 17 Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Below is FGCU’s complete A-Sun schedule.
Saturday, Jan. 9 vs. Stetson, 7 PM (DH)
Thursday, Jan. 14 vs. NJIT, 7 PM
Saturday, Jan. 16 vs. USC Upstate, 7 PM (DH)
Thursday, Jan. 21 at Kennesaw State, 7 PM
Saturday, Jan. 23 at Lipscomb, 5 PM
Wednesday, Jan. 27 vs. Jacksonville, 7 PM
Saturday, Jan. 30 at UNF, 7 PM
Monday, Feb. 1 at Jacksonville, 7 PM
Saturday, Feb. 6 vs. UNF, 7 PM
Thursday, Feb. 11 at USC Upstate, 7 PM
Saturday, Feb. 13 at NJIT, TBA
Thursday, Feb. 18 vs. Lipscomb, 7 PM
Saturday, Feb. 20 vs. Kennesaw State, 7 PM
Thursday, Feb. 25 at Stetson, TBA
Tuesday-Sunday, Mar. 1-6 A-Sun Tournament
SOCIAL CENTRAL
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COACH DOOLEY
FGCU is led by head coach Joe Dooley, who is entering his third year with the Eagles in 2015-16 and coached six all-conference selections during his first two seasons. He guided FGCU to its first Atlantic Sun Conference Regular-Season Championship and first trip to the NIT in 2014, and in 2015 he led the Eagles to their third-straight 20-win season and third-straight postseason appearance with a berth in the CIT. Prior to arriving in SWFL, Dooley spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Kansas under head coach Bill Self. During those 10 seasons, Kansas produced 300 wins, nine straight Big 12 regular-season titles, six Big 12 Tournament championships, six NCAA Sweet 16s, five NCAA Elite Eight appearances and two Final Fours, including the 2008 National Championship. Dooley recently completed his sixth season overall and has a record of 101-76, and in his two years with FGCU is 44-24.