By BILL LEVY
There will be times this season when the Florida Gulf Coast women’s basketball team will appear unbeatable. Tuesday night was not one of them. In a night which started off with so much promise, as three banners were rolled down prior to the game signifying last year’s Atlantic Sun regular season championship, the Atlantic Sun tournament championship and the Eagles NCAA appearance, as well as an enthusiastic crowd of 1,704 cheering them on, FGCU (1-1) dropped a stunning 62-55 home opening decision to Florida Atlantic University at the Alico Arena.The loss is the first Eagle’s home loss since dropping a 76-64 decision to St. Joe’s on December 29, 2013. It ends a 27 home game winning streak, which was the third longest in NCAA Division 1 behind UCONN and South Carolina.
In a game in which was played in four ten-minute quarters, the Eagles and Florida Atlantic finished the first quarter tied at 13.FGCU however outscored the Owls 19-12 in the second quarter to go into halftime leading 32-25. In the third quarter, FAU went on an 18-8 run to go ahead 43-40 entering the last quarter.
FGCU countered by going on a 12-4 run of their own, to take a 52-47 lead with 6:13left in the contest. It was the last lead the Eagles would have though as FAU (2-0) closed out the scoring with a 15-3 stretch which set off a wild Owls’ celebration.
“Our run happened at the right time,” Owls coach Kellie Lewis-Jay said. “It happened at the end of the game. We knew it would be a game of runs and we would have to withstand them and that ours would come.”
While not happy with how his team played, FGCU coach Karl Smesko had plenty of praise for FAU.
“(FAU) really outplayed us in the second half,” he said. “They dominated on the boards and took advantage of every defensive breakdown.
“(offensively) we shot poorly, held on the ball for way to long and didn’t communicate. FAU is a better team that us right now.”
Though they were without the services of the inured Whitney Knight, the 2015 Atlantic Sun Player of the Year, Smesko refused to use that as an excuse.
“Sure we would have liked to have her,” he said. “You win though with who is playing, not who is not playing.”
For a team that went 13-17, Lewis-Jay was well aware of what the win meant for her program.
“We have such respect for FGCU,” she said. “They are a great team. We respect the streak and their crowds. We are confident though in our own ability. I am just so happy for the kids.”
Meanwhile, Katie Meador, the Eagles’ 5’11” senior forward said the Eagles will continue their plan for success.
“I was unaware (of the streak),” she admitted. “We don’t play for accolades and milestones. We play because we love basketball and we play to win. If they come long the way then ‘great!’ If not; ‘bummer.'”
FGCU’s Kaneisha Atwater led all scorers with 17 points. Also in double figures for the Eagles was Taylor Gradinjan (14) and Stephanie Haas (11).
NOTES: The Eagles next two games will be against Ohio University and Akron in the second annual Akron Classic in Akron, OH on Friday and Saturday. It will a homecoming of sorts for Smesko, and senior players Haas and Jamie Gluesing; all of whom are form Northeast Ohio.
Smesko is a native of nearby Bath and graduated from Kent State. Haas is from Avon Lake while Gluesing is from Solon.
“They are just other games,” Smesko said, when asked if they had added significance. “They are tough opponents. We need to show improvement. I am going to try to use them to help us get better.”
He did mention though that Haas and Gluesing may have had these games though circled on their calendar.
“I think Stephanie and Jamie may be excited,” he said. “They will get to play in front of their family and friends.”