By BILL LEVY Other Photos Click Here
Dunk City is dancing one again. It was not easy but the Florida Gulf Coast University men’s basketball team punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament by way of an 80-78 thrilling overtime victory over Stetson in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship at the Alico Arena on Sunday night in front of 4,670 fans who played a big part in the victory. While FGCU has reached postseason tournaments the past two years, this marks the first time that the Eagles have made the much coveted NCAA Tournament, since 2013, when FGCU captured the hearts of basketball fans, and others, with two improbable victories in that tournament.
The outcome however was not settled into the final five seconds of overtime, when Zack Johnson, who had 19 points on the night, blocked a potential game tying shot.
“It was a great game by two teams that each played their heart out,” Hatters coach Cory Alexander said.
It would have been hard to predict such an outcome, as the fourth seeded Eagles (21-13) jumped out to an early 10-0 lead that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Stetson, who was seeded seventh in the tournament and finished the season with a 12-23 record would put up a fight the rest of the game though. and went on a 16-4 run to take a 16-14 lead midway through the first half. Though the Eagles were able to tie the score five times in the half, Stetson went into intermission with a 35-30 advantage.
“The way they played reflects their coach (Alexander),” Eagles coach Joe Dooley said, when asked about Stetson. “I think he is a stud of a guy. He has a lot of character.”
FGCU attempted to go on their own run, at the start of the second half, as Christian Terrell, who had 15 points on the night, connected on his only 3-pointer of the game to narrow the gap to 35-33. The Eagles then tied the game on Demetris Morant’s field goal. The next sequence featured five lead changes into the Eagles to the lead back at 49-47 on Terrell’s driving layup with 10:57 to play in regulation.
The Hatters though would not go down with quietly, as they then outscored FGCU 11-4 to go in front 58-53 with a little over six minutes left in the half.
FGCU countered with a 10- run of their own to go back up 63-58. The Hatters eventually took the lead back on a 104 run to go up 68-67 with about a minute and a half left in regulation.
Antravious Simmons, who lead all FGCU scorers with 21 points, converted layup to put FGCU back in top. Stetson’s Derek Newton, who led all scorers with 22 points, made one of two free throws late in regulation to tie the score, and ultimately forced an overtime period; only the third time that has happened in an Atlantic Sun Championship.
The game may never have made it to that point however, if not for the crowd, which FGCU’s Mark-Eddy Norelia credited with helping FGCU, as Stetson missed some free throws near the end with the crowd cheering loudly, including three by Newton down the stretch.
“They helped us,” Norelia, who had 19 points on the night said. “He (Newton) missed a key one at the end.”
Though Stetson scored the first two points of overtime, the Eagles went on a 9-3 run to go up 77-74. After a Hatters’ basket narrowed the margin to 77-76, Johnson connected on a field goal to put FGCU ahead 79-76. Stetson did slice it to 79-78 with about ten seconds to play, but they were never able to pull ahead again.
“The crowd was a huge factor,” Norelia said. “Without this crowd, we would not have had the energy to get through overtime and pull out the victory. They really gave us a boost on defense and all night long. The crowd was great.”
“I am proud of the guys,” Dooley said. “Everything did not go our way. We really grounded it out. This was how our season went. I am happy to coach this team.”
Also happy to reach this point was Terrell, who admitted he was not necessarily expecting FGCU to reach this point.
“I did not think we would be here; honestly, with the way we played at times,” he said. I am very proud of this team.”
FGCU must now wait to find out who the play, when the initial matchups of the NCAA Tournament will be announced on Sunday. For now though, the focus was on what a special night this was.
“I thought the A-Sun was very well represented on TV,” Dooley said, referring to the game being nationally televised on ESPN 2. “It was a great college atmosphere. It was a great game and the fans were great.”
Sounds like many people had reason to dance.