The FGCU male basketball team took care of the business on Wednesday evening in Alico Arena and obtained another match on their home.
For the first time under the coach Pat Chambers, the Eagles Organize an Asun tournament match, they obtained the third head of the conference with an 80-61 victory against Belarmine.
A sequence of four consecutive victories fueled a late charge in the Eagles classification, while they went from fifth place to the only possession of the third in 10 days, behind n ° 1 Lipscomb and the N ° 2 Central Arkansas.
“This is why they brought me here to keep the program coherent, bring the right players and compete at a high level,” said Chambers in his third season. “I think it’s great for fans, obviously great for our players and our families, and I hope we can continue.”
The FGCU will welcome the queens of Seed 6 n ° 6 (NC) Monday at 7 p.m. in what has become a tradition in the playoffs for the Eagles de Chambers. Since the Royals joined the Asun, their rivalry was unilateral because they have a 5-2 file against the Eagles. The two most notable matches are in tournament while Queens beat FGCU in 2023 and 2024 in the first round 61-55 and 69-63 of the Asun, respectively, to end the first two seasons of the Eagles under Chambers.
The FGCU reached the quarter -final round for the last time in 2022 and has not organized a quarter -final match since 2019.
“I think it’s really good for us,” said Dallion Johnson. “We have obtained the advantage of the court. Fans are great. The environment is incredible, and it’s good for the program as well. Hopefully we can continue in the future. »»
The Eagles (18-13.13-5 Asun) started the game by exchanging the first four baskets with the Knights. However, Dallion Johnson became hot, marking 11 of his 23 points in three minutes to lead the Eagles on a 13-2 race. A Rory Stewart lay-up gave the Eagles their greatest advance of the first half with 13 points, 19-6.
This great power offense was quickly closed for the rest of the first half while the Eagles have made two separate droughts in the last 10 minutes. These droughts were only separated by a five -point race, with a Keeshawn Kellman dunk and a three points from Jack Reddick. Kellman finished the match with 16 points.
Although Belarmine (5-26, 2-16 Asun) finished the first half with an 8-4 sequence to play a case of eight points, 42-34, FGCU left the hot locker room. During the first nine minutes of the second half, the Eagles made a race of 13-4. Kellman played a big role, with lay-ups and a dunk.
Defensively, the interior of the Eagles slowed down the offensive of the knights at a stop. When they got into painting, the ball went in the other direction, whether it is a turnover, a flight or a defensive rebound. A 22-15 Eagles Run in the last nine minutes put Belarmine.
“We meet,” said Chambers. “We can always improve, which is so exciting. I don’t stop telling them that we have not yet played our best basketball. So I hope it will come on Monday.
When Johnson is hot, the Eagles are almost unstoppable
When Dallion Johnson finds momentum beyond the arc, the defenders find it difficult to slow it down.
Almost every FGCU score race started in the back of a three -point Johnson. It was 50% (9-18) in the field and 61.2% (8-13) beyond the arc to equalize its 26-point career summit, which also came against Belarmine earlier in the season. In the 10 games, Johnson scored more than 20 points this season, the Eagles won eight, including seven to two figures.
“I feel really good,” said Johnson. “I always work hard and I just trust my work. So it’s not something to go down. Continue to work and I see better results.”
Turnover is a problem
If it was not for the high pressure interior defense of the Eagle, their game against the Knights would have been closer to the reversals. In 40 minutes, the Knights mark 13 points out of nine reversals.
“Regarding turnover, we are so impatient to share the ball,” said Johnson. “Sometimes we make risky passes. But you know, we know that we are such an altruistic team. And I know we are going, I know that we will continue to work on it.”
The reversals were detrimental during recent games, because when FGCU was on a score race, a turnover has blocked the momentum for several minutes. He was obvious against Belarmine because he allowed him to switch to a figure after the Eagles made two -digit score points. The last race until the end of the match saw FGCU turnover in the last nine minutes, against eight in 31 others.
Fgcu must find players to hit 3
Apart from Johnson, the Eagles pulled 38% (5-13) from the 3-point range. The FGCU is eighth in three points made among the members of the Asun. If Johnson has a bad game, the Eagles must find someone on which they can count to assume their role of shooting at long distance.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: March Madness: Third seeded male basketball from the FGCU in the Asun tournament after Belarmine’s victory
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