ABILENE – Fourth in the
CollegeInsider.com Top-25 Mid-Major poll and third nationally in several 3-point categories, the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles Sunday buried a program-record 22 treys in their convincing 94-55 victory over Abilene Christian at Moody Coliseum.
The win lifted the Eagles' season record to 7-2, while the Wildcats dropped to .500 at 3-3.
Junior Sara Williamson and Breanna Wright were ACU's leading scorers with 16 and 11 points, respectively. Williamson was 7-of-11 from the court and hit two free throws as both sides combined for only 16 trips to the charity stripe.
ACU shot 42.3 percent from the floor (22-52) and only hit 5-of-17 3-point attempts with Wright, Dominique Golightly, Josie Larson, Pam Herrera and Makayla Mabry each recording one.
The Eagles, by comparison, shot 54.1 percent from the floor (33-61) and 48.9 percent from 3-point land (22-45). Nasrin Ulel (19), Taylor Gradinjan (18), Chandler Ryan (11) and Rosemarie Julie (10) all reached double figures in scoring. Gradinjan was the Eagles' leading 3-point shooter, going 6-of-10 from the arc, and Ulel was 5-of-9.
ACU trailed by two points (15-13) at the end of the first quarter, and after exchanging the first three baskets with FGCU to begin the second the Eagles zoomed out to a 13-point lead thanks to a 14-2 run that included five Wildcat turnovers.
ACU turned over the ball 22 times vs. the Eagles, resulting in 30 points for the visitors.
After the Wildcats cut the Eagles lead back to 11 (34-23) on a Lexi Kirgan layup, FGCU really began to show off its 3-point shooting prowess by knocking down four treys in a span of 2:40. Gradinjan buried three shots during this stretch as the Eagles went 7-of-12 from beyond the arc in the second quarter and 11-of-21 for the first half.
FGCU entered the game averaging 11.8 3-point field goals per game, which is third best in the nation. The Eagles also were No. 3 nationally with 262 3-point attempts and 94 3-pointers made.
In scoring 94 points, FGCU became the first D1 ACU opponent to score more than 80 on the Wildcats at Moody since Lamar (Jan. 23, 2014). ACU also had not allowed more than 90 points at home since the 2011-12 season, and Texas Permian Basin was the last opponent to reach the century mark at Moody Coliseum, winning 105-91 in Nov. 2010.
FGCU's 22 3-pointers not only tied their program record, but it also was three shy of the NCAA single-game mark. Sacramento State twice buried 25 treys during the 2015-16 season against both Portland State (on Jan. 23, 2016) and Montana State (Feb. 6, 2016).
Next up for the Wildcats is their annual Christmas Slam, a women's and men's basketball doubleheader slated for Saturday, Dec. 9. The women play host to Howard Payne at 2 p.m. followed by the men vs. Texas State at 4 p.m.
