The FGCU women’s basketball team let an 11-point lead get away from them, as Davidson closed well down the stretch to win the season opener for both teams by one, 57-56, Tuesday night in Davidson, N.C.
The Eagles (0-1) led for more than 35 minutes but were held to just 7 points in the final 10 minutes of action, as Davidson found a way to score 16 points.
FGCU was outrebounded by Davidson, 37-33, but did get to the line 21 times, making 14 shots. The Wildcats went 9 of 16 at the charity stripe.
A total of six FGCU players scored five points or more. The Eagles will head to the Big Apple on Monday, taking on an Ivy League power in Columbia.
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s season opener.
FGCU kept off 3-point line
The Eagles were cold from deep and largely forced to take interior looks, making just 2 of 13 attempts from distance. On the whole, FGCU shot just 35.1 percent from the field, compared to Davidson’s 48.8 percent. Six FGCU players combined to go 0-for-11 from distance.
Emani Jefferson limited in loss
The reigning ASUN Player of the Year played less than a half — 16 minutes — as she got into foul trouble and ultimately fouled out after scoring 15 points on 7 of 10 shooting. Despite that, Jefferson led FGCU in scoring, with Skyler Gill finishing with 9 points across 26 minutes.
Lengthy possessions
While the Eagles are used to putting together good offensive possessions, they were lengthy, and were limited to just 7 assists over 40 minutes. Dolly Cairns was responsible for four assists, while Jefferson, Maddie Antenucci, and Khamari Mitchell-Steen each had one.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
