Florida Gulf Coast Basketball

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Not even the shot clock could properly process Rayjon Tucker's dunk.

During Sunday's Atlantic Sun tournament championship game showdown between Florida Gulf Coast and North Florida, the Eagles guard posterized Ospreys center Romelo Banks. He threw it down with enough authority for the backboard to tremble.

After the jam, the game clock and shot clock also went haywire:

When you slam it so hard that even the shot clock loses its mind @Rayjon_Tucker24 @FGCU_MBB pic.twitter.com/wLtWHzj8li

— FGCU Dirty Birds (@FGCUDirtyBirds) March 5, 2017

Tucker finished with four points in FGCU's 77-61 victory. A slam like that will preserve the program's Dunk City moniker as it enters the NCAA tournament.

[Twitter]

FGCU Basketball team randomly yammed on this kid in line 😂😭😂😭 pic.twitter.com/M6xoDLqTz9

— Mitch (@MitchWillMadeIt) January 31, 2017

Members of the Florida Gulf Coast University men's basketball team recently decided to get some unique exercise away from the gym.

One video released Tuesday shows an Eagles player dunking on an unsuspecting student in line, while another released Wednesday features a student riding his bike and getting posterized on a sunny day.

Florida Gulf Coast is 18-6 overall and sitting atop the Atlantic Sun Conference standings at 7-1, so the Eagles have earned a little fun outside of practice. Be on the lookout, FGCU students, because you could be next.

Slam Cam Day 2 full video releasing on the @fgcudirtybirds page be on the lookout, credit to Kev #10 @kev_omatic 🏀💪🏾💯 pic.twitter.com/EVa8WnonlF

— RYLINN DIOR 👨‍👧💙 (@darealdoodielo) February 1, 2017

[Twitter]

Florida Gulf Coast made a splash in the NCAA tournament three seasons ago, upsetting Georgetown and San Diego State before falling to Florida in the Sweet 16, going 3-0 against the spread.

This year, the Eagles are back in the Big Dance, shooting for similar results when they face off with Fairleigh Dickinson in a First Four play-in game Tuesday night in Dayton, Ohio.

Point spread: The Eagles opened as six-point favorites; the total was 149.5, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).

March Madness pick, via Odds Shark computer: 76.2-68.4 Eagles

Why pick Florida Gulf Coast to cover the spread

The Eagles started just 6-7 this season but began the new year with a seven-game winning streak. A 4-6 finish didn't exactly provide inspiration heading into the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament, but Gulf Coast got hot, upsetting top-seeded North Florida and then outlasting Stetson in overtime in the title contest to secure its second-ever NCAA bid.

On the season, the Eagles are shooting almost 48 percent from the field and holding opponents to just 41 percent shooting. They're also out-rebounding foes by a handful per game. If FGCU can control the pace, defend the perimeter and hit its free-throws, it stands a good chance of winning this game and grabbing the cash.

Why pick Fairleigh Dickinson to cover the spread

Like their dance partners for Tuesday night, the Knights meandered through most of this season and, as of three weeks ago, languished below the .500 mark. But FDU closed the regular season with consecutive road victories and then won three games in six days in the Northeast Conference tournament, upsetting top-seeded Wagner in the title contest to earn its first NCAA tournament berth since 2005.

On the season, the uptempo Knights are averaging 78 points per game, with four players, led by guard Darian Anderson, averaging in double figures. They upped that to 81 PPG during their late-season run. If Fairleigh Dickinson can control the pace to its preference, hit some threes and hold its own on the boards, it could win this game outright.

Smart betting pick

FGCU owns the edge in experience, shoots the ball better than FDU, plays better defense and does a better job on the boards. So even while the line on this game is probably inflated by a bucket or so, the smart money here flies with the Eagles.

March Madness betting trends

• Fairleigh Dickinson is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games as an underdog.
• Fairleigh Dickinson is 5-0 SU in its last five games.
• Florida Gulf Coast is 2-5 ATS in its last seven games as a favorite.
• The total has gone under in seven of Florida Gulf Coast's last 10 games in March.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, and all quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates, and get the free odds tracker app for iOS or Android.

Every great story has to come to an end some time. America's latest feel-good sports story came to an end on Friday night at the hands of the now-villainous Florida Gators. 

Florida Gulf Coast University may be out of the NCAA tournament after losing 62-50, but Dunk City players, fans and faculty shouldn't consider this a loss. It's all about the journey anyway, right?

In this case, it is. 

The Eagles had one of the most impressive and surprising runs in recent sports history. They started their unlikely streak by winning the last five games of their regular season, earning the automatic bid from the Atlantic Sun conference.

It was their first-ever bid to play in the NCAA tournament, and they wouldn't waste the amazing opportunity.

They were matched up against No. 2 Georgetown in the South Region in a game that very few people even gave a second look. That is, until the game started.

All of a sudden, the other games kept cutting to what looked like a game on the AND1 Mixtape Tour. Fans were half expecting to see Hot Sauce or Half-Man, Half-Amazing come out and embarrass some poor Hoyas defender. 

FGCU kept dunking and shooting until it had done the unthinkable, winning 78-68, a 10-point margin of victory. The Eagles did it in glorious fashion. They were throwing sick alley-oops, knocking down threes and throwing down thunderous slam dunks throughout.

The magic didn't stop there. They went on to beat San Diego State 81-71 in another improbable victory complete with all of the same fanfare and exciting play style. 

Meanwhile, the small university from Fort Myers, Fla., was becoming famous.

The town took on the name Dunk City due to its team's high-flying antics. FGCU merchandise flew off the racks, and rightfully so. FGCU was just the seventh No. 15 seed to move on to the round of 32 and the first No. 15 ever to see the Sweet 16. 

Yes, the Eagles would lose their Sweet 16 game to the Gators. And while winning is what this whole tournament is about, that's not necessarily what it was about for FGCU.

Sure, the Eagles wanted to win the game, but they had already won. If they won against the Gators, it was another crazy upset from a team which had no right being there. If they lost, big whoop, a No. 15 seed got beat. 

This magical postseason run for the Eagles will go down in college basketball lore. It will be a team and a run that FGCU players, fans, families, students and faculty will talk about and remember forever.

Every year during March Madness, basketball fans will be reminded of the improbable run by a ragtag group of high-flying, fast-breaking, chicken-dancing madmen who played the game with reckless abandon.

And it worked. 

The Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles might have been eliminated from the 2013 NCAA tournament, but they aren't eliminated from the highlight reels they filled with amazing plays, our memories or our hearts. 

Florida Gulf Coast basketball has taken the nation by storm in the rounds of 64 and 32 in the 2013 NCAA tournament. Now they face an even larger task: Taking down the Florida Gators to get to the Elite Eight. 

The Eagles fast-paced offensive style has endeared them to college basketball fans across the country. They've made history as the only No. 15 seed to make it to the Sweet 16. But America (well, everyone outside of Gainesville) wants to see the magic continue. 

So what do the Eagles have to do to keep the Magic alive?

Read on for three things FGCU has to do to keep dancing closer to the Final Four.

Force Turnovers

The key for any Cinderella team is to force the opponent into making turnovers—the Eagles have mastered the art. 

They forced Georgetown into 14 turnovers in the round of 64 and then upped the ante by causing 17 against San Diego State. The Eagles live in the passing lanes and love to put pressure on the ball-handler. The result is an up-and-down game that creates plenty of fast-break opportunities for the Eagles. 

The Gators have done a good job of taking care of the ball in the tournament thus far. They only turned it over eight times against Northwestern State and gave it away 14 times against Minnesota. Both were blowout wins. 

The Eagles must apply the pressure early on and create fast-break opportunities.

Be Efficient from Downtown

Unlike Cinderella teams of the past, the Eagles don't actually chuck up three-pointers at an alarming rate. 

Rather than overwhelming the opposition with a ton of shots from the outside, the Eagles have just nailed the few that they do shoot. They prefer to attack the rim. 

The Eagles went 6-of-15 from beyond the arc in their opening game against Georgetown and went 7-of-18 against San Diego State. It may be tempting to start throwing up threes after two straight games of solid shooting, but the Eagles must do what got them here and attack the basket first. 

Once they start getting baskets on the inside, they should be open for another good night of shooting from distance. 

Contain Erik Murphy

The Eagles have played like an elite team to this point. They've won both of their games by double-digits and even have a win over an NBA draft lottery talent in Otto Porter, Jr. 

However, they haven't seen a player like Erik Murphy all season. 

Murphy is a 6'10" big man that can dominate the boards, but he also has the shooting touch to be a threat anywhere on the floor offensively. He's a huge X-factor for the Gators in this matchup and the Eagles will need to find an answer for his unique skill set on the defensive end. 

Murphy has been held to under 10 points in five of the Gators' seven losses this season—finding a way to minimize his impact on offense makes beating Florida much easier. 

If the Eagles are able to double down on him in the post and close out quickly on the perimeter, it could be enough to spring the upset. That would give people what they all really want to see: more Dunk City.

If college basketball is broken—an absurd theory, mind you, but many still argue the fact—then Florida Gulf Coast and head coach Andy Enfield are the super glue. 

And that's not just because the Eagles are the first ever No. 15 seed in the Sweet 16.

It's because of their style. It's because of their desire to turn the game into a track meet. It's because they throw more alley-oops than the Flint Tropics. It's because all of their players attack the rim like they are immersed in a friendly game of Slamball.

Because of Sherwood Brown's dreads, Chase Fieler's monstrous throw downs and Bernard Thompson's pickpocket ability. 

Because of Brett Comer's remarkable story, his charismatic swagger and his jaw-dropping vision. 

In a world where college hoops is all too often defined by slow tempos, defensive standoffs, physical play and bruised rims, FGCU is one of the welcomed, entertaining outliers.

And all of that is made possible by Enfield. 

The red-hot head coach garners a lot of attention because he is supposedly a millionaire and has a supermodel wife—OK, I want to be him—but he deserves applaud for simply acknowledging his team's strengths and letting his boys play.

That may seem like a supposedly simple task for a head coach, but so many others have fallen into Georgetown's trap of slowing the game down and gotten crushed by it. So many others have forgotten their team's identity and lost because of it. 

Not Enfield. He kept things relaxed and didn't play the Hoyas'—or San Diego State's—game, imploring his unreal athletes to keep pushing the bull, keep running and keep having fun:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnQACB5XFMA

Therein lies the fact why this team is so magnetic, so undeniably absorbing. 

They have fun. They play like no one is watching. They are arguably the most electrifying Cinderella since the 1990 Loyola Marymount squad. They are must-see television in a sport that has become notorious for having games drag on with scores in the 50's. 

March underdogs like FGCU undoubtedly give momentum to the sport of college basketball, but most of the time, we forget all about them by the time May rolls around.

But not this time. Not when that underdog is led by an up-and-coming young coach with a beautiful jump shot of his own and a willingness to sit back and let his team play like they are young and full of energy. Not when that coach and team shock the world while putting on a highly entertaining, enthralling show.

Nope. Regardless of whatever (other) records they might set, Andy Enfield and FGCU are improving college basketball, and for that, they'll never be forgotten. 

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Any hopes bracketologists professional, amateur or clueless had of predicting the 2013 NCAA tournament to perfection were dashed by Florida Gulf Coast's stunning Cinderella run to the Sweet 16.

This is the first time in history that a No. 15 seed has made it to this juncture, but the Eagles will face a stiff test on Friday evening against the Florida Gators in a South regional semifinal.

Due to the surprising athleticism and explosiveness of FGCU's lineup, there is a faint chance for an upset against the defensively stout favorites. Here are the keys to victory for Andy Enfield's captivating squad.

Points in the paint

A big part of this team's success has depended on getting to the rim, and that must happen against the Gators to have any chance. Often, these opportunities come in transition, where the Eagles can utilize their outstanding play in the open court to go on momentum-seizing runs.

The methodical Gators, though, will likely try to slow the pace down at least from the start. Patric Young gives Florida a massive presence in the defensive interior, and he will be particularly difficult for the underdogs to negotiate.

As ESPN points out, though, the Eagles like to push the pace in the second half, scoring 34 of their 47 tournament transition points after the midway point.

Florida is easily the best team that FGCU will have faced to this point, so that transition game will likely need to be established earlier before an insurmountable deficit piles up.

While getting Florida's bigs in foul trouble would be nice, it is also crucial that the Eagles capitalize at the free-throw line. Against Georgetown, they made just 30-of-44 attempts, just 67.7 percent as a team.

Locking down the perimeter

The three guards that Florida has are all dangerous, but Mike Rosario is going to be the most important player to focus on. Rosario poured in 25 points in the dominant win over Minnesota in Round 3, and when he gets hot from the outside, the Gators are nearly unbeatable.

Senior big man Erik Murphy provides the biggest mismatch for the Eagles. Murphy truly is a stretch 4 at 6'11", and he shouldn't be bothered when he ventures out to the three-point line.

The Eagles can make up for the size disparity due to Chase Fieler's explosiveness. Fieler must concentrate on the defensive end of the court in addition to throwing down his highlight-reel dunks, and it will be a true test of conditioning for the junior forward to continually chase Murphy off the three-point line.

It's important that Florida Gulf Coast closes out and contests shots, but it's equally vital to not become airborne. That is when senior slasher Kenny Boynton can create off the bounce for his teammates, which will lead to plenty of clean looks and easy hoops for Florida.

Scottie Wilbekin is capable of doing the same for the Gators, and leads the team with five assists per game. Watch for high-scoring Eagles guard Bernard Thompson on defense, too, as FGCU's Twitter page warns:

Bernard Thompson @Ihoop_02 is No. 1 in the nation in steals with 102! He's just two off the #ASunMBB record #WatchYourWallet

— FGCU Men's Hoops (@FGCU_MBB) March 26, 2013

A lot of pressure will be on Eagles point guard Brett Comer not only to continue his outstanding distribution (24 assists to five turnovers in two NCAA tournament games), but to man up on defense as well.

Balance on offense

Lone senior starter Sherwood Brown has led the way, but a big key to the Eagles' success has been the balance provided by their prominent contributors.

A lot of credit can be attributed to Comer's wise decisions and judiciousness with the basketball, but Florida Gulf Coast has been executing exceptionally.

In the Georgetown stunner, Brown had 24 points, Bernard Thompson poured in 23, Comer had 11 of his own on top of 10 assists, and forwards Chase Fieler and Eddie Murray had nine apiece.

The victory over San Diego State in Round 3 saw Thompson match his point total from the tournament opener, while Brown had 17. Christophe Varidel netted 11 off the bench, which was matched by Fieler. Comer hit double figures with 10, and Eric McKnight—who didn't score in the round of 64—pitched in nine points of his own.

The guard trio of Comer, Brown and Thompson will be intriguing to watch against the likes of Rosario, Boynton and Wilbekin—especially since Wilbekin is such a challenge to get around.

Brown's superior length will provide him with a slight edge in his matchup, which he must utilize to his advantage if the Eagles hope to have any chance of advancing to the Elite Eight.

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The story of the 2013 NCAA tournament has been No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast’s improbable run, but the clock may strike midnight on this Cinderella when it takes on No. 3 Florida.

Andy Enfield’s Eagles shocked No. 2 Georgetown in the opening round, then became the first No. 15 seed ever to reach the Sweet 16 with a win over No. 7 San Diego State.

Now, FGCU faces its toughest test yet against Billy Donovan and the Gators.

Here are the keys to victory for Florida Gulf Coast.

Note: statistics courtesy of KenPom.com.

Limit Turnovers

This has been a problem that has plagued FGCU throughout the season. In fact, the Eagles rank 221st in the nation in turnover percentage. 

The team is extremely aggressive on offense and shows little reservations about making risky passes. This will hurt Enfield's squad badly against Florida. 

Florida is the only team in the country to place in the top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency. The Gators will punish any mistakes the Eagles make on offense, and they will turn them into points.

Florida Gulf Coast was able to win the turnover battle in both of their previous games, but if the team fails to do so this time around, its tournament run will end.

  

Push the Tempo 

The Eagles are going to have to play a perfect game to beat Florida. The team will have to limit turnovers, but it cannot sacrifice its greatest advantage to do it.

In order to make full use of its athleticism, FGCU needs to get out and run. If this game turns into an up-tempo affair for long stretches, the Eagles will have a chance. 

At every opportunity, the team must get the ball into Brett Comer’s hands and start shooting down the floor towards the basket. The Gators will be trying to slow the game down, but the Eagles cannot let this happen. 

If this game comes down to who performs better in their half-court set, Florida will cruise into the Elite Eight.

Aggressive Defense

While the Eagles commit plenty of turnovers, they often make up for it on the other end of the floor. FGCU ranks 24th in the nation in steal percentage.

Andy Enfield will have to stress limiting turnovers to his team, but the Eagles’ style makes a handful of errant passes inevitable. In order to pull off the upset, FGCU will need to shoot into passing lanes and be aggressive on defense.

Bernard Thompson had five steals against San Diego State, while Eric McKnight had four blocks. These are the type of plays that lead to opportunities in transition.

If Florida Gulf Coast has any chance to get the Gators out of their comfort zone and push the tempo in this game, it will need to create turnovers on defense.

  

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