At last, those brutally long 8 months between the end of a college basketball season and the start of a new one have come and gone. On Tuesday, November 9th, FGCU Men’s Basketball will play its 1st game of the 2021-22 season, at home versus Florida National University. Below we will talk a little bit about that matchup and the season at large.
Florida National (FNU)
Despite this bout being the 1st of the season for FGCU, FNU has already played 3 games, holding a 1-2 record. There isn’t much information available about the team or the roster yet this season, but the Eagles are 2-0 all-time versus the conquistadors. Most recently (last year) FGCU beat this NAIA foe 91-74.
FGCU
The Eagles head into this game/season looking a lot different, yet very familiar. Last year’s PPG leaders, Caleb Catto and Cyrus Largie, return to the team, along with some major contributors from last season (Dakota Rivers, Franco Miller, etc.). In addition to that, FGCU welcomes 5 newcomers and a mid-season transfer from last year who should all play their first minutes in the Green and Blue.
Projected Starting 5
- PG – Tavian Dunn-Martin
- G – Caleb Catto
- G – Cyrus Largie
- F/W – Austin Richie
- C/F – Kevin Samuel
Projecting the starting 5 with this much new and proven talent is difficult. There are so many scenarios and factors that could dictate who starts in this particular contest. Does Coach Fly have more of a youth focus for this game? Does he play big? Small? How long do the starters even play? A lot of questions will be answered in time, but for now this is our best guess.
Outlook and Prediction
In reality, games against non-DI teams are scheduled as “tune-up” games. In other words, they are games to either get things in gear or back on track. However, they should never be taken lightly. The experience and depth on this FGCU men’s team will be crucial in taking this game as an opportunity to compete, grow, and improve in anticipation for the rest of the season.
Prediction: W
Screecher Report 