After an OT win over Dartmouth, the Eagles (7-3) head to Tallahassee to face off with Florida A&M (FAMU). These teams have met on 2 different occasions. Last year, FGCU beat FAMU 65-56 in the season/home opener. Back in December, 2013, the Eagles also won 77-68. Below we will break down this year’s matchup.

FAMU

The Rattlers enter the contest with a 2-4 record. Both of their wins have come against teams on the DII level. Their losses have come against quality opponents like UC Riverside, Kansas State, Miami, and UTEP. FAMU is led by a quartet of contributors. 6’4″ / 170 lb senior guard, MJ Randolph, leads the Rattlers with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals per game. Jalen Speer, a 6’1″ / 172 lb sophomore, has averaged 11 points and 2 rebounds in 5 starts. 6’9″ / 200 lb forward, DJ Jones (Grad), is a transfer from Tulane who has started all 6 games for FAMU, averaging 10 points and 5 rebounds. Lastly, Bryce Moragne (Grad) is a 6’5″ / 220 lb forward. He has played and started the past 3 games, averaging 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals. The Rattlers are coached by Robert McCullum who is in his 5th season in that role.

FGCU

Last time out, the Eagles battled hard through adversity on the way an overtime victory over Dartmouth. They have won 6 of their last 7 games and look to keep adding to the win column. Leading the charge this season is Tavian Dunn-Martin (Grad). After a rough outing versus FIU, the 3-point shot still wasn’t falling for him against Dartmouth. TDM earned his money at the free throw line though, helping to ice the game for FGCU. Most recently, Cyrus Largie (junior) and Kevin Samuel (5th year) have been dominant, earning them ASUN Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week honors, respectively. Largie is averaging 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals on the season. Over the past 4 games, those numbers inflate to 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals per game. Samuel is now up to 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game (15 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks, over his last 4).

Starting 5 Predictions:

FAMU

• MJ Randolph
• Jalen Speer
• Kamron Reaves
• Bryce Moragne
• DJ Jones

FGCU

• Tavian Dunn-Martin
• Caleb Catto
• Cyrus Largie
• Zach Anderson
• Kevin Samuel

Outlook

By all accounts, FGCU should win this game. Of course, the beauty of college basketball is the unpredictability. In recent years, the Eagles couldn’t be relied upon to win the games they “should” win, on a consistent basis. So far this year, it has mostly been a different story. The veteran presence of this team and the collective talent has been invaluable against a wide array of opponents. Against FAMU there are a lot of players who could step up. I see strong games from the usual cast of characters. I also see potential big games from Caleb Catto, Dakota Rivers, and/or Zach Anderson. Anderson, in particular, is due for an offensive explosion. The normally defense-oriented sophomore has been getting a fair amount of minutes. His offensive numbers are modest, but extremely efficient in regard to shooting percentage, including from beyond the arc. His handles and driving ability look vastly improved and impressive for his 6’7″ frame. A big game for any number of these guys would go a long way in terms of getting the W and continuing to build/sustain the momentum that has so far translated to victories for the Eagles.

Stay Tuned!

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