March Madness memories: Here are 10 of FGCU’s most unforgettable moments

Perhaps no month is as synonymous with a sport as March is with college basketball. It’s a time when even the most casual of fans can get sucked into the Madness that surrounds the NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments.

Almost from the moment its basketball programs became eligible for Division I postseason play a little more than a decade ago (and even a bit before then), FGCU started making some unforgettable March memories.

Here’s a look back at 10 of them in chronological order.

March 2007: Leaving Division II on a high note

FGCU teammates Kate Schrader, left, Ashley Haegele and Amanda Pierce celebrate after defeating Delta State in the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament at Alico Arena on Monday, March 12, 2007.

In its final season as a Division II program, the FGCU women’s basketball team went undefeated in the regular season and tore through the NCAA tournament, ousting fellow No. 1 seeds North Dakota State (83-64) in the Elite Eight and Clayton State (61-57) in the Final Four to advance to the national title game. The Eagles lost 61-45 to another top-seed in Southern Connecticut to finish 34-1 and the national Division II runner-up. FGCU’s Katie Schrader and Steffi Sorensen were selected for the All-Tournament team.

March 2008: Women start a run of ASUN dominance

FGCU women’s basketball coach Karl Smesko reacts during the Eagles’ game against South Florida in the first round of the WNIT at Alico Arena on Friday, March 21, 2008. FGCU defeated USF 67-65.

In its first season of provisional Division I status, the women’s basketball team won the Atlantic Sun Conference’s regular season championship with a 13-3 record.  Ineligible for the NCAA Tournament, FGCU instead earned a trip to the WNIT when regular-season runner-up Jacksonville was upset in the ASUN Tournament.

The Eagles opened with a 67-65 win over South Florida at Alico Arena behind 20 points by Delia De La Torre. FGCU traveled to Gainesville to face Florida in the second round where it lost 60-55.

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March 2012: Women can’t wait to dance

FGCU’s Whitney Knight drives to the basket against St. Bonaventure in the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee on Sunday, March 18, 2012.

FGCU didn’t waste any time qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. In its first year of NCAA Division I Tournament eligibility, the top-seeded Eagles punched their ticket to the Big Dance by defeating Stetson 67-39 in the ASUN title game in Macon, Ga. Counting the conference tournament, FGCU went a perfect 21-0 against its ASUN counterparts during the 2011-12 season.

The Eagles grabbed a No. 12 seed and faced off against No. 5 St. Bonaventure in a first-round game in Tallahassee. FGCU led by 10 points with just under six minutes to play in regulation but watched both the lead and the game slip away, losing 72-65 in overtime.

FGCU’s Sherwood Brown celebrates making a 3-point shot against Georgetown at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on March 22, 2013.

In just its second year of full Division I eligibility, the FGCU men’s basketball team earned its first NCAA Tournament berth by defeating No. 1-seeded Mercer 88-75 in the ASUN championship game. Tournament MVP Brett Comer scored 21 points in the title game.

The No. 15 seeded Eagles opened with a showdown against No. 2 Georgetown in Philadelphia. What followed was one of the most thrilling upsets in NCAA Tournament history as FGCU stunned the Hoyas 78-68 while simultaneously introducing the nation to its high-flying brand of basketball as Dunk City was born. Senior Sherwood Brown had a game-high 24 points for the Eagles while junior Bernard Thompson added 23.

Two days later, the Eagles became the first No. 15 seed in tournament history to reach the Sweet 16 when they topped No. 7 San Diego State 81-71. Thompson had 23 points for FGCU while Comer added 10 points and a season-high 14 assists.

Next up FGCU faced No. 3 Florida at the newly opened Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Eagles jumped out to an early 11-point lead but the Gators went on a 16-0 run late in the first half and pulled away for a 62-50 win. The 50 points matched a season-low for the Eagles.

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March 2014: No Dunk City redux

FGCU’s Bernard Thompson leaves the court after losing to Mercer in the ASUN Tournament championship game at Alico Arena on March 9, 2014.

Under new coach Joe Dooley, FGCU entered the ASUN Tournament as the top seed after posting a 14-4 record in conference play. After two home-court wins, the Eagles hosted No. 2-seeded Mercer at Alico Arena with both the conference championship and a return to the NCAA Tournament on the line.

The Bears jumped on FGCU, building a 16-point halftime lead. The Eagles were able to cut the deficit to one in the second half but Mercer held on for a 68-60 win. The Bears advanced to the NCAA Tournament and kept the ASUN’s upset streak alive, shocking No. 3 seeded Duke 78-71 in the first round.

FGCU meanwhile earned an NIT bid and as the No. 8 seed, the Eagles traveled to Tallahassee to face No. 1 seed Florida State.  The Eagles committed 19 turnovers and were outscored 16-5 at the free throw line in a 58-53 loss to the Seminoles.

March 2015: Women earn first NCAA Tournament win

FGCU’s Kaneisha Atwater scores against Oklahoma State University in an NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament first-round game in Tallahassee on March 21, 2015. Atwater scored 26 points as FGCU beat the Cowgirls 75-67.

Following another undefeated ASUN regular season, FGCU captured its third conference tournament championship in four seasons, beating No. 3 seed Northern Kentucky 60-43 at Alico Arena behind 21 points by ASUN Player of the Year Whitney Knight.

The Eagles, ranked No. 20 in the nation, earned a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest any FGCU men’s or women’s team has ever received from the selection committee. For the second consecutive year, they matched up with Oklahoma State, which had defeated the Eagles 61-60 in 2014’s first round. FGCU got its revenge and its first NCAA win, topping Oklahoma State 75-67 behind Kaniesha Atwater’s 26 points.

The Eagles faced off against No. 2 Florida State in the second round and couldn’t overcome an early surge by the Seminoles, falling 65-47 in Tallahassee.

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March 2016: Late run puts men in NCAA Tournament

FGCU’s Demetris Morant, left, Antravious Simmons, top, and Zach Johnson celebrate their 80-78 overtime win over Stetson in the ASUN championship on Sunday, March 6, 2016.

In FGCU’s third season under Dooley, the Eagles went just 8-6 in conference play during the regular season and entered the ASUN Championship Tournament as the No. 4 seed.

After dispatching top-seeded North Florida 89-56 in ASUN tournament semifinals, FGCU hosted No. 7 Stetson in the championship game at Alico Arena. The contest featured 16 ties, eight lead changes and went to overtime. Redshirt freshman guard Zach Johnson, who scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half and overtime, secured the 80-78 win for FGCU with a blocked shot at the rim with five seconds to play.

A No. 16 seed, FGCU played in a First Four game in Dayton where the Eagles easily dispatched Farleigh Dickinson, 96-65. Next up was No. 1 North Carolina. FGCU trailed by just one point at halftime after shooting 60% from the field. But the Tar Heels opened the second half on a 25-6 run and went on to defeat the Eagles, 83-67.

March 2017: Back-to-back NCAA trips for men

FGCU’s Brandon Goodwin goes for a reverse layup in an NCAA tournament first-round game against Florida State at Amway Center in Orlando on Thursday, March 16, 2017. FSU defeated FGCU 86-80.

The FGCU men’s basketball team won its second consecutive ASUN championship and third overall, knocking off North Florida 77-61 at Alico Arena behind 19 points by Tournament MVP Brandon Goodwin.

The Eagles earned a 14 seed, their highest ever, and faced No. 3 Florida State in Orlando. The Seminoles, who featured three future NBA players in Jonathan Issac, Terance Mann and Dwayne Bacon, held on for an 86-80 victory, shooting 56% from the field. Goodwin led FGCU with a game-high 28 points and seven assists. This marked the men’s most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

March 2022: Women pull off another NCAA upset

FGCU’s Kierstan Bell battles Maryland’s Angel Reese in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 20, 2017. Maryland defeated FGCU 89-65.

The FGCU woman won their sixth consecutive ASUN tournament championship with a 69-54 win over Jacksonville State at Alico Arena. Tournament MVP Kierstan Bell had 26 points and six rebounds for the Eagles.

FGCU got a 12 seed and opened the NCAA Tournament against No. 5 Virginia Tech in College Park, Md. The 20th-ranked Eagles had four players score in double-figures and drained 15 3-pointers, downing the 16th-ranked Hokies 84-81. Bell finished with 22 points and eight rebounds.

In its second-round matchup against No. 4 seed Maryland, the Terrapins grabbed control with 19-0 run, handing FGCU an 89-65 defeat. Kendall Spray led the Eagles with 17 points.

March 2023: Women make NCAA history by toppling another high-seed

FGCU’s Kierra Adams drives to the hoop during the Eagles’ first-round 2023 NCAA Tournament win over Washington State in Villanova, Pa. on Saturday, March 18, 2023.

The FGCU woman captured their 10th ASUN championship title and seventh in a row, downing Liberty 84-60 at Alico Arena. Tishara Morehouse, the conference Player of the Year and Tournament MVP, had 20 points and six assists for the Eagles.

FGCU, ranked No. 22 in the nation, again received a No. 12 seed and faced No. 5 Washington State, the No. 23 ranked team, at Villanova. Behind a game-high 24 points from Sha Carter, the Eagles knocked off the Cougars 74-63. With the victory, FGCU became the first team in NCAA Women’s Tournament history to win three games as a No. 12 seed.

Next up for the Eagles was No. 4 seeded Villanova and first-team All-American Maddy Siegrist. The Wildcats used a big first quarter to grab an early double-digit lead and downed FGCU, 76-57. Siegrist scored a game-high 31 points for Villanova, setting an NCAA record with her 36th consecutive 20-point game. Carter led the Eagles with 11 points and six rebounds.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: March Madness: FGCU top men’s and women’s basketball moments