North Florida Ospreys at Florida Gulf Coast Eagles
· ATLANTIC SUN MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL
61 - 77
Dunk Dynasty: FGCU tops North Florida 77-61 for NCAA berth
And yes, those highlight-reel dunks are still happening.
Brandon Goodwin scored 19 points and FGCU dominated the second half to earn its third NCAA berth in the last five seasons with a 77-61 win over North Florida in the Atlantic Sun Conference championship game on Sunday. The Eagles trailed by six at the half, then outscored the Ospreys 44-22 and held them to 19 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes.
"We sort of figured it out at halftime," FGCU coach Joe Dooley said.
Demetris Morant and Marc-Eddy Norelia each scored 14 for the Eagles (26-7). Zach Johnson and Christian Terrell added 10 apiece for FGCU, which tied the program's Division I-era record for victories in a season.
"I definitely feel like we can compete with anyone in the country," Goodwin said. "We know what we're capable of and if we do all that coach asks of us, we can definitely win."
The school best known for its "Dunk City" run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2013 also went to the NCAAs last season, winning a First Four game before falling to eventual national finalist North Carolina. And when the bracket comes out next Sunday, someone is going to surely be reminded that the NCAA stage tends to bring out FGCU's best.
"They're going to be a tough out for anybody who has to play them," North Florida coach Matthew Driscoll said. "That's for sure."
Dallas Moore, the leading active scorer in Division I, had 19 points for North Florida (15-19). Wajid Aminu scored 11 and Garrett Sams added 10 for the Ospreys.
Goodwin started the second half with a three-point play and it didn't take long for the Eagles to grab control. His free throws with 16:36 left put FGCU on top for good, and started what became a 17-7 run that set the tone for what became a championship celebration.
"They completely dominated us in the second half," Driscoll said. "They dominated every phase. ... We got some good looks, but they were better."
BIG PICTURE
ONE-SIDED
MOORE'S NUMBERS
Moore started all 135 games of his career at North Florida. He entered Sunday as the nation's No. 4 scorer this season at 24.0 points per game, and increased his career total to 2,437. "He barely even missed a practice," Driscoll said.
UP NEXT
Florida Gulf Coast awaits its NCAA Tournament matchup, to be announced March 12.
How can I watch North Florida vs. Florida Gulf Coast?
Recent Plays
| 2nd 0:00 | End of Game | 61 - 77 |
| 2nd 0:05 | Joshua Ko Turnover. | 61 - 77 |
| 2nd 0:35 | Maxx Bleecher Defensive Rebound. | 61 - 77 |
| 2nd 0:35 | CJ Fisher missed Free Throw. | 61 - 77 |
| 2nd 0:35 | North Florida Deadball Team Rebound. | 61 - 77 |
Statistics
 UNF |
 FGCU |
|
|---|---|---|
| 20-57 | FG | 28-60 |
| 35 | Field Goal % | 47 |
| 6-26 | 3PT | 6-16 |
| 23 | Three Point % | 38 |
| 15-22 | FT | 15-22 |
| 68 | Free Throw % | 68 |
| 39 | Rebounds | 37 |
| 16 | Offensive Rebounds | 12 |
| 23 | Defensive Rebounds | 25 |
| 11 | Assists | 16 |
| 3 | Steals | 7 |
| 1 | Blocks | 4 |
| 13 | Turnovers | 7 |
| 0 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 13 | Total Turnovers | 7 |
| 1 | Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 1 | Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Points Off Turnovers | 0 |
| 0 | Fast Break Points | 0 |
| 0 | Points in Paint | 0 |
| 17 | Fouls | 17 |
| 10 | Largest Lead | 18 |
Game Information
Location: Fort Myers, FL
Attendance: 4,711 | Capacity:
2025-26 Atlantic Sun Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Peay | 15-3 | +1 | 22-9 |
| Central Arkansas | 15-3 | +1 | 22-12 |
| Queens University | 13-5 | 2 | 21-14 |
| Lipscomb | 12-6 | 3 | 19-13 |
| Florida Gulf Coast | 8-10 | 7 | 16-18 |
| West Georgia | 8-10 | 6 | 15-17 |
| Bellarmine | 7-11 | 8 | 13-19 |
| Jacksonville | 7-11 | 8 | 12-20 |
| Stetson | 7-11 | 8 | 12-21 |
| Eastern Kentucky | 7-11 | 7 | 11-21 |
| North Florida | 5-13 | 10 | 7-25 |
| North Alabama | 4-14 | 10 | 9-21 |