Eagles Soar to Victory with Thrilling Late Comeback Against North Alabama

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Jevin Muniz tallied a team-leading 21 points, and his last six of the evening proved crucial as Florida Gulf Coast University overcame North Alabama 75-70 in Atlantic Sun Conference men’s basketball action at Alico Arena on Thursday night.

Trailing 70-69 following a couple of UNA free throws with under 50 seconds remaining, Eagles head coach Pat Chambers called a timeout to devise a strategy for Muniz. The Eagles (7-9, 2-1 ASUN) directed the ball to Rory Stewart on the left flank, who passed it down to Muniz just outside the key. The junior transfer maneuvered low and executed a reverse layup with 30.7 seconds left, giving the Eagles a 71-70 advantage.

“The coach drew it up, and we ran it exactly as he planned,” Muniz remarked. “Everyone had trust in each other, and we executed the play flawlessly.”

“They executed the play excellently,” Coach Chambers noted. “Rory didn’t receive the minutes he typically does. I placed him in the game cold, but he delivered the right pass. He fulfills his role, and then Jevin capitalized to achieve a baseline reverse.”

UNA had the opportunity to reclaim the lead. The Lions charged into the paint, but the Eagles fortified their defense. Following a kick-out to the top, a drive towards the basket led to a pass that got deflected. Muniz gained control of the ball and was tripped, leading to an inbound call for FGCU with 5.9 seconds remaining. Muniz was fouled during that inbound, prompting him to head to the line for a 1-and-1 chance. He made the first, after which the Lions called a complete timeout to disrupt Muniz’s focus.

“I was entirely focused on the moment,” Muniz stated. “I recognized it was a pivotal free throw. I just took my time and made them count.”

UNA (10-6, 2-1 ASUN) had a chance to cover the length of the court after a timeout with 5.4 seconds remaining, but the Lions took too much time to get the ball in, resulting in a 5-second violation, leading to the turnover in favor of the Green and Blue. Muniz would receive the ball once more on the next inbound, successfully converting both ends of the 1-and-1 to secure the victory.

After an 11-0 surge placed the Eagles ahead 34-24 with 5:18 remaining in the initial half, UNA responded with a 15-0 run, taking a 39-34 advantage. A basket just before the buzzer by Zavian McLean provided the graduate transfer with 13 points in the first half, closing the gap to three as halftime approached, 39-36.

Despite two turnovers at the start of the second half, FGCU quickly regrouped, regaining the lead after a Keeshawn Kellman layup capped a 7-0 run that propelled the home team up 43-41. The lead continued to shift for the next eight minutes, with Rahmir Barno putting FGCU ahead 62-57 after two free throws with 8:28 remaining. UNA fought back yet again, leveling the score at 69-all after a three-pointer with 2:18 left.

Last year, UNA established a 70-69 lead late in the game, and the Eagles squandered three opportunities to tie or take the lead in the last 10 seconds. This time, the Eagles ensured that history wouldn’t repeat itself.

“I reviewed [film of] last year’s game, and we played exceptionally well that time,” said Chambers. “We had our chances, and we just let it slip away. I believe our teams from the past couple of years now understand how we persevered. That’s how it will be against North Alabama. It’s a fierce competition. It’s an absolute struggle and whoever comes out on top will win the game. I feel as though we broke through a bit.”

Muniz scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half. McLean concluded the night with 18 points. Barno added yet another double-digit game to his season tally, scoring 10 points for the eighth time this season. Michael Duax shot 4-of-5 from the field, contributing 10 points, as FGCU finished with four players scoring in double figures.

UNA entered the contest with five players averaging double digits, but only managed to have two in tonight’s contest. Jacari Lane led the game with 22 points while Daniel Ortiz netted five 3-pointers, achieving 17 points.

The Eagles will remain at home to conclude the weekend with a matchup against Central Arkansas on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at FGCUTickets.com.

 

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