2012–13 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles men's basketball team

2012–13 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles men's basketball
NCAA Tournament, Sweet Sixteen
Conference Atlantic Sun Conference
Ranking
Coaches #25
2012–13 record 26–11 (13–5 A-Sun)
Head coach Andy Enfield (2nd year)
Assistant coach Kevin Norris
Assistant coach Marty Richter
Assistant coach Michael Fly
Home arena Alico Arena
2012–13 Atlantic Sun men's basketball standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   PCT     W   L   PCT
Mercer 14 – 4   .778     24 – 12   .667
Florida Gulf Coast † 13 – 5   .722     26 – 11   .703
Stetson 11 – 7   .611     15 – 16   .484
USC Upstate 9 – 9   .500     16 – 17   .485
Jacksonville 9 – 9   .500     14 – 18   .438
Northern Kentucky* 9 – 9   .500     11 – 16   .407
North Florida 8 – 10   .444     13 – 19   .406
East Tennessee State 8 – 10   .444     10 – 22   .313
Lipscomb 7 – 11   .389     12 – 18   .400
Kennesaw State 2 – 16   .111     3 – 27   .100
† 2013 Atlantic Sun Tournament winner
As of March 29, 2013; Rankings from AP Poll
*ineligible for postseason play due to Div. I transition

The 2012–13 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles men's basketball team represented Florida Gulf Coast University during the 2012–13 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Eagles, led by second year head coach Andy Enfield, played their home games at Alico Arena and were members of the Atlantic Sun Conference. They finished A-Sun play with a record of 13–5 to finish in second place. In only their second year of full NCAA eligibility, the Eagles won the Atlantic Sun Tournament, beating top-seeded Mercer in the championship game, to earn their first ever bid to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 15 seed in the south region. Guard Sherwood Brown was named the A-Sun player of the year.

In their NCAA Tournament debut, the 15 seeded Eagles upset 2 seeded Georgetown 78–68. It was the third time in two years and seventh time overall that a 15 seed had upset a 2 seed. With a third round 81-71 win over San Diego State, they became the first 15 seed to win two games in a tournament to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. They lost in the Sweet Sixteen to Florida 62–50 to finish the season 26–11. After the season, Andy Enfield was hired by the USC Trojans to be the head coach.[1] They won the 2013 ESPY for Best Upset.[2]

Roster

2012–13 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Home town
G 0 Comer, BrettBrett Comer style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 192 lb (87 kg) So Winter Park, Florida
F 1 Hicks, NateNate Hicks  style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 215 lb (98 kg) Jr Panama City Beach, Florida
G 2 Thompson, BernardBernard Thompson style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 166 lb (75 kg) So Conyers, Georgia
G 5 Varidel, ChristopheChristophe Varidel style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 170 lb (77 kg) Jr Versoix, Switzerland
G 11 Jones, JamailJamail Jones  style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 215 lb (98 kg) Jr Atlanta, Georgia
F 12 McKnight, EricEric McKnight style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 210 lb (95 kg) RS So Raleigh, North Carolina
G 14 Blessig, AlexanderAlexander Blessig style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 181 lb (82 kg) Fr Berlin, Germany
F 15 Cvjeticanin, FilipFilip Cvjeticanin style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 212 lb (96 kg) So Zagreb, Croatia
F 20 Fieler, ChaseChase Fieler style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 205 lb (93 kg) Jr Parkersburg, West Virginia
F 21 Livingston Jr., LeonardLeonard Livingston Jr. style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 180 lb (82 kg) Fr Upper Marlboro, Maryland
F 23 Murray, EddieEddie Murray style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 205 lb (93 kg) RS Sr North Fort Myers, Florida
F 24 Blake, MarcusMarcus Blake (W) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 195 lb (88 kg) RS So Miami, Florida
G 25 Brown, SherwoodSherwood Brown style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 200 lb (91 kg) Sr Orlando, Florida
G 35 Graf, DajuanDajuan Graf style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) style="text-align:right; white-space:nowrap; font-size:90%; | 170 lb (77 kg) Fr Charlotte, North Carolina
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: 2013-03-11

According to Yahoo! Sports columnist Eric Adelson, "The out-of-nowhere stories [on the squad] are kind of staggering."[3] Brown began his college career as a walk-on,[3] and was so little-regarded in high school that he does not appear in the database of Yahoo!'s Rivals.com recruiting site.[4] Starting point guard Brett Comer, who had 24 assists in the Eagles' first two NCAA games, said he had no idea how to play the position when he arrived at FGCU; at Winter Park High School, he took a back seat to future NBA player Austin Rivers.[3] Chase Fieler, whose one-handed alley-oop dunk off a Comer pass was the signature play of the Georgetown game, also does not appear in the Rivals.com database,[4] and did not know how to jump off two feet when he arrived at FGCU.[3] Bernard Thompson, named A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year, was by comparison highly touted; he had offers from budding power VCU and five other mid-majors. Nonetheless, he was not nationally ranked out of high school.[4]

Schedule

Date Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (Attendance)
Regular season
11/09/2012* at VCU
(Battle 4 Atlantis)		 L 57–80  0–1 Stuart C. Siegel Center (7,693)
11/13/2012* Miami (FL) W 63–51  1–1 Alico Arena (4,552)
11/15/2012* Ave Maria W 86–54  2–1 Alico Arena (1,113)
11/18/2012* at #9 Duke
(Battle 4 Atlantis)		 L 67–88  2–2 Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)
11/21/2012* Alcorn State
(Battle 4 Atlantis)		 W 50–48  3–2 Alico Arena (1,370)
11/22/2012* Toledo
(Battle 4 Atlantis)		 W 72–66  4–2 Alico Arena (676)
11/24/2012* at St. John's L 68–79  4–3 Carnesecca Arena (4,003)
11/28/2012* at Samford W 86–62  5–3 Pete Hanna Center (1,087)
12/01/2012* Loyola (MD) W 65–50  6–3 Alico Arena (2,141)
12/04/2012* at Iowa State L 72–83  6–4 Hilton Coliseum (12,692)
12/13/2012* FIU W 76–73  7–4 Alico Arena (1,803)
12/18/2012* Southeastern W 86–60  8–4 Alico Arena (1,162)
12/22/2012* at Maine L 78–84  8–5 Alfond Arena (980)
12/31/2012 at Kennesaw State W 68–59  9–5 (1–0) KSU Convocation Center (821)
01/02/2013 at Mercer L 70–77 OT 9–6 (1–1) Hawkins Arena (2,742)
01/05/2013 Jacksonville W 78–55  10–6 (2–1) Alico Arena (1,704)
01/07/2013 North Florida W 75–73  11–6 (3–1) Alico Arena (2,231)
01/10/2013 at USC Upstate W 72–71 OT 12–6 (4–1) G. B. Hodge Center (759)
01/12/2013 at East Tennessee State L 75–85  12–7 (4–2) ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center (2,446)
01/17/2013 Lipscomb L 78–87 OT 12–8 (4–3) Alico Arena (1,960)
01/19/2013 Northern Kentucky W 73–54  13–8 (5–3) Alico Arena (2,189)
01/25/2013 Stetson W 96–65  14–8 (6–3) Alico Arena (3,002)
01/31/2013 at North Florida W 89–75  15–8 (7–3) UNF Arena (1,358)
02/02/2013 at Jacksonville W 81–78  16–8 (8–3) Swisher Gymnasium (899)
02/07/2013 East Tennessee State W 67–43  17–8 (9–3) Alico Arena (2,832)
02/09/2013 USC Upstate W 74–49  18–8 (10–3) Alico Arena (3,621)
02/14/2013 at Northern Kentucky W 60–53  19–8 (11–3) The Bank of Kentucky Center (3,386)
02/16/2013 at Lipscomb L 74–84  19–9 (11–4) Allen Arena (1,754)
02/22/2013 at Stetson L 71–80  19–10 (11–5) Edmunds Center (1,342)
02/28/2013 Mercer W 60–57  20–10 (12–5) Alico Arena (3,586)
03/02/2013 Kennesaw State W 67–49  21–10 (13–5) Alico Arena (2,574)
2013 Atlantic Sun Tournament
03/06/2013 vs. North Florida
(Quarterfinals)		 W 73–63  22–10 Hawkins Arena (683)
03/08/2013 vs. Stetson
(Semifinals)		 W 72–58  23–10 Hawkins Arena (3,527)
03/09/2013 at Mercer
(Championship Game)		 W 88–75  24–10 Hawkins Arena (3,494)
2013 NCAA Tournament
03/22/2013* #(15) vs. #8 (2) Georgetown
(Second Round)		 W 78–68  25–10 Wells Fargo Center (20,125)
03/24/2013* #(15) vs. (7) San Diego State
(Third Round)		 W 81–71  26–10 Wells Fargo Center (20,125)
03/29/2013* #(15) vs. #14 (3) Florida
(Sweet Sixteen)		 L 50–62  26–11 Cowboys Stadium (40,639)
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. ( ) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time. (#) during NCAA Tournament is Seed.

References

  1. ↑ "USC taps FGCU's Andy Enfield as next head coach". SI.com.
  2. ↑ "ESPN Twitter". Twitter.com.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Adelson, Eric (March 23, 2013). "Who is Florida Gulf Coast University?". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Forde, Pat (March 26, 2013). "Florida Gulf Coast, other Sweet 16 teams thriving without highly touted recruits". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved March 27, 2013.