FORT MYERS, Fla. – A career-high day from redshirt-freshman Erin Wilson highlighted the Jacksonville University women's basketball team's regular season finale, but the Dolphins were unable to hold off No. 23 Florida Gulf Coast on the road and fell 77-64, Monday evening at Alico Arena.

"Hats off to FGCU, they had some people that showed up to play for them that don't really show up for them like this. We had to really lock in and have a collective effort on both ends of the floor to get this win, and in the second and third quarters we didn't. We allowed too many points in the first quarter and we didn't do a good job of communicating. We have to get a collective effort from everyone to get this done," stated head coach Darnell Haney following the game.

Wilson led the Dolphins (18-11, 10-6 ASUN) with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while junior Jada Perry added 12 points and six boards in the effort. For her performance, Wilson was named Hodges Mazda Player of the Game.
 

A high-scoring first quarter opened with Dolphin baskets from redshirt-senior Shakayla Nevitt (9:26) and senior Alexis Burns (7:56); however, the remainder of the first quarter featured back-and-forth scoring as neither team managed a lead larger than three. Wilson knocked down three-pointers (4:11, 2:31) on back-to-back trips down the floor to give the Dolphins a three-point lead, but the Eagles (28-3, 15-1 ASUN) clung to a 24-22 advantage at the break.

A 6-0 run, including four more points from Wilson, highlighted the second quarters as Jacksonville took the lead once more over the Eagles at 28-24. The momentum swung back in favor of the hosts as three-pointers from FGCU's Davion Wingate and Ashli O'Neal sparked a 15-4 rally to close out the quarter with the Eagles up, 42-34.

Noting Wilson's play, Haney added, "We recruit people here that can do something with the basketball and Erin was able to showcase what she can do. She's just a pitbull – she's going to go get every rebound; she's going to do the little things; and she can score the ball. The future is bright for her because she is fearless. She has a relentless attitude and she's going to really be able to help us going into the playoffs and into the future."
Jacksonville cut its deficit to five, 40-45, as Wilson added to her career day with free throws (6:47) and a layup (6:35), but it was a decisive 12-0 Eagle run midway through the quarter that put things out of reach heading into the fourth, 64-46.

The Dolphins outpaced the Eagles 18-13 and used a 6-0 streak to cut FGCU's lead to 12 but were ultimately unable to get any closer in the final quarter. Senior Mariah Batz knocked down a shot from beyond the arc with 50 seconds left, and Wilson capped all scoring with a jumper with eight seconds on the clock, but the damage was done as FGCU held on for the final 77-64 decision.

"I'm proud of the effort of this group that's been given over the course of the season. As we embark on a new season which starts on Saturday, we're been through enough ups and downs, highs and lows, to where we are prepared to go to battle on Saturday and every game after that," stated Haney. "It's one game at a time, it's time to lock in and focus on us getting better, growing as a group. We've gelled. Now it's time to take that and hold steady together and get it done."

Awaiting final seeding for the upcoming ASUN Tournament, the Dolphins will play host in the quarterfinal round, which will be played at Historic Swisher Gymnasium on Saturday, March 7 at 1 p.m.