JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Kevion Nolan swished a buzzer-beating three pointer to propel Jacksonville University men's basketball to a 69-66 win over FGCU in it ASUN Conference opener on Saturday night at Swisher Gymasium.
Nolan's game-high 25 points were a season-high for the Dolphins (9-4, 1-0), who defeated the Eagles for the first time in nine tries.
The game started with a 7-0 run for the Dolphins, featuring a
Mike Marsh jumper,
Jordan Davis driving layup and
Tyreese Davis three. It was also the largest lead for either team in the game. FGCU answered with an 8-0 run of its own and set the tone for how the tight the contest would be the rest of the way.
The teams traded buckets much of the rest of the first half, ending with an FGCU clock at the buzzer, with JU going into the locker room up 30-29.
Nolan buried a pull-up jumper to start the second half to move into double-digit scoring, and set the tone for his big second half. Jacksonville led by as many as four in the second half and were either tied or led until an Eagle three put them on top 48-46 with 7:02 to play.
The lead grew to six for FGCU, 54-48, with 4:40 to go, but
Jordan Davis cut it back to one possession with a big three from the right wing. A couple of free throws extended the Eagle advantage back to five before Nolan drilled the first of his four big trifectas down the stretch.
Tyreese Davis drained a corner three with 2:01 to play to cut it to one and
Mike Marsh converted a three-point play to tie it at 60 next time down the floor. FGCU drilled a three and Nolan answered to tie it at 63 and drained another after a defensive stop to put JU on top 66-63.
Three free throws tied it back up for FGCU, and with 7.6 seconds remaining, JU got it to Nolan, who rose up from 25-feet and released, with his shot swishing just as the horn sounding.
UP NEXT
Jacksonville stays at home to host Stetson (7-8, 1-1) on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
COACH'S COMMENTS
NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
- Kevion Nolan's seven made three-pointers were a career-high
- Nolan was the first Dolphin to make a game-winning shot with less than 10 seconds remaining since…Kevion Nolan exactly one-year ago today, Jan. 8, 2021, when he sank a three with nine seconds left to propel JU to victory over North Florida
- Mike Marsh recorded his second career double-double, with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, also a career-high
- Jordan Davis scored in double-figures for the 54th time in his career
- The 10 made three-pointers were the fourth time JU made double-digit threes this season
- Jacksonville is now 7-0 at home, its best home start since the 2015-16 season
