JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville men's basketball team battled but fell to the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 59-57 on Friday night in the regular season finale.
 

The Dolphins erased an early 12-point deficit, and Robert McCray V had his 12th game of the season where he scored 20 points. However, FGCU made its free throws late to secure its 14th win of the season. Additionally, Bryce Workman and Jarius Cook were honored on what marked the Dolphins' men's basketball senior day and home finale.
 
After FGCU started the game on a 12-0 run, Robert McCray V and Stephon Payne III led the way for a 16-8 run in response, making the score 20-16, with the Eagles leading with 6:41 to play in the half. McCray had seven of JU's 16, and Payne had four, both with two-handed dunks down low to reignite the Swisher crowd. The two sides went blow for blow for the rest of the half, with Bryce Workman grabbing a first-half high of five rebounds and two steals. At halftime, the Eagles were up 31-27.
 
The four-point margin at halftime was the theme of the first 12 minutes of the second half. FGCU and Jacksonville were evenly matched, scoring 15-15 to start the half. Workman led the way with six points in that span, while FGCU had Kellman, Anderson, and Miller each scoring five. The Dolphins, with the conference playoffs in their future with a victory, battled back across the next five minutes and finally tied the game for the first time since the opening tip with just over four minutes to play. McCray went on a tear of his own with eight points in what was a 10-4 run that made the game all square at 50-50.
 
FGCU was awarded two free throws, which they converted, shortly after the Dolphins tied the game. An offensive turnover from JU gave the Eagles a chance to regain their four-point advantage, and that they did with just under two minutes to play. Back and forth, the two sides went, exchanging blows. McCray, who was having a monster second half, had the ball with JU down five and found a lane. He then emphatically threw down a one-handed dunk, and the Dolphins were back to within one shot, 57-54. FGCU had a play on offense, and Stephon Payne III read it like a book to steal it and give Jacksonville possession with less than 60 seconds to play. After spreading the ball across the floor, Jacksonville missed a deep triple and its chance to tie. The Eagles grabbed the defensive board and immediately called a timeout. 26 seconds to play. Timeouts from both sides. The Eagles inbounded the ball, and within five seconds, turned it over on a lost ball out of bounds by Isaiah Thompson. With the game still at 57-54, FGCU, Jacksonville called a timeout and drew a play. Gyasi Powell found McCray, who was heavily guarded, and a contested three fell just short of the rim. Anderson then stepped to the free-throw line, sunk both tries, and a late triple from Powell cut into the lead with two seconds left, but the game ended there, 59-57.
 
Despite the outcome, the Dolphins clinched the 10th seed in the ASUN's Conference Tournament and will play on Monday night in Richmond, Kentucky.

WHAT THEY SAID

 

UP NEXT

The Dolphins will play in the first round of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament on Monday, March 4 against #9 Kennesaw State. Tipoff is slated for a 7 pm start and the game can be streamed on ESPN+. The game will be played on the campus of Eastern Kentucky, and tickets can be purchased here.