Lee Today

After scoring a season-best 23 points in the FGCU women's basketball's 91-81 road win last week at Mercer, junior Alyza Winston (Muskegon, Mich./Muskegon HS/Michigan State/Mississippi State) was named ASUN Newcomer of the Week for the second time this season. The honor marks the 50th NOW award for FGCU.

"Alyza had a fantastic game against Mercer," said FGCU head women's basketball coach Karl Smesko. "She worked hard on the defensive end, and she was really efficient offensively."

The Michigan native registered 23 points and was 10-for-16 from the floor for a 62.5 field goal percentage against Mercer. It was her second game this season with 20-plus points and ninth with 10 or more points.

Winston's point total was crucial in the Eagles claiming their 10th win of the season vs. Mercer on Dec. 21 in Macon, Georgia. FGCU won its second consecutive road game to extend its road win streak to five games and kept the Eagles' undefeated series record against the Bears, now at 16-0.

In addition to her offensive contribution, she had a season-high five rebounds and a steal. Winston ranks second on the team in scoring with a 14.7 points-per-game average, good for sixth in the conference.

Winston's first ASUN Newcomer of the Week award this season came Nov. 14 after she had 22 points in two Eagle wins, the season opener vs. Old Dominion and a game-high 19 at FIU.

The FGCU women's basketball team (10-2) begins a four-game homestand against Brown (7-4) on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 5 p.m.

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS, MINI PLANS AVAILABLE    
Tickets for the 2022-23 FGCU Basketball season are on sale now and can be purchased by going online to www.FGCUTickets.com or calling 866-FGCU-TIX. Group tickets can also be purchased for 10 or more people – making a memorable evening for families, businesses, or other organizations.    

COACH SMESKO     
FGCU head coach Karl Smesko maintains a record of 620-130 (.827) overall in his career, the third-highest winning percentage among active Division I coaches behind only UConn's Geno Auriemma and LSU's Kim Mulkey. He has also led the Eagles to a 232-18 (.928) mark in ASUN regular-season play and a 30-2 (.938) record in ASUN tournament play. Over the previous 10 seasons, he has guided FGCU to a 153-5 (.968) record in conference play with six undefeated seasons. The 12-time ASUN Coach of the Year has led the program to 12-straight 25-win seasons and 18 consecutive 20-win campaigns, including 30-plus wins in five of the last eight years. On top of all that, the Eagles are 559-103 (.844) all-time since Smesko started the program in the 2002-03 season, and the Green & Blue's .844 all-time winning percentage is the best in NCAA Division I women's basketball history.     

E.A.G.L.E. CAMPAIGN 
IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!    

#FEEDFGCU 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (https://www.fgcu.edu/adminservices/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit https://www.fgcu.edu/adminservices/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.  

Original source can be found here.