Hi guys, watched FGCU hold off Stetson to qualify for NCAA last night.
This school started basketball in 2003 as NAIA. I befriended the AD and Coach and was an early supporter. They recruited D1 Jr and Sr who were sitting in their schools and came in and played right away. They won, big. Soon they went to NCAA D 2, and were beating everyone, no one wanted to schedule them so they bit the bullit and went D1 so the A Sun conference could bring them in. The 7 year No NCAA waiting period killed the recruiting and they were mediocre. They brought in a new coach once eligible and in two years he took them to the NCAA (13) an they made Sweet 16 and American fell in love with Dunk City for two weeks.
That coach left for 1,000,000 a year at USC and Bill Self of Kanas top asst Joe Dooley was hired for $150,000, a big pay cut but he now has them in the dance. The crowds have been 4500 sell out in a conference that usually has Duquesne sizes home crowds, he is bringing in good players as freshman and still has VCU, Marquette and others big D1 transfers to fill in. They play demon style defense and score mostly from inside with occasional three's .

I think The Dukes could transform to this with the correct coach and tough hard nosed players!
The EAGLES won last night with the two best players fouled out and leading scorer out since late first half with a ankle sprain, they gutted it out in overtime and are going back to NCAA!,