Florida Gulf Coast wins ASUN Tournament for 9th consecutive season

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Emani Jefferson scored 15 points to lead Florida Gulf Coast to the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament championship for the ninth straight season, defeating Central Arkansas 68-51 on Saturday.

The Eagles continued their dominance of the ASUN tournament. They are 38-2 all-time in the tournament since becoming eligible in 2012. They are 26-0 in their nine-year streak and have won 12 of the last 14 titles.

Against Central Arkansas, Jefferson made 6 of 8 shots and collected seven rebounds, four assists and five steals with only one turnover. Dolly Cairns and Khamari Mitchell-Steen added 10 points each for the top-seeded Eagles (30-3).

Leah Mafua had 17 points, Jade Upshaw 15 and Cheyanne Kemp 10 for No. 2-seed Central Arkansas (23-9).

FGCU did not allow a field goal in the final 3 1/2 minutes of the first quarter and the Eagles' 8-2 run resulted in a 16-12 lead heading to the second quarter. Cairns opened the second with a 3-pointer and Mitchell-Steen followed with a layup for a 21-12 lead four-plus minutes into the quarter.

The Eagles went on to score 22 points in the second quarter. They led 38-21 with a minute left in the period and held Central Arkansas without a field goal from 4:44 to 0:08 when the Sugar Bears' Bree Stephens scored in the paint to make it 38-24 at halftime. The Sugar Bears' next field goal came four minutes into the third quarter.

FGCU's lead reached 21 after a 7-0 run to open the third quarter. Midway through the fourth Jefferson hit a 3-pointer and a long jumper to restore the 21-point lead, 68-47, with 3:16 remaining. Upshaw scored the last four points of the game for Central Arkansas.

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