Man, let me tell you about the time I got really into college basketball. It was back in 2013, and the team that caught my eye was the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles. I remember I was flipping through channels, and boom, there they were, playing their hearts out.
I started digging into their season. These guys, the FGCU Eagles, were on fire! They were in the Atlantic Sun Conference, and they didn’t just play; they dominated. I watched every game I could find, I got all their game info and tried to watch them all.
They played against some tough teams that season. I recall one game against Nebraska on November 8th. It was a tough one, and they lost 55-79. They didn’t let that get them down, though. On November 12th, they bounced back and beat Hartford 65-51. It was awesome! A few days later, on November 15th, they played against Furman and won a close one, 70-69. Those were some intense games, and I was glued to the screen for every single one.
Now, the real excitement started when they made it to the NCAA Tournament. They had won the Atlantic Sun Tournament, beating the top seed, Mercer. That win got them into the big dance, and boy, did they make an entrance! They became known as “Dunk City.” I even remember this name printed on the TV, which was so impressive!
- First game in the tournament: They faced Georgetown. Everyone thought Georgetown would crush them, but guess what? FGCU won by 10 points! It was 78-68, and I was jumping up and down in my living room.
- Next up: San Diego State University. Another tough team, but FGCU did it again! They won 81-71, another 10-point victory. I couldn’t believe it; they were unstoppable.
They made it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen. I was so proud of them; it felt like I was part of their journey. I mean, they have won their second consecutive ASUN championship. That was a historic run. I even heard they were creating an FGCU Athletics Hall of Fame, and that 2013 team was going to be one of the first inductees. How cool is that?
I followed them for a couple more seasons after that, but 2013 will always be special. It was the year I saw a group of underdogs take on the big names and make history. “Dunk City” forever, man! That’s my story of how I became a die-hard FGCU Eagles fan.
