Davidson College
Florida Gulf Coast University
Wildcats Open 2024-25 Season vs. FGCU
11/4/2024 7:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
GAME 1 DETAILS
Opponent: FGCU
Date / Location: Tuesday - Nov. 5 (7 p.m.) / John M. Belk Arena
Watch: ESPN+
In-game Updates: X.com (@DavidsonWBB)
SERIES HISTORY
The Eagles and Wildcats meet for just the second time in program history. The first meeting was an 84-61 victory for FGCU in Fort, Myers, Fla., during the 2020-21 season.
SCOUTING DAVIDSON
2023-24 Overall Record: 18-8
2023-24 A-10 Record: 8-7
2024-25 Preseason Poll: Fourth
Head Coach: Gayle Fulks | Eighth season (104-101)
WHAT TO WATCH FOR...
Depth – The roster is filled with players who really fit the Davidson women's basketball style of play and have incredibly high basketball IQs.
Balance – The team has the mentality of sharing the load and has built a balanced scoring system inside and outside.
Cohesiveness – The Davidson coaching staff has built a team that is very cohesive on both the offensive and defensive end and plays with a high level of physicality and motor skills.
HEAD COACH RESUME...
Gayle Fulks enters her eighth season at the helm of the Davidson women's basketball program and holds a 104-101 overall record. Coach Fulks earned her 100th win in a dominant 72-42 win over UMass during the 2023-24 season.
Coach Fulks is coming off one of the program's most successful seasons, after posting an 18-8 record in games played, along with a .692 winning percentage that ranked third-best in program history. The 18 wins tied for the most in a season since 2013 at Davidson.
WELCOME BACK...
Davidson returns eight players from its 2023-24 roster, along with over 65 percent of its scoring production. Eliza Buerk, Mallorie Haines, Issy Morgan, Katie Donovan, Millie Prior, Tomisin Adenupe, Charlise Dunn and Sylvie Jackson all return for the Wildcats.
Prior and Haines started all 26 contests a season ago while Morgan was a starter in the 24 that she appeared in. Donovan saw action in all 26 contests, making three starts, while Jackson played in 13 and Buerk 12 for the 'Cats.
NEW FACES NEW PLACES...
This year's freshman class resembles a United Nations of sorts with four of the six coming from overseas. The group includes Kyra Bruyndoncx (Mol, Belgium), Candice Lienafa (Quebec, Canada), Edina Strausz (Budapest, Hungary) and Emilie Bessel (Sydney, Australia). Also in the freshmen class are IMG Academy's Sienna Dauer and walk on Stephanie Gutierrez-Rodriguez.
Rounding out the new additions to the 2024-25 roster is sophomore transfer Jasmine Timmmerson from the University of Pittsburgh. At Pitt, Timmerson saw quality game time, appearing in 24 games and making eight starts over the 2023-24 campaign.
NON-CON REFRESHER...
Davidson got off to a red hot start last season, posting a 12-1 record to open the year, including two wins over ACC opponents (Wake Forest and Duke) as well as the first-ever win over a ranked team [In mid-November the 'Cats traveled to Cameron Indoor Stadium and earned a 69-62 win over Duke, which was receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and was No. 22 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Poll]. The noteworthy win over Duke sparked a 10-game winning streak for Davidson, which was the program's longest in 29 years.
PRESEASON POLL...
The 'Cats were tabbed to finish fourth, receiving one first-place vote in the Atlantic 10 this season, while Charlise Dunn was named to the Preseason All-Conference Second Team.
TV LOVES THE 'CATS...
Davidson is set to make five national television appearances this season with three games on CBSSN, one game on ESPN and an additional contest on Peacock. All three CBSSN contests will be against Atlantic 10 opponents in Saint Louis (Jan. 5 / Jan. 26) and VCU (Feb. 2) while the meeting with Richmond (Jan. 12) will be on ESPN and the George Mason game (Feb. 20) on Peacock.
LOOKING AHEAD...
The 2024-25 season features 12 non-conference games (5 Home, 7 Away) and 18 Atlantic 10 contests. All 18 A-10 home games will be streamed with ESPN+ and available on TV or digitally.
AUSSIE PRESENCE...
With the addition of Emilie Bessell to this year's squad, the 'Cats continue to have five Australian players on their current roster, including Issy Morgan, Charlise Dunn, Millie Prior and Katie Donovan.
The Australian presence on the Wildcats roster covers numerous places such as Perth, Queensland, Sydney and Victoria, Australia.
COMFORT IN BELK ARENA...
Davidson has compiled six consecutive winning seasons at home (11-4, 8-5, 10-6, 5-4, 7-6, 6-4) from the 2018-19 campaign to the 2023-24 season. Davidson had an impressive (11-4) showing last year when hosting its competitors in John M. Belk Arena, finishing one home win shy of the program-high of 12, set in 2011-12.
THE WIN COLUMN...
The Wildcats had a wildly successful season, sitting at 18-8 last year. The 2022-24 record marked Davidson's fifth-best record right behind the 19-11 performance in 2007-08.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES...
2023-24 Overall Record: 29-5
2023-24 ASUN Record: 16-0
2024-25 Preseason Poll: First
Head Coach: Karl Smesko | 26th season (672-137)
Returning to lead the charge for the Eagles are Emani Jefferson and Skyler Gill, who were named the Atlantic Sun Conference's Preseason Player and Co-Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, while FGCU was picked to finish first in both the ASUN coaches and media poll. Jefferson is also the defending ASUN Rookie, Player and Defender of the Year.
FGCU is coming off a 29-5 season, its eighth straight ASUN Tournament title and its 10th all-time NCAA Tournament berth. The Eagles played a tight NCAA game against No. 5 Oklahoma, falling 73-70 in Bloomington, Ind.
Known for their strong shooting presence, the Eagles have connected on 300 or more made 3-pointers in 15 consecutive seasons.
Up Next
Davidson takes its first road trip of the season to face in-state foe High Point University Sunday Nov. 10 at 1 p.m.
