FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast had four players reach double figures on Sunday afternoon as the Eagles led wire to wire en route to the 70-38 win over the Spartans inside Alico Arena.

The Eagles (6-16, 3-10) opened the game on a 9-0 run as the Spartans missed their first five shots. 

The Spartans (4-20, 3-11) were able to cut the deficit to just four, 15-11, with 8:22 remaining in the first half after Tony Dukes (Ellenwood, Ga./Atlanta Metropolitan) connected on a three-pointer. 

FGCU closed the half on a 16-9 run as the Eagles carried a 31-20 lead in the locker room.  At the intermission, the Eagles owned a field goal percentage of 50.0% (12-24) while Upstate shot just 33.3% (8-24) and owned a 25.0% mark from beyond the arc as they finished the half 4-for-16 from beyond the arc.

Despite nearly an eight minute drought between baskets, the Eagles were able to maintain a double-digit lead and pushed the lead to 15, on Anthony Banks' layup with 15:06 to play as the Eagles went ahead 38-23

The Spartans would fail to get any closer than 13 down the stretch and the Eagle lead ballooned to as many as 34.

Torrey Craig (Rock Hill, S.C./Great Falls HS) led the Spartans with nine points and six rebounds on Sunday.  With nine points against the Eagles, Craig's 14-game streak of scoring in double figures was snapped and it marked the first time in league play he failed to reach double-figures.  Dukes and Mezie Uzochukwu (Greensboro, N.C./Northeast Guilford HS) paced the Spartans as well with eight and seven points respectively.

The Spartans shot just 22.2% (6-27) from the field in the second half and 8.3% from beyond the arc (1-12).  For the game the Spartans shot just 27.5% from the field and 17.9% on three-point field goal attempts.

FGCU was led by Chase Fieler who finished with 17 points.  Christophe Varidel scored 14 points while Anthony Banks and Tim Synder scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.

FGCU owned the edge on the glass (40-22) and also led the game in points in the pain (24-12), points off of turnovers (17-5), second chance points (9-4) and bench scoring (15-12).

The Spartans will return to action on Friday night when they host North Florida at 7:00 p.m.