Enfield returns to ‘Dunk City’ site, coaches Trojans to win
FORT MYERS, FLA. >> Chevez Goodwin scored 20 points, Boogie Ellis added 18 and No. 25 USC defeated Florida Gulf Coast 78-61 on Tuesday night in the return of Trojans coach Andy Enfield to the school he led to the “Dunk City” moniker in the 2013 NCAA tournament.
Isaiah Mobley scored 13 points for USC (3-0), which got 10 from Max Agbonkpolo.
Cyrus Largie scored 20 points for FGCU (1-2).
Enfield spent two seasons at FGCU, leaving for USC after the 2013 run by the Eagles to the Sweet 16 — the first No. 15 seed to ever get that deep into the tournament. The last two days have been a celebration of that team, with a school Hall of Fame enshrinement on Monday night followed by Enfield’s return to Alico Arena on Tuesday.
This time, though, there would be no Cinderella story.
That said, there was a clear big-game vibe: a national TV audience was watching, the FGCU student section was jammed more than an hour before tip-off and seats were filled all the way to the back row of the intimate gym that holds about 4,600.
FGCU led by five midway through the first half. But a 12-2 run by USC in the second half opened a 63-48 lead with 5:53 left. The outcome wasn’t in doubt again.
FGCU got the Atlantic Sun’s automatic bid to the 2013 NCAA tournament by winning the conference title, then was seeded No. 15 in the South region. The Eagles drew second-seeded Georgetown in the first round.
Dunk City was born. FGCU’s high-flying, alley-ooping ways became the story of the tournament. The Eagles beat Georgetown 7868, then ousted San Diego State 81-71 in the second round before falling to Florida in the regional semifinals. A little school with no real national acclaim had made the Sweet 16. It’s been called Dunk City ever since.
Eagles coach Michael Fly was an assistant under Enfield at FGCU and remembers being so nervous before his first game on the staff that he mistakenly grabbed the head coach’s jacket — which was cut a little smaller, and cost quite a bit more, than his own coat for that night.
“He made sure to point out to me that he hoped the players weren’t quite as nervous as I was,” Fly said.