FGCU: Bowie stands out in his debut

Florida Gulf Coast University senior forward Leighton Bowie -- all 24 years of him -- made his Eagle debut one to remember Friday night against Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras in the Hillmyer-Tremont Tip-Off Tournament at Alico Arena.

Bowie, a transfer from College of Charleston, supplied a handful of highlight-quality play in the process as FGCU rolled to an 119-81 victory.

FGCU (3-0) will take on Lynn University in the tournament final tonight at 8 p.m. while Rio- Piedras (2-3) will face Ashland (Ohio) in the consolation game at 4.

After missing the first two games of the season with an eye injury, Bowie took the court with a pair of goggles under doctor's orders. The new specs didn't look too bad, and neither did Bowie.

As soon as Bowie entered the game with 16 minutes to play in the first half, the Eagles responded with an 11-2 run.

Bowie's first career points at FGCU were symbolic of the rest of the night. He put up a short jumper, missed, leapt over two Rio Piedras players for the rebound and put it back in.

FGCU set a school-record for points in a game and a half, lighting up Rio Piedras for 66 points in the opening 20 minutes, running the floor flawlessly at times and daring the Gallitos to keep up.

Rio-Piedras, which beat seventh-ranked Rollins College Wednesday, did for awhile, but couldn't match FGCU's depth in general and Bowie's energy in particular.

The Eagles led 66-38 at the half, but after watching a 17-point lead to Puerto Rico-Bayamon disappear in the semifinals of last year's Tip-Off Tournament, the Eagles made sure there would be no repeat Friday.

FGCU continued to run and press the Gallitos in the second half, even as the lead grew to 40.

FGCU hit the 100-point mark with more than eight minutes to play -- on free throws by Bowie, naturally -- and kept right on going.

FGCU head coach Dave Balza said the addition of Bowie would make the Eagles more "rugged" but they looked more razzle-dazzle than rough-and-tumble.

The Eagles crashed the boards at both ends of the floor. Roman Brown blocked a pair of dunk attempts by Rio Piedras players, and the Eagles seemed so excited by Bowie's presence they tried to match him play-for-play.

Lynn 83, Ashland (Ohio) 82

Lynn's Justin Wingard scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds while teammate Akil Lewis added 21 points as Lynn survived a furious rally by Ashland in the opening round of the Hillmyer-Tremont Tip-Off Tournament at Alico Arena.

Michael Fowler led five Ashland players in double figures with 18 points. Ashland (0-2), which erased a 20-point first half deficit to take a 45-44 lead with less than 14 minutes to play.

Lynn (2-0) recovered behind the play of Wingard, who converted a key 3-point play with under two minutes to go to put the game away.

Ashland, whose entire roster is new to the program, had a chance in the final moments after Lynn's Cedric Bennett missed two free throws. Ashland raced up the floor, Fowler couldn't get a shot off before the final buzzer sounded.

"The last 30 minutes I thought it was a dogfight," said Lynn head coach Scott McMillin. "Wingard made some tough plays down the stretch for us."

LYNN 83

ASHLAND 82

ASHLAND (0-2)

Fowler 5-11 8-11 18, Newell 5-9 3-4 14, Knight 4-8 4-5 14, Shorter 5-8 1-2 11, Emmons 3-7 3-8 10, Brown 4-4 0-0 8, Jones 3-9 0-0 7, Roberson 0-1 0-0 0, Lee 0-0 0-0 0, Church 0-0 0-0 0, Mayes 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 29-57 19-31 82.

LYNN (2-1)

Wingard 7-13 14-14 28, Lewis 8-13 0-0 21, Kennerly 4-5 1-2 9, Bennet 2-7 3-8 7, Faber 2-5 2-2 7, Taylor 3-8 0-0 6, Critten 1-3 0-0 3, White 0-2 2-3 2, Yarbrough 0-0 1-2 1, Kopp 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-56 23-31 83.

Halftime-Lynn 39, Ashland 31. 3-point goals- Ashland 5-18 (Knight 2-3, Emmons 1-5, Jones 1-5, Newell 1-4, Fowler 0-1), Lynn 7-14 (Lewis 5-8, Critten 1-2, Faber 1-2, White 0-1, Taylor 0-1).

Fouled out- Knight (Ashland), Kennerly (Lynn). Rebounds-Ashland 33 (Emmons, Shorter 6), Lynn 35 (Wingard 9). Assists-Ashland 7 (Jones 3), Lynn 8 (Faber, Popp 2). Total fouls- Ashland 23, Lynn 26.