FGCU Opens Its 25th Men's Basketball Season Monday Night at UCF — Against a Familiar Face
Florida Gulf Coast tips off its 25th season of men's basketball at 7 p.m. Monday at UCF's Addition Financial Arena on ESPN+ — and the Eagles' former defensive player of the year, Isaiah Malone, will be wearing the other uniform.
The 25th season of Florida Gulf Coast men's basketball begins on the road. The Eagles open the 2026-27 season at 7 p.m. Monday against UCF at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, with the game broadcast live on ESPN+, FGCU Athletics announced. It is a demanding first test: a Big 12 opponent, in its building, on opening night.
The matchup carries a recent history and a personal one. The programs met last season for the first time in nearly 23 years, and UCF won 102-80 in Orlando on December 20, 2025. This time the Knights' lineup includes Isaiah Malone — the 2025-26 ASUN Defensive Player of the Year as an Eagle last season — who makes his UCF debut against his former team. FGCU enters its fifth season under head coach Pat Chambers after a 16-18 campaign.
However Monday goes, the home season starts quickly. The Eagles return to Alico Arena for their home opener on Friday, November 6, against New College of Florida, then travel to Georgia on November 9 before hosting FIU on November 13. Monday night's final from Orlando will be filed on Fort Myers Watch News after the buzzer.
