FGCU basketball adds talented transfer

Coming off a sophomore season at UCF in which he averaged 10.2 points and a team-high 4.2 assists per game, Brandon Goodwin has transferred to FGCU. The high-scoring guard will have two years of eligibility for the Eagles beginning in 2016-17 after utilizing a redshirt season this upcoming year.

Additionally, head coach Joe Dooley announced on Wednesday that incoming junior college transfer Jonathan Milligan did not meet NCAA transfer requirements and will not be joining the team. Milligan spent his first two seasons at Kilgore College in Texas, most recently averaging 14.3 points per game as a sophomore in 2014-15.

“Unfortunately Jonathan won’t be suiting up for us. He’s a talented player and we wish him the best both on and off the court,” stated Dooley. “As for Brandon, he is a proven scorer at a high level and we’re really looking forward to getting him on the court. We’re excited about his upside and while he had a great year last season, we believe he can be even better in the years to come.”

The 6-2 Goodwin started all 30 games for the Knights last year, with his scoring average ranking 22nd in the American Athletic Conference and his assist average ranking fourth in the league. Goodwin also led UCF in steals last season at 1.2 per game, an average which was good for 10th in the AAC.

The Norcross, Ga., native scored a career-high 30 points in a 79-78 overtime win at Houston in January. He accentuated his performance in extraordinary fashion, first by scoring the final 13 points of the game for UCF, including a 30-footer with two seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime, and then by hitting a step back 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to win it for the Knights. In a further testament to his all-around talents, Goodwin grabbed seven rebounds and also handed out five assists in the game.

His best assist performance came just more than a month later in mid-February when he issued a career-high 13 at Tulane, tying the single-game AAC record. Last year Goodwin recorded five or more assists 13 times and had seven or more helpers on five occasions.

In addition to ranking among the AAC’s best in points, assists and steals last year, Goodwin was 15th in the league in field-goal percentage (43.7) and 10th with a 1.4 assist-to-turnover ratio. He played 1,013 minutes on the season (33.8 per game), which was the second-most on the team and the 11th-most in UCF single-season history.

As a freshman at UCF, Goodwin played in 28 games and made nine starts, averaging 3 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 14.7 minutes per game. He had two games of double-digit points, one double-digit rebound outing and one double-double.

“I’m really excited about continuing my career at FGCU,” said Goodwin. “Everyone made me feel welcome right from the beginning, and it was a very natural fit for me. I’m looking forward to getting on the court with everyone and having the chance to make a big impact over my final two years.”

Prior to his time at UCF, Goodwin was named Georgia 6A Player of the Year as a senior in 2013 after averaging 15.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game while leading Norcross High School to the 6A State Championship and a 27-6 overall record. He earned All-State First Team honors from the Georgia Sportswriters Association, was tabbed as the Gwinnett Daily Post Player of the Year and was honored as the Atlanta Journal Constitution Gwinnett Player of the Year.

Consistent throughout his high school career, Goodwin averaged 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game as a junior. Norcross has produced several NBA players, including current Portland Trail Blazer Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest), Detroit Piston Jodie Meeks (Kentucky) and Charlotte Bobcat Jeremy Lamb (UConn).

“Brandon is the type of player who championship programs need,” added Goodwin’s high school coach Jesse McMillan. “He is a winner first and foremost and will not accept mediocrity from himself or his teammates. He’s one of the most passionate players I’ve ever had the privilege of coaching, and I am certain he will be able to help FGCU maintain its status as one of the premier mid-major programs in the nation. Brandon is a warrior, and FGCU fans can look forward to him setting a tone of excellence in the coming years.”

FGCU is set to graduate just two players following the 2015-16 season in Julian DeBose and Filip Cvjeticanin.