Florida Gulf Coast becomes the first No. 15 seed to get to Sweet 16, beats SDSU 81-71

PHILADELPHIA – Not even many basketball fans knew about Florida Gulf Coast just a couple of weeks ago. They do now — the Eagles are the first No. 15 seed to make the Sweet 16.

Bernard Thompson scored 23 points and Sherwood Robinson added 17 to lead FGCU to its second NCAA tournament win in as many tries, an 81-71 victory over San Diego State on Sunday night.

FGCU (26-10), which shocked the world in the second round with a 78-68 victory over second-seeded Georgetown, was just as entertaining and impressive in the third round, again using a big second-half run to take control of the game.

Now, the Eagles will face an opponent that should know a lot more about them. Third-seeded Florida will play FGCU on Friday night in the semifinals of the South Regional in Dallas.

The upstart state school against the main campus. Seems right up FGCU’s alley.

Jamal Franklin had 20 points for the seventh-seeded Aztecs (23-11), who were trying to reach the regional semifinals for the second time in three years.