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All season, the Florida Atlantic Owls by no means wavered.
The Owls have been ranked fifth within the Convention-USA preseason ballot, behind groups like Center Tennessee State, but they by no means wavered.
Entered the NCAA Match as a No. 9 seed — underseeded regardless of being 31-3, successful Convention USA within the common season and the convention match — being ranked at one level within the prime 25, and being one of many solely groups in KenPom’s prime 30 offense and protection rankings, but by no means wavered.
Scoring a meager 22 factors within the first half in opposition to Tennessee, some of the bodily groups within the nation, within the Candy 16. The Owls by no means wavered.
On Saturday, Kansas State roared out of halftime to a 57-50 lead, and began the half on a 19-8 run. The Owls had 12 turnovers at halftime, and star Wildcats guard Markquis Nowell was starting to warmth up.
But, they by no means wavered.
That’s simply FAU basketball.
“I believe that basketball is a sport of runs,” mentioned FAU middle Vlad Goldin. “They made a pair threes, we simply knew we’re going to make it will definitely. We weren’t apprehensive in regards to the photographs not getting in on the time. We simply preserve taking part in our basketball.”
The Owls model of basketball is workforce oriented, and regardless of happening to a harmful No. 3 seed in Kansas State at Madison Sq. Backyard, they knew that the make-up of their workforce could be sufficient to push them to a win. 4 Owls scored in double digits at the moment, led by sophomore guard Alijah Martin with 17 factors. Goldin added 14 factors and 13 rebounds, and junior guard Bryan Greenlee poured in 16 factors of his personal. “We got here into it with a chip on our shoulder,” Martin mentioned. “We’ve received eight, 9 guys the are contributing and stepping up each evening.”
“In the event you Wiki the phrase workforce, it will be an image of our guys,” FAU head coach Dusty Could mentioned postgame. “They’re going to have a particular bond without end.”
FAU isn’t just a few in a single day success, no. This isn’t a lightning in a bottle state of affairs the place a double digit loss workforce catches hearth within the tourney. These Owls have been constructed throughout the confines of “The Burrow”, taking part in anybody and everybody they might. Head coach Dusty Could knew this workforce was particular from the bounce, from defeating the Florida Gators in Gainesville, to scrimmaging the now Division 2 nationwide champions Nova Southeastern. “[Nova Southeastern] is one of the best urgent, hardest taking part in workforce we’ve ever seen,” Could mentioned. “Once we beat them in a scrimmage, we mentioned we’ve received an opportunity to be fairly darned good.”
For Florida Atlantic, a college that performed their first males’s basketball season in 1988, this second is monumental. A college that has solely been open since 1964 has a program that’s two wins away from being nationwide champions. For Could and FAU, this second means a lot extra. “One of many causes I took [the job] was as a result of it was the precise place on the proper time, and it’s rising exponentially,” he mentioned. “I nonetheless keep in mind being a baby watching the ‘87 Hoosiers and due to that, I grew to become a fan without end. So we’ve by no means had our second, and once we made the match this yr and we received a really robust league — if you happen to go searching and actually examine our league, a tricky league — we felt like this could possibly be our second to essentially captivate an space, a fan base, a scholar physique. And I believe we’ve exceeded that second, however there’s no purpose why we wouldn’t simply proceed to experience this wave.”
Because the confetti flew down on the Owls, and the nets started to get lower down, one factor grew to become sure: these Owls are supposed to be right here, on this second. This workforce is supposed to be headed to Houston for the Closing 4. Individuals will name them Cinderella or say they don’t belong, however Martin prefers a unique identify.
“We’re just a few pit bulls and rottweilers,” Martin mentioned at first, however then modified his thoughts. “Simply name us Seashore Boys, as a result of we’re going to come back out and present you the way it’s executed.”
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