DENTON, Texas – Often times in college basketball, the first few conference games of a season don’t serve as ones that are circled on the proverbial calendar. That is not the case for the Florida Atlantic University men’s basketball team when the Owls head into North Texas on Thursday, Dec. 29.
The Owls, who are riding a school-record 10-game winning streak, enter a huge Conference USA matchup in only the second C-USA game of the year. FAU’s 11-1 record is the best start in school history, but the 10-2 Mean Green will serve as another massive test for the red-hot Owls. For their efforts, FAU is currently receiving five votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Thursday night’s match is also a battle of the top ranked Conference USA teams in the NCAA Net Rankings, with FAU sitting in 13th and UNT placed 42nd.
OWLS ENTER WELL-RESTED
FAU heads into the key conference battle with a seven-day layoff, as the Owls’ last game was the 67-52 win over Northern Kentucky on Dec. 21. Playing in its first close game down the stretch since Nov. 17 vs. Bryant, the Owls showed poise and pulled away from a 56-50 lead and closed on an 11-2 stretch. FAU guard Nick Boyd was in the zone, shooting 5-of-6 from 3-point range to lead FAU with 15 points. Boyd became the first Owl to make five 3-pointers this season, and the first since Alijah Martin’s career-high 34-point effort against FIU in March of 2022.
The win also propelled FAU head coach Dusty May to the winningest coach in Owl history. May, in only four-plus seasons, has led FAU to a 77-57 record, four-consecutive winning seasons, and the program’s best start and longest winning streak (both current) in school history.
STATS & NOTES
- The Owls have been on a tear, winning the last nine games by at least double digits and the last eight games by 15 points or more
- Remarkably, FAU has made more 3-pointers than their opponent in every game this season
- As a team, FAU is shooting 39% from 3-point land, which ranks 22nd in the nation
- The Owls have also held their opponents to 29.4% shooting from long range for the big advantage beyond the arc
- FAU has additionally showed unselfish basketball, tallying more assists than its opponents in every game this season. The Owls have posted 203 assists to their opponents’ 98
- The Owls are within the top five in the country in bench points per game, ranking fourth with an average of 35.8 ppg
FOLLOW FAU ON SOCIAL MEDIA
To stay up to date on all things FAU men’s basketball, follow the Owls on social media @FAUMBB.
