| 3/6/2025 | Men’s Basketball | Box Score BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Florida Atlantic’s men’s basketball team shot a season-high 58% from the field but ultimately came up short against UAB on Thursday evening, 89-80. The Owls (16-14, 9-8) went toe-to-toe with the Blazers (20-10, 13-4), the top scoring team in the American Athletic Conference, and built an early lead that was maintained through the first half. Freshman center Matas Vokietaitis put forth a career-best scoring outing to lead the team with 21 points on 9-for-10 shooting while adding eight rebounds and a career-high tying three blocks on the defensive end. FIRST HALF The Owls jumped out to an 8-0 start, led by junior guard Leland Walker and a chase down block on the other end of the floor. Soon, the Blazers mounted a run of their own to take a brief lead but could not slow down FAU’s hot shooting streak that saw them go 61% from the field. Vokietaitis was active from the start, scoring 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting and nabbing five rebounds in the opening period. A closing run from redshirt junior forward Tre Carroll saw him score the team’s last five. First, a three-pointer followed by an acrobatic move to the hoop for the layup, allowing the Owls to enter the locker room with a 42-38 advantage. SECOND HALF The Blazers found three quick scores in the opening minute to take the lead and built on it with multiple three-pointers. The Owls kept within striking distance by getting to the free throw line before a two-hand jam from Vokietaitis to set his career high broke their field goal drought. Junior forward Baba Miller caught fire late, scoring 11 points down the stretch. Two free throws from Miller put the score at 76-72 with three minutes remaining, but a 7-1 UAB run shut the door on FAU’s comeback. PRESS CONFERENCES STATS & NOTES Five Owls scored in double figures. Vokietaitis is the sixth Florida Atlantic player this season to record 20+ points and is the first Owl freshman to do so since 2021. Sophomore forward Kaleb Glenn reached 500 career points with his first make in the game and scored 16 on the night. Walker logged his first double double as a member of FAU with 10 points and 10 assists. He is the first Owl since Alex Tucker in the 2011-12 campaign to record multiple games of 10+ assists in a season. As a team, FAU dished out 21 assists. Carroll has made a three-pointer in eight consecutive games and has converted multiple in five out of the last six. The Owls recorded eight blocks, tying their season high, to UAB’s zero. UP NEXT One final game remains in the regular season. The Owls will host Senior Day at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena on Sunday against East Carolina (18-12, 10-7), where Ken Evans Jr., Jack Johnson, and KyKy Tandy will be honored for their contributions to the program. The matchup will air on ESPN+ and tip off at 1 p.m. FOLLOW THE OWLS To stay up to date on all things FAU men’s basketball, follow the Owls on social media @FAUMBB. Florida Atlantic’s 2024-25 season is sponsored by Phil Smith Kia/Phil Smith Acura. |
