2/18/2024 | No. 24 Men’s Basketball
TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 24 Florida Atlantic men’s basketball team’s (20-6, 10-3 AAC) valiant comeback effort came up just short, falling to USF (19-5, 11-1 AAC) by a score of 90-86 on Sunday afternoon.
In a game where it seemed like nothing was going the Owls’ way, the team stormed back from a 25-point deficit, scoring 41 points in the final eight minutes to almost beat a Bulls team that has won 11 straight games and sits alone at the top of the American Athletic Conference standings.
FIRST HALF
The Owls kicked off scoring when junior guard Alijah Martin punched the ball away and drove down the court for a ferocious slam dunk. Martin scored 10 of FAU’s first 14 points, hitting his first four attempts.
But shots began falling for the Bulls and they did not stop as Florida Atlantic entered the locker room with a 46-31 deficit.
SECOND HALF
Redshirt sophomore guard Nick Boyd scored seven points in the opening minutes of the half, but USF continued to drive, score, and get to the free throw line.
The Bulls’ lead grew to 25 with just 8 minutes and 38 seconds to play. All hope seemed lost, but the Owls had a different plan.
A driving three-point play by junior guard Johnell Davis was the catalyst for a 15-0 run over a period of just one minute and 26 seconds. In three minutes, Florida Atlantic’s deficit was cut to single digits. The Owls played complete ball on both ends of the floor, aggressively attacking on defense and hitting nine shots in a row on offense.
The gap eventually closed to a one-possession game. Davis, no stranger to clutch shots, drilled a three-pointer from the left corner to bring the score within one at 87-86 with 24 seconds left on the clock. FAU then fouled the Bulls who would make two free throws and the Owls were unable to come up with a score on the offensive end before the clock hit zero.
QUOTABLE
STATS & NOTES
- Goldin tied his career high of 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting
- With 20 points, Davis extended his double figure scoring streak to 19 games
- Davis also led the Owls in rebounds (six) and assists (five)
- Though Martin was the only double-digit scorer in the opening frame, three Florida Atlantic players scored at least 13 points in the second half: Davis (15), Goldin (15), and Boyd (13)
- The Owls shot 50% from the field for the 11th time this season, 59% in the second half
- FAU outscored USF in the paint 42-28
UP NEXT
Florida Atlantic returns to the Eleanor R. Baldwin on Thursday, Feb. 22 to host SMU. The game will be aired on ESPN2 and tip off at 7 p.m. EST.
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 2023-24 season is sponsored by Phil Smith Kia/Phil Smith Acura.
