| 3/18/2025 | Men’s Basketball BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic’s men’s basketball team begins its fourth consecutive season of postseason play on Wednesday with a matchup against Dayton in the first round of the 32-team National Invitation Tournament at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN2. The Owls (18-15) achieved their seventh consecutive winning season and, as a result, were selected for their second NIT appearance in program history, with their previous appearance coming in 2011. Their outing against the Flyers (22-10), the top-seeded team in the Dayton Regional, will mark the first postseason game hosted at the Elly. Fans are encouraged to wear red. Florida Atlantic (18-15) vs. Dayton (22-10) Game Details vs. Dayton: Wednesday, Mar. 19 | 7 p.m. | Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena | Boca Raton, Fla. Game CoverageGame Notes | Live Stats | ESPN2 | FoxSports 640am South Florida Florida Atlantic LinksRoster | Schedule | News Dayton LinksRoster | Schedule | News Social MediaX | Instagram | Facebook ABOUT THE OWLS Head Coach John Jakus is in his first season at the helm of the Owls. He has been named a finalist for the 2024-25 Joe B. Hall Award, given to the nation’s best first-year head coach. Center Matas Vokietaitis, the American Athletic Conference’s Freshman of the Year, scored 38 points on a combined 16-for-19 shooting from the field in his two appearances at the AAC Tournament. In his second game, he nabbed a career-high 12 rebounds for his first collegiate double-double. Sophomore forward Kaleb Glenn led FAU in scoring at 12.5 points per game on his way to an All-AAC second team selection. Junior forward Baba Miller also made the All-AAC second team. He had a team-high six double-doubles throughout the season, reaching the mark with points, rebounds, and assists. Redshirt junior forward Tre Carroll was named one of the conference’s most improved players after averaging career highs in nearly every category, including points per game (12.1), rebounds (5.3), and blocks (1.0).Junior guard Leland Walker and redshirt sophomore guard Niccolo Moretti are the first Owl duo since 2011-12 to dish out 100+ assists in a season. Walker leads the team with 142, most by a player since 2009-10, followed by Moretti at 109.The Owls are ranked 15th nationally in bench ppg (30.2). Florida Atlantic’s past three seasons in postseason play have seen a CBI appearance in 2022, followed by back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in program history that included a historic run to the Final Four in 2023. ABOUT THE FLYERS Head Coach Anthony Grant is in his eighth season leading Dayton and owns a record of 171-81 with four NIT appearances and an NCAA Tournament selection to his name. Senior forward Nate Santos is the team’s top scorer at 14.1 points per game. Dayton’s top rebounding efforts come from 6’3 senior guard Enoch Cheeks at 6.4 per game. Redshirt junior guard Malachi Smith ranks 42nd in the nation with 5.3 assists per game. The Flyers and the Owls have faced off just once in their history: an 81-56 Dayton victory on December 15, 2012. TICKETS Tickets are available at the following prices: club $40, lower arena $30, and upper arena $20.Thanks to Florida Atlantic’s Student Government, FAU students will have free admission until the lower-arena student section is at capacity. There will be no advance student claim, and students will be permitted only through the student entrance at Baldwin Arena on a first-come, first-serve basis by showing their FAU student ID. Free red t-shirts will be provided at the door to FAU students while supplies last. For tickets and information, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS. To purchase tickets via Ticketmaster click here. UP NEXT Should the Owls advance, they take on the winner of the Middle Tennessee versus Chattanooga game in the NIT second round, occurring from March 22 – 23. 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. |
