NEW ORLEANS, La. – The No. 24 Florida Atlantic University men’s basketball team (12-4, 2-1 AAC) pulled off the last second victory to pick up their first American Athletic Conference road win against Tulane (10-5, 1-2 AAC) on Thursday night, 85-84.
It was only fitting that a matchup between the top two scoring offenses in the AAC was a battle that came down to the very last second. Trailing by one, junior guard Alijah Martin was fouled on a deep three-point shot with 0.4 on the clock and sunk two free throws to give the Owls their first victory over Tulane in program history.
A balanced scoring attack from the starting five led the way, with each scoring in double figures and combining for 78 of the team’s 85 points. Coming off a 19-point performance in the previous game, redshirt sophomore guard Nick Boyd outdid himself with 21 points on six three-pointers.
Florida Atlantic’s 2023-24 season is sponsored by Phil Smith Kia/Phil Smith Acura.
FIRST HALF
The Owls were able to get back on track with a strong offensive start, converting five of their first six shots.
A 10-0 run sparked by back-to-back triples from redshirt sophomore guard Nick Boyd gave FAU an early 19-8 lead.
Florida Atlantic would remain on top for most of the half thanks to a 24-14 rebounding advantage and 21 combined points between junior center Vlad Goldin and junior guard Johnell Davis. Ultimately, they entered the locker room with a 39-38 lead.
SECOND HALF
Much like the first half, the offense started off hot hitting four of their first five shots from the field. The Owls kept firing away from downtown and were rewarded on four of their first seven attempts.
The Green Wave kept battling back to keep the game in single digits every time it appeared FAU pulled away.
A one-point lead turned into a five-point lead for the Owls with a four-point play by Boyd, who scored 15 points in the period. A triple by Brandon Weatherspoon soon after brought the score to 83-74 with just under four minutes remaining.
But it was not over yet. The Green Wave clawed back, eventually taking an 85-84 lead with 28 seconds left.
With the final possession in the hands of Florida Atlantic, the relentless Owls pulled down multiple offensive rebounds to not give back to the defense, with the ball eventually finding its way to Martin who was able to draw the foul to set up the game winning free throws.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Dusty May
“This was a big game for our team and we hated that it came down to the play that it did. I wish we could have separated earlier when we had a nice lead, but these guys stayed the course. I felt like both teams probably deserved to win, but what a college basketball game. I would not want to have a pacemaker watching American Conference basketball this year, but it’s exciting. It was a great environment…We started to resemble the best version of ourselves at times tonight, a very good win for our program.”
Redshirt Sophomore Guard Nick Boyd
“It is very big [to get back on track]. I feel like in the last couple of weeks, we took our foot off the gas in terms of holding each other accountable and really understanding that we have a target on our back no matter where we go or who we play. To beat a good Tulane team on the road in a hostile environment, at the end it is definitely a step in the right direction.”
STATS & NOTES
- Davis, recently named to the Wooden Award Top 25 Watch List, had a career night. In addition to his 14 points, he nabbed six rebounds and dished out a career high eight assists. He became the first Owl to record such as a statline since the 2010-11 season
- The eight assists were the most by an Owl since January 8, 2022
- Boyd’s six three-pointers were a career high. He became the fifth Owl to record a 20+ point game this season
- Goldin recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds
- The Owls’ rebounding advantage came down to second chance points, with a season high 18 offensive boards to Tulane’s eight and 22 points off it compared to the Green Wave’s four
- Florida Atlantic had their fifth game of the season with 20+ assists (21)
- Martin’s final two free throws gave him 14 on the night
- Senior guard Bryan Greenlee scored 10 for his eighth game of the season with points in double figures
UP NEXT
The Owls will return to the Eleanor R. Baldwin on Sunday for a 12 p.m. matchup against UAB (10-5, 2-0 AAC) Fans are asked to wear red and pack the Elly.
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