Don’t call Florida Atlantic a ‘Cinderella’

Don’t fall for the Cinderella lure. That’s the overall consensus from Florida Atlantic superfans, boosters, and radio-play-by-play announcers celebrating the Owls’ East regional title on the Time Sq. Marriott Marquis properly after midnight. Given the pattern on this NCAA Match starting with Furman’s upset of Virginia to the lack of each No. 1 seed by the Elite Eight, there are not any “simply completely happy to be on the ball” vibes emanating from FAU’s most loyal supporters.

Don’t name them a “Cinderella”

In two of the previous three years, a first-time champion has been topped. FAU is heading to Houston’s NRG Stadium with grasping plans of constructing themselves the third inaugural champ in a four-year span. And it’s not far-fetched. If something, the Owls had been one of many constants in a match outlined by its variables. FAU was one of the vital predictable components of a wildly unstable match. “Cinderella” is a misnomer for a program that’s been ranked within the AP High 25 in the course of the common season, however was handled just like the pauper in a showcase for main Energy 5 convention packages.

On Wednesday, earlier than the Candy 16 tipped off, the Empire State Constructing snubbed Owlsley, the Florida Atlantic mascot by inviting Tennessee’s “Smokey,” “Willie the Wildcat” from Kansas State, and Michigan State’s “Sparty” to a photograph shoot at the Empire State Building. That’s how little was considered FAU previous to the Candy 16. By Saturday night time, the Empire State Building was emblazoned in FAU pink and blue. The one faculties with a better common scoring margin than Florida Atlantic this season, so as, are Houston, UConn, Gonzaga, Liberty, Alabama, and UCLA.

So why weren’t they being touted as title contenders? Perhaps it’s as a result of they’re missing in star energy. Markquis Nowell could be the king of New York Metropolis, however FAU introduced a knight’s roundtable to the Huge Apple. Head coach Dusty Could modeled his philosophy after the European offenses he witnessed on the 2002 FIBA World Championships 20 years in the past.

FAU’s offensive unit was ranked high 15 nationally in offensive ranking by counting on a deep rotation, most notably a bench that’s the second-highest scoring amongst 352 faculties. Main scorer Johnell Davis earned Convention USA Sixth Man of the Yr honors and have become the primary participant with 25 factors, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals in NCAA Match historical past of their Spherical of 32 win over Fairleigh Dickinson.

“It’s such a crew model of ball. There’s ball motion, participant motion, there’s physicality. It’s one thing that I’ve loved watching and all the time tried to steal items of,” Could informed 247 Sports activities in February. “It’s in all probability not as completely different from faculty, and the NBA as individuals say. It’s simply stylistically one thing that our employees, we respect, we worth and we undoubtedly borrow issues from.”

Seven-footer Vladislav Goldin dishing to Alijah Martin on a baseline lower so he may put a dent within the rim is precisely the kind of play that FAU repeatedly made en path to their win over Kansas State.

Final season, FAU was 1-7 in video games determined by 5 factors or much less. The Elite Eight win over Kansas State improved FAU to 11-1 in video games determined by that margin this season. “Seashore Boys of Boca Raton” is the moniker they earned due to their picturesque campus, however Martin prefers a deviation from that nickname.

“We’re some pit bulls and rottweilers,” Martin boasted in FAU’s postgame presser. We go on the market and present it each night time. Simply label — simply name us ‘Beast Boys,’ you recognize, as a result of we’re going to return out and present you the way it’s executed.”

Name them the “Beast Boys”

The Beast Boys’ offense proved their mettle within the Candy 16 and Elite Eight by various their assault all night time. Davis, Greenlee, and Martin took turns transferring the ball across the perimeter, looking for gaps to take advantage of in Kansas State’s protection. FAU level guard Bryan Greenlee scored 16 factors. Martin delivered a team-high 17. In the meantime, Nowell was an energizer bunny and a mighty mouse darting into crevices within the protection, registering 12 of Kansas State’s 14 assists. FAU secured 17 assists as a crew.

But, for all of Nowell’s heliocentric glory, FAU overwhelmed him with a crew offense that thrived on off-ball motion, a democratic scoring system and off-ball backdoor cuts. Goldin secured a double-double of his personal. Davis made the game-winning steal. 4 gamers scored in double-figures in comparison with solely two Wildcats.

FAU performed inside their offense, whereas Nowell starred because the offense. He performed all the Elite Eight matchup towards FAU. Nowell logged 43 minutes vs. Michigan State, 40 vs Kentucky, 37 of their win over Montana State, and 38 towards TCU. To his credit score, he couldn’t be stopped, compiling 47 assists throughout Kansas State’s run via the match.

Coupled with 30 factors and 5 steals, Nowell was the only proprietor of the ball in Kansas State’s offense. With Keyontae Johnson enjoying on the defensive finish with each arms tied behind his again on account of foul bother for the second half, Nowell scored or assisted on 55 of Kansas State’s 76 factors.

Initially of the second half, FAU withstood an early run from Kansas State when Johnson returned from one other bench sabbatical. However Johnson was solely capable of chip in 9 factors in 18 minutes of motion. Nowell didn’t go down with no combat. He was a gnat defensively, deflected balls in passing lanes, and compelled FAU level guard Bryan Greenlee into crucial errors. With 12 minutes remaining, Nowell pulled up from the brand and sank one of the hero-ball triples he’d been clanking all match, then pressured a turnover on the opposite finish by leaping into the passing lanes and scaring Greenlee into bouncing an errant cross out of bounds. He banked one other deep 3-pointer 4 minutes later. Sadly, Nowell was overwhelmed by FAU’s energy in numbers.

“Effectively, I stated earlier that — there are not any things like dictionaries anymore, I don’t suppose, however in the event you Wiki our crew, it could be — the phrase “crew,” it could be an image of our guys,” Could defined after FAU’s win.

A decade in the past, the final 9-seed earlier than FAU to advance to the Ultimate 4 had been the 2013 Wichita State Shockers, which possessed All-Individuals in Fred VanVleet, Ron Baker, and Cleanthony Early. With all due respect, that caliber of singular expertise doesn’t exist on the Owls’ roster. But, this doesn’t really feel like a kind of Ultimate 4 Cinderellas that reaches the ultimate weekend and turns again into pumpkins. If there have been ever a real mid-major that would earn a university hoops crown, it’s this one.