CNN
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No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic shocked No. 3 seed Kansas State 79-76 within the Elite Eight on Saturday to advance to the varsity’s first Last 4.

Each groups bought off to a sizzling begin, buying and selling baskets till Owls’ huge man Vladislav Goldin made a layup to take the lead 20-18. The Owls would go into half with 42-38 lead.

Nevertheless, the Wildcats got here storming again within the second half behind star guard Markquis Nowell’s capturing and playmaking talents. Kansas State led by as many as 5 earlier than but once more the Owls got here flying again into the sport.

Behind Alijah Martin’s 17 factors, the Owls took again the lead with simply over six minutes to play.

With 30 seconds to play and down 4 factors, Wildcats guard Cam Carter chucked up a 3 and made it to chop the sport to 1 level. Nevertheless, Owls guard Michael Forrest knocked down clutch free throws to assist safe the win.

Goldin completed with 14 factors and 13 rebounds.

Florida Atlantic head coach Dusty Might, alongside his group, informed the TBS broadcast how his group has labored collectively to create one thing “particular.”

“Whenever you see a bunch of men, teaching employees, gamers, all people pulling in the identical path, each single day even when it’s arduous, particular issues occur,” Might mentioned.

Nowell, a local of New York, enjoying in entrance of his brother at Madison Sq. Backyard, scored 30 factors, 12 assists, and 5 steals within the loss. The 23-year-old broke a males’s NCAA match document within the group’s candy sixteen win over Michigan State after tallying 19 assists.

Florida Atlantic turns into the second No. 9 seed to make the Last 4, becoming a member of Wichita State in 2013. The Owls are additionally the primary program to go from zero all-time males’s NCAA match wins to the Last 4 in a single 12 months since George Mason in 2006.

The Owls will play the winner of No. 6 Creighton and No. 5 San Diego State on April 1 at NRG Stadium in Houston.