LIVE BLOG: FAU leads SDSU, 40-33, at halftime in Final Four

HALFTIME ANALYSIS

Florida Atlantic’s scorching hand is what obtained them to Houston within the first place, so it needs to be no shock that they are capturing a dominant 53.6% from the ground, hitting six threes alongside the best way, within the first half. I emphasised San Diego State’s robust protection within the sport preview — and naturally the Owls knew what to anticipate getting in.

The Aztecs are doing a poor job battling via screens to contest these three-point photographs from the Owls. Nick Boyd, the hero for FAU within the first spherical in opposition to Memphis, is 3/5 from deep. Matt Bradley lastly caught lightning in a bottle, rapidly reaching double figures within the first half; nonetheless, he cooled off when he was placed on the bench.

So — what brought about the uncharacteristically poor protection for SDSU within the first half? Effectively, FAU has a number of shot makers, and so they’re disciplined. Their spacing has created strong shot alternatives for all of their gamers. Make no mistake: Dusty Could is a high quality offensive-minded coach, and he clearly has drawn up a powerful sport plan to fight the stout SDSU protection.

For my part, SDSU wants one in all their finest offensive performances within the second half as a way to advance to the Nationwide Title sport. Moreover, the protection must get out on shooters and do a greater job contesting the mid-range sport as nicely.

Dutcher stated his group must be fearless to win — we’ll see if the lights are shining too vivid quickly sufficient.

FIRST HALF

HALFTIME SCORE: 40-33, FAU: Bradley missed a jumper out of the media timeout, and FAU hit theirs on the subsequent possession. Giancarlo Rosado then stole it from Keshad Johnson, which result in a missed three by Boyd. Parrish additionally missed a 3 after that shot.

Arop was in a position to finish the offensive drought for the Aztecs, however FAU’s Martin continued to press the difficulty, as he made a layup whereas drawing a foul on Arop. He didn’t convert the three-point play although.

Johnson lastly made a three-pointer the subsequent time down the court docket off a Bradley help. Martin missed a jumper because the clock ticked in the direction of halftime, and Bradley missed a 3 because the buzzer sounded.

WOW! This has been an thrilling sport to date — SDSU wants one in all their finest offensive performances of the seasons within the second half to come back away with the W. Ratcheting up the protection is essential as nicely.

3:03 remaining, rating: 36-28, FAU: Popping out of the under-8 timeout, FAU instantly hit a three-pointer. The Owls have been environment friendly scoring the basket to date, however the Aztecs have accomplished a strong job matching the tempo of play.

Matt Bradley obtained away with a blatant foul as he hit Johnell Davis’ elbow on a three-point try. As the children say although… Ball do not lie: SDSU missed a layup on the opposite finish, and FAU’s Martin made a 3 to make up for the missed name.

Aguek Arop made a jumper after a prolonged possession for the Aztecs that was stored a dwell by a Bradley offensive board. The Owls scored a simple layup the subsequent time down the court docket, and Micah Parrish missed a 3 for SDSU.

Giancarlo Rosado made one other jumper to cap off FAU’s 10-2 run, and Dutcher referred to as timeout to get his squad again on the identical web page.

Darrion Trammell, SDSU’s finest performer within the event previous to the Ultimate 4, missed a 3 popping out of the timeout. Martin missed a 3 on the opposite finish for the Owls, and Mensah was fouled on a rebound main into the official beneath 4 minutes media timeout.

6:40 remaining, rating: 26-26: LeDee went 1/2 from the road, and FAU’s Golden scored on the opposite finish to tie the sport up. Johnell Davis, the very best participant within the event for the Owls, took benefit of a mismatch, backing down Lamont Butler to attract a foul. Davis made each of his free throws. Make your foul photographs… win the sport.

On the following SDSU possession, Aguek Arop missed a jumper, resulting in Brandon Weatherspoon drawing a foul on LeDee (I want to level out the whistle on this blocking foul was a tad late). Weatherspoon made his foul photographs. After a Bradley turnover, FAU missed a 3, and Butler took the ball coast to coast for an SDSU layup.

Butler continued feeling his groove, hitting a 3 the subsequent time up the court docket. FAU responded with a mid-range jumper of their very own.

FAU’s Davis stole it from Mensah on the subsequent possession, however he missed the layup on the opposite finish. Mensah redeemed himself with a pleasant jumper from the important thing, and he backed down an Owl within the put up to tie the sport up after FAU had made a 3 on the opposite finish.

This sport is far increased scoring to date than analysts had anticipated going into the matchup. Each groups have hit 4 three-pointers to date, and total from the sphere, they’re each a minimum of at 50%.

11:24 remaining, rating: 16-15, SDSU: Basketball is a sport of runs, and FAU began to claw again. Boyd for the Owls has additionally hit three threes to date on this contest to maintain it aggressive. Jaedon LeDee, the lone Houston native within the Ultimate 4, is exhibiting off his power inside: he scored simply on one possession, then drew a foul to steer into the TV timeout. The jury is out on whether or not he’ll make his photographs from the charity stripe.

13:39 remaining, rating: 14-10 SDSU: Mensah transformed the and one, and SDSU obtained a cease on the opposite finish. The large information of the day although… MATT BRADLEY IS ON FIRE! He is already 3/3 from three on this one, and he had a pleasant put up up transfer on the next possession to get a simple bucket. SDSU’s main scorer on the season is already in double digits.

Alijah Martin for FAU responded with a bucket of his personal, and Boyd made one other three to stem the bleed on the dominant SDSU run.

15:56 remaining, rating: 8-5, SDSU: Matt Bradley is assured early on this one, one thing that hasn’t occurred for him all event. He has hit two three-pointers to present the Aztecs the lead early on. Nate Mensah had a bone-headed error with a journey on one possession, however he adopted it up by scoring a basket and drawing a foul inside the subsequent time down the court docket.

We’ll see if he converts the three-point play popping out of a TV timeout.

18:08 remaining, rating: 5-3, FAU: The Aztecs received the opening tip, however the Owls drew first blood with a 3 from guard Nicholas Boyd. Matt Bradley, who has struggled all through the event regardless of being SDSU’s main scorer, responded with a 3 of his personal.

GAME PREVIEW

As head coach Brian Dutcher stated himself pregame, San Diego State is lastly on the largest stage in faculty basketball. SDSU vs. Florida Atlantic is the primary sport to tipoff from the Ultimate 4 in Houston, and each mid-major applications are on a mission to make historical past and safe their first males’s basketball championship.

A standard saying in sports activities is “protection wins championships” — and the Aztecs have embraced this mentality. In actual fact, the blood, sweat and tears poured into constructing this program over the past 20 years has centered on making protection its calling card.

Though SDSU has pressured excessive octane offenses like Alabama and Creighton to play ugly, Florida Atlantic is not any stranger to taking up bodily, hard-nosed opponents. The Owls have clawed via the likes of Kansas State, Tennessee, Fairleigh Dickinson and Memphis, all groups with various types. Tennessee was designated as a tricky defensive group, very like SDSU, and FDU pressured FAU to combat tooth and nail.

Kansas State was positively extra of an offensive powerhouse in comparison with these sqauds, so the Owls must change the tempo and roll their sleeves up as soon as once more.

Save for Alabama, SDSU has held all of its NCAA Event foes to beneath 60 factors — a powerful feat in and of itself. Moreover, as former Villanova head coach Jay Wright identified on the CBS broadcast, the Aztecs can have the benefit on the offensive glass in opposition to the Owls, since SDSU tends to maintain two bigs on the blocks down low.

On the finish of the day, the Aztecs might want to keep true their group identification to come back away with the victory. That being stated, FAU is totally ready to shoot the lights out of the fitness center, contemplating their complete beginning lineup is competent on the offensive finish. Should you’re an SDSU fan, maintain your eyes on Johnell Davis, Alijah Martin and Nicholas Boyd from FAU.

Dutcher had one final message for SDSU earlier than the tip: Simply be fearless.

Beneath, you will discover varied interviews performed by the Mountain West with SDSU’s gamers, and tweets supporting the Aztecs: