Last season, FAU won the 2023 C-USA tournament. The rest was history.
It may be a new conference, but for the Owls, that doesn’t mean much. They’re still looking to repeat as conference winners for the second consecutive year.
This season, FAU poised itself as the team to beat in the conference before sliding out of AP rankings for the first time all season after a loss to USF. The Owls finished behind the Bulls in the regular-season conference standings, finishing with a 14-4 record in the AAC. That was enough to clinch the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.
Here’s what’s in store for the Owls heading into Fort Wort.
Matchup Preview
The No. 2 Owls will face off against No. 7 North Texas Friday at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinals.
The two previously played on January 28th, with FAU taking the 66-63 win after a game-winning three pointer from guard Johnell Davis.
Players to Watch
Davis has been of the most impressive guards in the country, named as the Co-AAC Player of the Year alongside USF guard Chris Youngblood. Davis has averaged 18.2 points per game — ranking 4th in the conference.
Center Vladisolv Golden serves as the Owls’ defensive force and an anchor in the paint. He averages 15.2 points per game along with 6.8 rebounds per game
A Second Tournament Run In the Works?
The Owls became an overnight sensation last season, falling just a shot away from a stunning National Championship appearance.
It was one of the most stunning runs in NCAA tournament history. Although it may be impossible to repeat the magic of last season, FAU is nearly guaranteed a second-consecutive March Madness bid
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi projects FAU as a No.9 seed in the tournament. An AAC conference victory would presumably boost its seeding status.