The Florida Atlantic Owls are heading to their first Final Four in program history. While it is an incredible and unlikely feat, it is not surprising for those who have watched them all year. The Owls are 35-3, which is the most wins in all of college basketball. They may be a nine seed, but do not call them a Cinderella.
Don’t Call FAU A Cinderella
A Dynamic Duo
Anyone who watched this Owls team this season knows that they were probably a little underseeded and had a case to be a seven or an eight seed. Alijah Martin and Johnell Davis are one of the best guard duos in the country. FAU is really good on both sides of the ball. They are top 30 in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency and are in the top 45 in both points scored and points against per game. They won the regular season and conference tournament titles in Conference USA, which was one of the best mid-major conferences in the nation this season.
Just because FAU isn’t a Cinderella doesn’t mean that this has been an improbable season for them. For starters, the school didn’t even have a men’s basketball program until 1988. They weren’t a D1 team until 1993. Since then, they have never really been much good. The Owls made the NCAA Tournament once before as a 15 seed in 2002 after winning the A-Sun. But that was one of only eight winning seasons the program had in its first 29 years at the Division One level. Their ninth season came this year in year 30. Of those nine, four have come in the last five years since Dusty May took the head coaching job, a decision that he initially regretted. The 35 wins the Owls have this year is only the second time in the program’s D1 history that they have won 20+ games. Dusty May has done wonders for this program.
Final Four Bound
Now Florida Atlantic is the champion of the East Regional and are on their way to the Final Four in Houston. They will face off against South Region champs five seed San Diego State Aztecs on Saturday evening to try and advance to the national championship game. When you’re watching them this weekend, just remember that while they are a nine seed from C-USA, they are definitely not a typical Cinderella.
