Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Seeding on the Line in FAU's Final Two Games
2/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 20, 2007
BOCA RATON, FL - After two of their biggest wins of the season, the Florida Atlantic University men's basketball team heads into the final week of Sun Belt Conference play with seeding on the line for the conference tournament.
The Owls are in a three-way tie with North Texas and Arkansas State for fourth overall in the SBC standings. If the season ended today, the Owls would be the sixth seed and face the no. 11 seed, Florida International.
FAU will host no. 1 seed South Alabama on Wednesday before traveling to face Middle Tennessee in the regular-season finale, in a game that could potentially have major seeding implications.
South Alabama recently had a 13-game winning streak snapped, that was started with a win over the Owls on January 9. A 101-76 road loss for FAU is the toughest defeat of the season. Demetric Bennet roughed the Owls up for 25 and Carlos Smith for 20 as all five Jaguar starters finished with double-figures, and four of them had at least 18 points.
Carlos Monroe, who garnered two Player of the Week awards for his efforts during the two Owl wins last week, scored 29 in the game, while DeAndre Rice added 17 and Paul Graham 11. The Owls hit 48.0 percent of their field goals, but allowed USA to hit 58.2 percent, including seven threes. FAU trailed by 25 at the half before playing USA even in the second frame.
MTSU stole a win from FAU in Boca Raton earlier this season despite the Owls holding a halftime lead. Middle Tennessee hit 61.9 percent of their field goals in the comeback win, holding FAU to just 39.6 percent. The Owls had four players (Monroe, Rice, Graham and Jeff Parmer) finish in double-figures, but FAU hit just 57.6 percent of their free-throw attempts (19-for-33) in the 72-68 loss.
The Owls need just one win to clinch a home playoff game in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference tournament. They can finish no higher than the no. 4 seed and no worse than the no. 10 seed. The top three seeds (two division winners and one wild card) will earn first round byes, while the no. 4-8 seeds will host first round match-ups with the remaining five teams, determined by seeding.
Wednesday against South Alabama is senior day, where the Owls will honor seniors Brent Crews and DeAndre Rice for their efforts in an Owl uniform.
