MIAMI – The Florida Atlantic University men's basketball team has been put to the test during its school-record 14-game winning streak. Against FIU on Wednesday night, the Owls had their backs to the wall in a highly contested ballgame. Once again, FAU found a way to win, grinding out a 77-73 overtime battle to improve to 15-1 and 5-0 in Conference USA action while keeping the nation's second-longest winning streak alive.
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The Florida Atlantic Owls trailed 62-55 with 5:34 remaining yet got right back in it with a 9-2 stretch to tie the game at 64-64.
Alijah Martin converted a crucial and-one to tie the game up at 64-64 with 1:41 to play.
Johnell Davis hit a jumper to put FAU ahead, 66-64 with 55 seconds left. FIU tied it to force the Owls' first overtime game of the season.
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In the extra session, Davis knocked down a pair of free throws that pushed FAU ahead 72-70. After FIU got the ball back,
Vladislav Goldin came up with a massive block on the other end to keep the Owls ahead with 36 seconds left. The dagger came on the next possession from
Michael Forrest, who knocked down a corner 3-pointer to push FAU ahead, 75-70. The Panthers countered with a 3-pointer, but Forrest iced it with two more free throws to give the Owls the wild win.
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"Once again, I applaud the poise of our guys; on the bench, on the court, their togetherness, their belief in each other," FAU head coach
Dusty May said. "It's next man up, every night there's someone different making big plays, and we did so tonight against a very determined and feisty FIU team. They played well, hats off to those guys. It was a great college basketball game, and fortunately we made enough plays at the end to win."
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- Davis led the charge with 17 points
- Forrest tallied 12 points, including the biggest five of the night and the last five for the Owls. He also contributed on the glass with a career-high nine rebounds
- Martin tallied 12 points, four rebounds and three assists
- Nick Boyd scored 12 points and knocked down 3-of-5 from 3-point range
- Goldin recorded nine points, seven rebounds and three steals
- The Owls' bench outscored the Panthers' bench by a 44-10 margin. Entering tonight's game, FAU had the number one bench in the nation with an average of 36.9 points per game
Another massive conference game awaits FAU, as the Owls will welcome the Mean Green of North Texas to Boca Raton on Jan. 14. Tip time in Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena is at 2 p.m.
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To stay up to date on all things FAU men's basketball, follow the Owls on social media @FAUMBB.
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