Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball versus Florida Tech on October 30, 2025 at TBD
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Men's Basketball
vs. Florida Tech
Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Saturday, April 1
Houston, Texas
6:09 p.m. ET
Florida Atlantic
vs
(5) San Diego State
Moment Arrived: Florida Atlantic to Play in Final Four
3/31/2023 2:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Houston – Florida Atlantic University men's basketball team has met the moment throughout the 2022-23 season.
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The Owls met the moment in a November upset victory over the University of Florida that set the tone for the rest of the season. They met the moment as they exploded onto the college basketball scene with a 20-game win streak, their first ever national AP ranking, an undefeated 17-0 home record, Conference USA regular season champions, and the C-USA tournament champions.
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Even entering the 2023 NCAA Tournament as just a No. 9 seed in the East region, Florida Atlantic met the moment in each round, with second-half comeback victories over Memphis, FDU, Tennessee, and finally Kansas State to win the East and secure a spot in the Final Four.
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Now on Saturday evening, 70,000 fans will fill the NRG Stadium for the biggest moment in Florida Atlantic history: the 2023 NCAA Tournament Semifinal against the South regional champions and No. 5 seed San Diego State (31-6), where the winner will advance to Monday's NCAA National Championship game.
In a small sneak peek of the massive stage the Owls will be playing on, adoring fans piled in to NRG to watch open shootaround on Friday morning. With the whole nation about to see what Florida Atlantic is made of, the team remains locked in.
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363 NCAA Division I basketball teams competed in the 2022-23 season, and now the Florida Atlantic Owls stand as one of the last four teams remaining.
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This marks the culmination of an unforgettable season that saw the Owls soar to new heights. Prior to 2022, Florida Atlantic had never won more than 21 games in a single campaign and only had one NCAA Tournament appearance to their name: a quick first round exit all the way back in 2002.
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But with 35 wins, the most of any NCAA Division I team since 2019, the Owls are no "Cinderella." They are simply one of the best teams in the nation. What was previously unimaginable in the team's 35 years of existence is close to becoming a reality: Florida Atlantic University is just two wins away from becoming national champions.
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For now, the job is not finished. The focus remains on San Diego State, as the Owls will look to continue what they have been able to do over the past month: survive and advance.
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On preparing for the Final Four
"We have had a great week of preparation. We're very impressed with our opponent, San Diego State, and the culture and the way they play. It's going to be a great basketball game."
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On facing San Diego State
"It's very similar to competing against ourselves in practice. They've had four NCAA Tournament games. They've had four leading scorers. It's like looking in the mirror and seeing yourselves. We never know who our leading scorer is going to be. But when you are a leading scorer, you generate a lot of attention and help those other guys be successful. It's a testament to those guys being unselfish, their sacrifice for the good of the team. So we're prepared for it because we see it every day. Probably the closest reference point would be North Texas, who we saw win an NIT championship last night. They're disciplined. They're tough. They're together. I could go on and on with adjectives, they're all positive, to describe San Diego State. It's going to be an extremely tough game, but fortunately we have seen teams with similar level of discipline and approach to the game that they play with."
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Reflecting on his time at Florida Atlantic
"I never thought or dreamed this. It was always just do the absolute best job you can do, get to the tournament and see what you can do once you get here. Our guys proved all year long they belonged on this stage. We've had a lot of confidence. Other than the first day, I've been ecstatic to represent this university and be a part of this program, other than that one day. So we're batting about 99.99 percent as far as me being the coach at FAU."
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Don't call the Owls a 'Cinderella' team
"I guess growing up, term 'Cinderella' has always been that team that maybe hit a spurt late in the season and got hot where they average five made 3s a game, and then over the over course of five games they make 12 a night. Whatever the case. It's more a flash in the pan versus a five-month body of work. I think when you look at our league, who we've played, the way we've tried to schedule, even as difficult as it is to get games, when you look at who we scheduled and then look at the preseason prognosticators, we tried to schedule teams that were picked to win their league: Northern Kentucky, who played in the tournament; Bryant, who we have a great deal of respect for; Eastern Michigan, with Emoni Bates. When you look at our scheduling attempts, we tried to schedule as aggressively as we could to hopefully get an at-large opportunity. When you've done what our guys have done, with so much longevity and consistency, they don't consider themselves a flash in the pan."
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Senior guard Michael Forrest
On making the Final Four as a No. 9 seed
"It just goes to show that whatever your record is doesn't matter; as long as you're on the court and producing and playing with heart, that's all that matters"
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On staying poised throughout March Madness and making several clutch plays
"Just having my teammates and my coaches always talking to me, just keeping me level-headed. That's really been the biggest thing for me. I owe it all to them."
ÂGallery: (3-31-2023) Final Four Open Shootaround
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The Owls met the moment in a November upset victory over the University of Florida that set the tone for the rest of the season. They met the moment as they exploded onto the college basketball scene with a 20-game win streak, their first ever national AP ranking, an undefeated 17-0 home record, Conference USA regular season champions, and the C-USA tournament champions.
Â
Even entering the 2023 NCAA Tournament as just a No. 9 seed in the East region, Florida Atlantic met the moment in each round, with second-half comeback victories over Memphis, FDU, Tennessee, and finally Kansas State to win the East and secure a spot in the Final Four.
Â
Now on Saturday evening, 70,000 fans will fill the NRG Stadium for the biggest moment in Florida Atlantic history: the 2023 NCAA Tournament Semifinal against the South regional champions and No. 5 seed San Diego State (31-6), where the winner will advance to Monday's NCAA National Championship game.
In a small sneak peek of the massive stage the Owls will be playing on, adoring fans piled in to NRG to watch open shootaround on Friday morning. With the whole nation about to see what Florida Atlantic is made of, the team remains locked in.
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|
2023 NCAA TOURNAMENT
FINAL FOUR:
No. 9 Seed Florida Atlantic (35-3) vs. No. 5 Seed San Diego State (31-6)
|
|
| Game Details | Houston, Texas | April 1Â | NRG Stadium 6:09 p.m. ET |
| Game Coverage | Watch: CBS | Tickets Listen: FoxSports 640am South Florida | Twitter/Instagram: @FAUMBB |
| FAU Links | News | Roster | Schedule |
| San Diego State Links | News | Roster | Schedule |
363 NCAA Division I basketball teams competed in the 2022-23 season, and now the Florida Atlantic Owls stand as one of the last four teams remaining.
Â
This marks the culmination of an unforgettable season that saw the Owls soar to new heights. Prior to 2022, Florida Atlantic had never won more than 21 games in a single campaign and only had one NCAA Tournament appearance to their name: a quick first round exit all the way back in 2002.
Â
But with 35 wins, the most of any NCAA Division I team since 2019, the Owls are no "Cinderella." They are simply one of the best teams in the nation. What was previously unimaginable in the team's 35 years of existence is close to becoming a reality: Florida Atlantic University is just two wins away from becoming national champions.
Â
For now, the job is not finished. The focus remains on San Diego State, as the Owls will look to continue what they have been able to do over the past month: survive and advance.
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QUOTES FROM THE OWLS
Head Coach Dusty MayOn preparing for the Final Four
"We have had a great week of preparation. We're very impressed with our opponent, San Diego State, and the culture and the way they play. It's going to be a great basketball game."
Â
On facing San Diego State
"It's very similar to competing against ourselves in practice. They've had four NCAA Tournament games. They've had four leading scorers. It's like looking in the mirror and seeing yourselves. We never know who our leading scorer is going to be. But when you are a leading scorer, you generate a lot of attention and help those other guys be successful. It's a testament to those guys being unselfish, their sacrifice for the good of the team. So we're prepared for it because we see it every day. Probably the closest reference point would be North Texas, who we saw win an NIT championship last night. They're disciplined. They're tough. They're together. I could go on and on with adjectives, they're all positive, to describe San Diego State. It's going to be an extremely tough game, but fortunately we have seen teams with similar level of discipline and approach to the game that they play with."
Â
Reflecting on his time at Florida Atlantic
"I never thought or dreamed this. It was always just do the absolute best job you can do, get to the tournament and see what you can do once you get here. Our guys proved all year long they belonged on this stage. We've had a lot of confidence. Other than the first day, I've been ecstatic to represent this university and be a part of this program, other than that one day. So we're batting about 99.99 percent as far as me being the coach at FAU."
Â
Don't call the Owls a 'Cinderella' team
"I guess growing up, term 'Cinderella' has always been that team that maybe hit a spurt late in the season and got hot where they average five made 3s a game, and then over the over course of five games they make 12 a night. Whatever the case. It's more a flash in the pan versus a five-month body of work. I think when you look at our league, who we've played, the way we've tried to schedule, even as difficult as it is to get games, when you look at who we scheduled and then look at the preseason prognosticators, we tried to schedule teams that were picked to win their league: Northern Kentucky, who played in the tournament; Bryant, who we have a great deal of respect for; Eastern Michigan, with Emoni Bates. When you look at our scheduling attempts, we tried to schedule as aggressively as we could to hopefully get an at-large opportunity. When you've done what our guys have done, with so much longevity and consistency, they don't consider themselves a flash in the pan."
Â
Senior guard Michael Forrest
On making the Final Four as a No. 9 seed
"It just goes to show that whatever your record is doesn't matter; as long as you're on the court and producing and playing with heart, that's all that matters"
Â
On staying poised throughout March Madness and making several clutch plays
"Just having my teammates and my coaches always talking to me, just keeping me level-headed. That's really been the biggest thing for me. I owe it all to them."
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NEWS & NOTES
- Florida Atlantic is just the fifth team to ever reach the Final Four after never winning a tournament game in previous seasons and the first since 2006. If all goes well on Saturday, the team would become the first to make the National Championship game after no tournament wins in previous seasons since Indiana State in 1979
- The Owls join only eight other teams that have made the Final Four seeded at No. 9 or lower
- No. 9 FAU would become the lowest seed to ever win a national championship, an honor currently held by the 1985 Villanova Wildcats
- The Owls had an undefeated March and a win streak that is now 11 games, their second double digit streak of the season and longest among any team currently in the Final Four
- In the team's final season as a member of Conference USA, the Owls are treating it well, becoming the first C-USA representative in the Final Four since Memphis in 2008
- To add another accomplishment to head coach Dusty May's list, the man at the helm of Florida Atlantic for five seasons was awarded the CBS Sports College Basketball Coach of the Year
- Johnell Davis leads the Owls in scoring during March Madness, averaging 17.3 points per game Â
- Florida Atlantic continues to dominate on the glass, now 29-0 when they win the rebound battle. In their Elite Eight victory against Kansas State, the Owls doubled the Wildcats' rebounding efforts, 44-22. Vlad Goldin's 13 rebounds tied for the most by an FAU player this season
- With 14 points and 13 rebounds against Kansas State, Goldin became the second Owl of the NCAA tournament to record a double, along with Davis' 29 point, 12 rebound showing in the Round of 32 against FDU
- Alijah Martin put forth his best game of the NCAA Tournament against Kansas State, posting a game 17 points on 6-11Â shooting
- "Mr. FAU" Michael Forrest has been "Mr. Clutch" for Florida Atlantic in the last two games of the tournament. He swished four consecutive free throws in the final seconds against Kansas State to keep the Owls dancing into the Final Four
- San Diego State joins FAU as a mid-major school making their first ever Final Four appearance
- The Owls' toughest task defensively will be to contain Senior guard Darrion Trammel, who notably dropped 21 points in San Diego State's upset over the No. 1 seed Alabama
SCENES FROM FRIDAYÂ
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Click HERE for information on FAU Alumni watch parties, both locally as well as state and nationwide.Â
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