BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic's men's basketball team will host Coastal Georgia for their home opener at the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena. The game will air on ESPN+ and tip off at 7 p.m.
The 1-0 Owls are coming off their first win in the
John Jakus era and now have their first official opportunity to pack the Elly as they face off against the 0-3 Mariners. FAU has won 30 of their last 31 home games since the start of the 2022-23 season, the second best mark in the nation in that timespan.
The Owls opened their 2024-25 regular season with a 97-64 victory over Indiana State to give
John Jakus his first career win as a head coach. The game, taking place at the Wooden Family Fieldhouse in Xenia, Ohio to support Athletes In Action, saw FAU shoot 55.7% from the field on offense while holding the Sycamores to 32.8% on defense while recording 15 steals, their most in a game since 2020. Six players scored in double figures: the entire starting five plus redshirt sophomore guard
Niccolo Moretti with 19 points off the bench.
- Jakus enters his first season at the helm of the Owls
- The team brings back four returning players: redshirt forward Tre Carroll, redshirt freshman guards Devin Vanterpool and Jakel Powell, and redshirt sophomore guard Jack Johnson
- Of the Owls' 11 additions, six were acquired via the transfer portal and five freshmen come from the international pool
- Three players: graduate guard KyKy Tandy (Jacksonville State), junior guard Leland Walker (Eastern Kentucky), and redshirt senior guard Ken Evans Jr. (Jackson State), are coming off seasons in which they were first team all-conference at their previous spots, with Evans winning Player of the Year for the Southwestern Athletic Conference
- As a team, FAU was ranked fifth in the American Athletic Conference's Preseason Coaches' poll. Tandy was named to the preseason All-AAC Second Team
- In total, the Owls are represented by seven different countries: the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Senegal, and Spain
- Coastal Georgia competes in the Sun Conference as an NAIA school
- Head Coach Jesse Watkins is in his 10th season at the helm of the program
- The offense is led by sophomore guard Kaden McArthur, averaging 14 points per game
Florida Atlantic has announced that a limited number of tickets are now on sale for Friday's men's basketball home opener versus Coastal Georgia at 7 p.m. at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.
The available tickets are from those returned by the visiting team and can be purchased by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS or visiting
Ticketmaster. Tickets are $100 in the lower bowl and $50 in the upper arena.
For the 2024-25 roster,
click here.
For the full 2024-25 schedule,
click here.
Florida Atlantic will hit the road on Tuesday, Nov. 12 to take on UCF (2-0) at the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Fla. The Owls last traveled to face the Knights in 2018 when they pulled off the 80-79 last-minute victory.
To stay up to date on all things FAU men's basketball, follow the Owls on social media @FAUMBB.
Florida Atlantic's 2024-25 season is sponsored by Phil Smith Kia/Phil Smith Acura.