March Insanity 2023: FAU’s inconceivable Ultimate 4 run is not as surprising as soon as you recognize these nameless Owls

NEW YORK — FAU coach Dusty Might greeted Johnell Davis with an enormous bear hug. Time expired, the horns blared, the backboards flashed crimson and the get together was on. 

The Seashore Boys 79, Kansas State 76. God solely is aware of what may nonetheless await for this group subsequent weekend. 

FAU, a No. 9 seed, has pulled off a quintessential feel-good March Insanity story — however this group isn’t any underdog and it’s no Cinderella. At 35-3, the Owls had been an apparent mis-seed on Choice Sunday and have solely confirmed that analysis extra egregious within the two weeks since. These birds of prey are hooting, hollering and can swoop all the way down to Houston for the Ultimate 4 afraid of no person. 

“They will label us no matter, however we’re some pit bulls and Rottweilers,” third-year participant Alijah Martin stated. 

Within the macro, that is all unimaginable and clearly unlikely. Say it out loud and proceed to persuade your self that is the truth: FAU goes to the Ultimate 4. 

A program that did not exist till 1988 and did not have an NCAA Event win to its title till 10 days in the past is now headed to the largest stage in faculty basketball. FAU by no means even cracked the AP Prime 25 till this season. A group that was one name, one whistle away from dropping to Memphis in a grinder of a first-round affair has taken its luck and flown with it to the Ultimate 4. 

That is the event for you. 

And on Saturday, a thriller at Madison Sq. Backyard. Okay-State’s Markquis Nowell rightfully received the East Regional’s Most Excellent Participant after placing up 30 factors, 12 assists and 5 rebounds in a valiant effort, two days faraway from his unforgettable efficiency over Michigan State within the Candy 16. Nowell was the star participant. FAU is the story of this event. It would not have a star, and that is the marvel of this. A largely nameless forged of cutthroat gamers out of Convention USA has as soon as extra redefined the chances of the bracket.

FAU was more durable on Saturday. It ripped away Okay-State’s dream, pushing the Wildcats out of rivalry for a file eighth straight time in an Elite Eight affair. 

Might’s group is relentless, and it was as malleable in its play on Saturday night time as its confirmed all season lengthy. Not solely is that this roster deep and skilled — they’re skilled with one another. 

“You are at all times counting on religion that you simply consider it’ll occur, however you by no means actually know,” Might stated. “On this period the place everybody desires the entire pie, these guys continued sharing the pie each single day, and this was the outcome.”

Eight of FAU’s 9 gamers within the main rotation have spent years collectively at this college. That issues. School basketball collectively hasn’t been this outdated (as a result of COVID bonus 12 months) in many years. 

The Owls solely play guys with not less than two years of expertise — and most have 4 or 5. 

“There is no alternative for expertise, and these guys have been in pressure-packed moments quite a bit,” Might stated. 

They seem to be a composite sketch of reliable basketball, and in typical FAU trend, they did it once more as a collective in opposition to third-seeded Kansas State. Levelheaded as ever, FAU’s largest deficit got here with 11:25 to go, Okay-State up 57-50. That is when most mid-majors wilt. 

Not right here. 

Within the ensuing minutes, the Owls went on their hundredth-or-so run of this excellent season, outpacing the Wildcats 22-7 to steer 72-64. 

On any given possession it may very well be anybody. You watch this group to see which man it will be from one second to the subsequent. 

“It is straight tenaciousness,” Might stated.  

There was a Alijah Martin 3-pointer to make it 70-64 deep into the second half, and on the following possession, Martin coolly sank two foul photographs with 2:42 to increase the result in 72-64. FAU would not win on Saturday with out Martin and his team-high 17 factors. Who is that this man? As soon as upon a time, Martin had a Photoshop made to decide to McNeese State. He flipped to FAU late after one other participant de-committed from FAU. He was this system’s first COVID signee; they received him to commit after taking a campus tour on a golf cart with iPad on FaceTime.

The tales and selections that make a Ultimate 4 fairytale. 

“We love being round one another, and it reveals on the court docket,” Martin stated.

Martin’s offensive rebound after a missed foul shot allowed Davis to sink a bucket and provides FAU a 74-69 lead with 1:15 remaining.

Davis. FAU to the Ultimate 4 occurs due to guys like Davis. The one they name “Nelly.” FAU coaches would usually name Nelly and ensure he was finding out. He’d say sure. However they’d hear the basketball bouncing. Nelly’s wily, and on Saturday he had 13 factors and 6 assists to push the Owls onward.

FAU to the Ultimate 4 additionally occurs due to Mike Forrest, the cool-headed fifth-year senior who sank the 4 free throws within the last 17.9 seconds to clinch it. Forrest was Might’s first recruit at FAU, the man with a number of state championships from a well-respected highschool program in South Florida. 

His mother and father watched him play pickup at FAU at one level throughout his recruitment and walked out in disgust. At a number of factors Might thought he was by no means coming. Forrest is the one who’s been there with Might from the start. The man who went from start line guard as a freshman, to beginning taking pictures guard as a sophomore, to coming off the bench as a junior, to beginning in opposition to a senior, then once more accepting an off-the-bench function on this, his fifth 12 months. 

Forrest was the one which gave this system legitimacy nearly 5 years in the past, and he was the one which gave the group a ticket to Houston on Saturday night time with these 4 foul photographs.

FAU to the Ultimate 4 additionally occurs due to Vlad Goldin, the standard, tough-as-nails 7-foot-1 Russian. He orders two bowls of meals on each Chipotle journey and has been identified to down a field of ice cream bars on walks again to FAU’s campus after grocery retailer runs. Goldin modified the sport for the Owls and tipped Okay-State off-balance a number of instances. He had 14 factors and 13 rebounds. An absolute hoss. 

This East Regional was, in fact, a New York homecoming for Nowell, but in addition FAU’s Nick Boyd. The funniest man on the group. The man who was most closely recruited by Marist however signed to FAU throughout COVID restrictions and barely lasted 14 days in a resort quarantine earlier than staying on. They very almost misplaced him to someplace else two years in the past. He is been by way of a number of accidents over the previous couple years. A damaged foot twice. By no means deterred. A significant factor on this event. 

One other man that makes this potential. 

FAU to the Ultimate 4 occurs due to Bryan Greenlee, an elite defender who likes to meditate simply minutes from campus, on the seashore. The Owls are executed with out his 16 factors in 21 minutes vs. Okay-State.

“Lots of instances individuals may attempt to hit house runs to shut that lead, and we do not actually get rattled in conditions the place we’re down,” Greenlee stated. 

This occurs due to Jalen Gaffney, a switch who humbled himself and left the power-conference ranks to reboot the late levels of his faculty profession. His inclusion on this roster has been an understated motive why FAU has received 35 of its 38 video games.

His present group and his former one — UConn — are each headed to Houston. 

The most important story in America is emanating from Boca Raton, Florida. A narrative solely potential in a event so reliably maniacal. Amid the insanity and the chaos, a bunch of Owls that had been unflappable. That is the ninth time a group seeded ninth or worse has made it to the Ultimate 4. The earlier eight did not get one other win. The final group to make the Ultimate 4 in the identical 12 months it received its first event recreation: George Mason (2006). These Patriots set a template that has been repurporsed into a brand new blueprint by FAU.

Folks have anticipated this group to journey up finally. It has to, proper? No hoops historical past, no March common. FAU’s not imagined to be right here. To hell with the expectations.

“They’ll say no matter they need, say we’re a Cinderella group, say we do not belong, however we have continuously confirmed individuals flawed all season,” Greenlee stated.

FAU is precisely the place it is imagined to be. This has been the most effective groups in faculty basketball the entire season. They’re already assured to have probably the most wins of any group within the sport. After toppling Tennessee and outfoxing Kansas State, getting two extra would not appear all that troublesome. This group is able to successful the nationwide championship.