History in the making: Owls down Kansas State 79-76 in Elite Eight
NEW YORK CITY — Preseason, there were four teams polled to finish ahead of FAU men’s basketball (35-3, 18-2 C-USA) in Conference USA. Now, they are one of four teams left competing for a national championship.
On Saturday, March 25, the Owls defeated the Kansas State University Wildcats 79-76, becoming just the third 9-seed to make the Final Four in NCAA Tournament history.
The 3-point victory, in which they were 2-point underdogs, is the latest stride of an unprecedented run through the tournament which will now head to NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. It also marks their 35th overall victory on the season, which ranks the most in the nation—the University of Houston, who feel in the Sweet 16, follows with 34.
FAU was led by sophomore guard Alijah Martin, who finished the night with 17 points and 4 rebounds, as the Owls notched their second straight victory at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Kansas State’s All-American guard Markquis Nowell, who broke the NCAA Tournament assist record a night ago, finished the game with a statline of 30 points and 12 rebounds.
Nowell, who grew up a couple miles from the Garden in Harlem, NY, had the Wildcats just three points away from their first trip to the Final Four since 1964.
However, it was Martin’s performance and the Owls who were the story of the night, as they advanced to the Final Four for the first time in program history. They join the University of Pennsylvania, who did it in 1979, and Wichita State University, who did it in 2013, as the only 9-seeds in tournament history to make it past the regional rounds.
FAU will now travel to Houston for the national semifinal at NRG Stadium against either Crieghton or San Diego State on Saturday, April 1.
Cameron Priester is the Sports Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email cpriester2020@fau.edu or tweet him @PriesterCameron
Latest University Press
- Weekly Music Spotlight: “The Tortured Poets Department” by Taylor SwiftOn April 19, Taylor Swift released her long-awaited 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” with 300 million streams in its first day, making Spotify history. The album serves as a sentiment of her perspective on the fame she has accumulated over the years, revealing that through all of the speculation about her personal life,...
- From tragedy to triumph: The story of Raymond Adderly, incoming FAU Boca Raton campus governorFrom witnessing his father’s murder to becoming the youngest candidate to ever pursue office in the Broward County School Board, Raymond Adderly, FAU theater sophomore and incoming FAU campus governor, advocates for youth in politics, encouraging aspiring leaders. Adderly’s journey into the realm of politics was catalyzed by the loss of his father to gun...
- Men’s Basketball: Head coach John Jakus announces his new staffThree weeks after Florida Atlantic University hired men’s basketball head coach John Jakus, a source has revealed to the Field of 68 of four members he’s bringing to the staff. FAU’s assistant coach, Todd Abernethy, was retained. The three new faces are Jordan Fee, Isaiah Austin and Demond Parker. Last Thursday, FAU confirmed these four hires on their website. Austin,...
- Gallery: 2024 Sunshine State Classic Step Show
- ‘One thing leads to another’: Boca Raton Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman’s journey from sports journalist to lawmakerAll roads lead to the destination that’s meant to be: this is something Florida State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman (R-District 91) wholeheartedly believes in. As a freshman lawmaker representing Boca Raton and part of Palm Beach County, Fla., Gossett-Seidman is currently a part of six committees within the House, two of which are focused on water...
- Florida Atlantic University staff extend enrollment deadline to May 15 amid FAFSA concernsWhen applying for college, the last thing any family wants is to question whether they will be able to have their finances in order on time for important deadlines and decisions. The goal for the recent FAFSA was to redesign the entire infrastructure, including reducing the number of questions, removing barriers and broadening eligibility for...