Sports
FAU basketball embracing expectations, high preseason rankings – Palm Beach Post
The start of the most anticipated season in FAU history, any sport, remains three months away. But the attention coming the Owls’ way in basketball continues to mount.
When Florida Atlantic opens Nov. 14 in Boca Raton against Eastern Michigan, the expectations will be higher, the spotlight brighter, than it has for any program in school history.
FAU became a national sensation/curiosity last season, a No. 9 seed advancing to the Final Four in Houston and coming within a San Diego State buzzer beater from playing in the national title game. It could be argued this was the most improbable Final Four run in recent history.
That along with FAU returning eight of its core nine players from a 35-4 team, including the starting five, the Owls are the darlings of the 2023-24 preseason, from their inclusion in several early season prestigious invitationals to the preseason polls.
And nobody, especially coach Dusty May, is backing away from the expectations. In fact, May is embracing the notoriety.
“It makes me smile,” May told me in April. “We want that attention to go all offseason. Anything we can do to put FAU in front of recruiting, coaches. fans.
“We’d like to be No. 1.”
Those who believe the Owls were a fluke, taking advantage of playing a mid-major schedule in Conference USA and then getting on a once-in-a-lifetime roll, will expect a significant drop off.
Those who see a cohesive, well-coached team returning eight key players in which the whole is greater than the parts will have much more faith in the 2023-24 version, even with the Owls moving into the American Athletic Conference.
If a Power Five or high profile program returned all but one rotational player from a Final Four team, it would be in the top four of every preseason poll, likely No. 1 in most.
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Here is a look at where the Owls fall in 11 preseason polls (some may update before the start of the season) with their analysis:
“This ranking is based on the Owls returning all five starters from a team that won the C-USA regular-season title and the C-USA Tournament before advancing to the 2023 Final Four. FAU should be the AAC favorite in its first season in its new conference.”
“It speaks volumes about the quality of the program Dusty May is trying to build in Boca Raton that the Owls didn’t lose a single transfer — or their coach, for that matter — after making their unlikely run to the Final Four. Their top two scorers, sophomore guards Alijah Martin and Johnell Davis, have declared for the draft and retained their eligibility, but neither was invited to the combine. So the Owls will have huge expectations as they begin their first season in the AAC.”
“The Owls will be the pick in their new conference — the American — after a Final Four run out of Conference USA. Back for Dusty May to lead the Owls are Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin. The core of this group knows how to win — big.”
“Ranking the Owls ninth in the country might seem lofty, given they were a 9-seed in the NCAA tournament and nearly lost to Memphis in the first round. But this is also a team that won 35 games, made a Final Four run and is bringing back all five starters. It’s a testament to Dusty May that he was able to keep the core of this group together, with zero players entering the transfer portal or NBA draft. FAU is stepping up in competition to the AAC, but the Owls will be the favorite to win it in Year 1.”
“After returning virtually every major contributor from a team that became just the third 9-seed ever to make the Final Four, expect to hear this Florida Atlantic team liberally compared to 2013-14 Wichita State all summer and into the fall. … I don’t know if there are two future NBA players on this FAU roster, but last March made it undoubtedly clear that the team’s gaudy 35-4 record was no fluke.The challenge for Dusty May’s program will be an elevated non-conference schedule … that comes with a newfound target on their back, as well as a jump from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference.”
“Owls coach Dusty May has already committed to returning. Twelve of the 13 players could also come back as the program transitions to the American Athletic following an unlikely run to the Final Four. The added competition should allow Florida Atlantic to earn a higher seed in the tournament even if it doesn’t better its 35-4 record.”
“This is a test of the transfer portal. As it stands, the Owls will return eight of their nine rotation pieces that led the program to history on a Final Four run.”
“This could wind up being an awfully conservative ranking for the Owls, who return the team that made it a shot away from the national championship game. But remember that Johnell Davis, Alijah Martin and Co. entered the NCAA Tournament at 31-3 and ranked No. 26 overall on KenPom; even without a Cinderella run, the Owls would have been in contention for his kind of ranking.”
“Remarkably, FAU has kept its roster entirely intact from its Final Four run, a highly rare feat in the age of the transfer portal. Not a single player entered the portal, and with Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin running it back after testing the NBA waters, the Owls will have sky-high expectations in 2023–24. It’s not realistic to expect a second straight deep March run, but this team was no Cinderella last season, ranking in the top 25 of KenPom’s rankings heading into the NCAA tournament. They’ll be challenged with a tougher nonconference schedule and a move up to the AAC, but the Owls should be relevant nationally.”
Dick Vitale: 11Sporting News: 15