How about all the FAU a fans that traveled across the country. I couldn’t believe how many <owls I saw across Houston and at the game.

Now we need all of these people to get football season tickets. They spent 5 times as much to go to NYC or Houston alone!

owl said

d-owl said

Very proud of Owl Nation – but being blunt this was the absolute worst, most brutal way to end a magical season. I could barely sleep because of it. It's unfortunate as that shot will live in FF infamy and we are on the wrong side of that history. If they got beat soundly by UConn tomorrow it wouldn't sting like this, just doesn't feel right the run ended like that.

Have to seize that kind of opportunity – they don't come around often, if at all, and truly hate seeing how they let it get away.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 10:11 AM #413875

The silver lining to the way the team lost is that it makes it more likely that more players will want to return and be hungry to do it again next season. This is a very talented team that made many mistakes at the end to lose it. As tough as it is to take, in the long term I prefer this type of loss to getting blown away by a much better team, especially since so many players could come back. I feel that if there was a team good enough and deep enough to compete and beat a team like UCONN this year it is this FAU team, but playing with confidence.  There is no guarantee that everyone returns of course but this experience can only help the team in the future.

FAU has clearly found a gem with Coach May. Compare his composure after that loss to how Penny Hardaway behaved at Memphis after their tough defeat to FAU. That in itself should tell you a lot about Coach May. We as FAU fans should feel very grateful for how fortunate we have been.

I just hope that the administration does their part to work hard in taking advantage of this to secure more funding and makes wise choices in upgrading facilities. I don’t feel trying to upgrade the current arena is a wise choice.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 11:30 AM #413877

I hear you – but March Madness is such a different animal. It is incredibly difficult for even P5 programs with 4 star talent to make the Sweet 16, let alone the Final Four. There are well known programs who have never even made a Final Four. And flukey things always happen in the tournament. To be right there and really control the game and (bluntly) blow an opportunity to play for a championship – no matter how motivated the team is, no matter how good they are next year, there are no guaranties with the tournament.

In the long run this season will obviously do wonders for the university, but I would have rather them just lose comfortably then to lose on a buzzer beater on that stage, a second away from literally playing for a national championship. Carolina losing on a buzzer beater to Nova in the championship game is different in that the game was tied and Carolina already has championships. FAU with the lead the entire second half essentially until the buzzer, spoiling a chance at a championship game for a program that has never been there, hits different.

With all that said, the run spoiled me as I was just happy to get into the tournament at first and we could have easily been out the first round lol. FAU is certainly on the map and with Coach May there should be momentum with the program moving forward. So I am happy with how the future is set up. But they still let a chance to play for a championship slip through their fingers and that is so unfortunate.

NJOWL said

Now we need all of these people to get football season tickets. They spent 5 times as much to go to NYC or Houston alone!

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 12:06 PM #413878

Work to do first.

We had people that bought tickets and didn't even receive them…had to help them out with a third party.

d-owl said

owl said

d-owl said

Very proud of Owl Nation – but being blunt this was the absolute worst, most brutal way to end a magical season. I could barely sleep because of it. It's unfortunate as that shot will live in FF infamy and we are on the wrong side of that history. If they got beat soundly by UConn tomorrow it wouldn't sting like this, just doesn't feel right the run ended like that.

Have to seize that kind of opportunity – they don't come around often, if at all, and truly hate seeing how they let it get away.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 7:11 AM #413875

The silver lining to the way the team lost is that it makes it more likely that more players will want to return and be hungry to do it again next season. This is a very talented team that made many mistakes at the end to lose it. As tough as it is to take, in the long term I prefer this type of loss to getting blown away by a much better team, especially since so many players could come back. I feel that if there was a team good enough and deep enough to compete and beat a team like UCONN this year it is this FAU team, but playing with confidence.  There is no guarantee that everyone returns of course but this experience can only help the team in the future.

FAU has clearly found a gem with Coach May. Compare his composure after that loss to how Penny Hardaway behaved at Memphis after their tough defeat to FAU. That in itself should tell you a lot about Coach May. We as FAU fans should feel very grateful for how fortunate we have been.

I just hope that the administration does their part to work hard in taking advantage of this to secure more funding and makes wise choices in upgrading facilities. I don’t feel trying to upgrade the current arena is a wise choice.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 8:30 AM #413877

I hear you – but March Madness is such a different animal. It is incredibly difficult for even P5 programs with 4 star talent to make the Sweet 16, let alone the Final Four. There are well known programs who have never even made a Final Four. And flukey things always happen in the tournament. To be right there and really control the game and (bluntly) blow an opportunity to play for a championship – no matter how motivated the team is, no matter how good they are next year, there are no guaranties with the tournament.

In the long run this season will obviously do wonders for the university, but I would have rather them just lose comfortably then to lose on a buzzer beater on that stage, a second away from literally playing for a national championship. Carolina losing on a buzzer beater to Nova in the championship game is different in that the game was tied and Carolina already has championships. FAU with the lead the entire second half essentially until the buzzer, spoiling a chance at a championship game for a program that has never been there, hits different.

With all that said, the run spoiled me as I was just happy to get into the tournament at first and we could have easily been out the first round lol. FAU is certainly on the map and with Coach May there should be momentum with the program moving forward. So I am happy with how the future is set up. But they still let a chance to play for a championship slip through their fingers and that is so unfortunate.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 9:07 AM #413879

FAU lost for a reason. Part of it was SDSU’s resilience to come back and part of it was FAU tightening up and not playing as well at the end. That happens to less experienced teams on the big stage. If you want to feel better, FAU could have just as easily lost to Memphis in the first round this year. FAU’s inexperience probably made that a close game to begin with. I’ll take the Final Four finish as a compromise.

Also, just because bigger name programs have 4 and 5 star players doesn’t make them good teams. You need a coach who knows how to develop good players to have a great team especially in a sport like basketball where skill and team play is so important. Those Duke, Kansas, and UNC teams didn’t win primarily because of 4 and 5 star players but because they were part of great teams developed by legendary coaches. Those are hard to come by. Teams that are good go far regularly in March. Look at UCONN which has a chance at a 5th championship in basketball. You can also look at how Duke, UNC, Kansas, Villanova, UCLA, Florida, etc.. dropped off as they lost their coaches even with the same high level recruits. Look at what Larranaga has done  at Miami with about the same level recruits they have always gotten. They went to an Elite Eight followed by a Final Four. It is not that difficult to finish consistently high when you have a great team.

FAU is very fortunate to have landed Coach May who is learning to win himself. I think this is just the beginning for him and FAU’s success in basketball.

owl said

d-owl said

owl said

d-owl said

Very proud of Owl Nation – but being blunt this was the absolute worst, most brutal way to end a magical season. I could barely sleep because of it. It's unfortunate as that shot will live in FF infamy and we are on the wrong side of that history. If they got beat soundly by UConn tomorrow it wouldn't sting like this, just doesn't feel right the run ended like that.

Have to seize that kind of opportunity – they don't come around often, if at all, and truly hate seeing how they let it get away.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 10:11 AM #413875

The silver lining to the way the team lost is that it makes it more likely that more players will want to return and be hungry to do it again next season. This is a very talented team that made many mistakes at the end to lose it. As tough as it is to take, in the long term I prefer this type of loss to getting blown away by a much better team, especially since so many players could come back. I feel that if there was a team good enough and deep enough to compete and beat a team like UCONN this year it is this FAU team, but playing with confidence.  There is no guarantee that everyone returns of course but this experience can only help the team in the future.

FAU has clearly found a gem with Coach May. Compare his composure after that loss to how Penny Hardaway behaved at Memphis after their tough defeat to FAU. That in itself should tell you a lot about Coach May. We as FAU fans should feel very grateful for how fortunate we have been.

I just hope that the administration does their part to work hard in taking advantage of this to secure more funding and makes wise choices in upgrading facilities. I don’t feel trying to upgrade the current arena is a wise choice.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 11:30 AM #413877

I hear you – but March Madness is such a different animal. It is incredibly difficult for even P5 programs with 4 star talent to make the Sweet 16, let alone the Final Four. There are well known programs who have never even made a Final Four. And flukey things always happen in the tournament. To be right there and really control the game and (bluntly) blow an opportunity to play for a championship – no matter how motivated the team is, no matter how good they are next year, there are no guaranties with the tournament.

In the long run this season will obviously do wonders for the university, but I would have rather them just lose comfortably then to lose on a buzzer beater on that stage, a second away from literally playing for a national championship. Carolina losing on a buzzer beater to Nova in the championship game is different in that the game was tied and Carolina already has championships. FAU with the lead the entire second half essentially until the buzzer, spoiling a chance at a championship game for a program that has never been there, hits different.

With all that said, the run spoiled me as I was just happy to get into the tournament at first and we could have easily been out the first round lol. FAU is certainly on the map and with Coach May there should be momentum with the program moving forward. So I am happy with how the future is set up. But they still let a chance to play for a championship slip through their fingers and that is so unfortunate.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 12:07 PM #413879

FAU lost for a reason. Part of it was SDSU’s resilience to come back and part of it was FAU tightening up and not playing as well at the end. That happens to less experienced teams on the big stage. If you want to feel better, FAU could have just as easily lost to Memphis in the first round this year. FAU’s inexperience probably made that a close game to begin with. I’ll take the Final Four finish as a compromise.

Also, just because bigger name programs have 4 and 5 star players doesn’t make them good teams. You need a coach who knows how to develop good players to have a great team especially in a sport like basketball where skill and team play is so important. Those Duke, Kansas, and UNC teams didn’t win primarily because of 4 and 5 star players but because they were part of great teams developed by legendary coaches. Those are hard to come by. Teams that are good go far regularly in March. Look at UCONN which has a chance at a 5th championship in basketball. You can also look at how Duke, UNC, Kansas, Villanova, UCLA, Florida, etc.. dropped off as they lost their coaches even with the same high level recruits. Look at what Larranaga has done  at Miami with about the same level recruits they have always gotten. They went to an Elite Eight followed by a Final Four. It is not that difficult to finish consistently high when you have a great team.

FAU is very fortunate to have landed Coach May who is learning to win himself. I think this is just the beginning for him and FAU’s success in basketball.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 1:24 PM #413883

Agree with everything you said, don't think we are saying anything differently – only a different perspective on the loss/opportunity last night and how difficult it is to get back to a Final Four for any team. For perspective, I grew up and still am a Syracuse fan. With all the great teams since the 80s with Boeheim at the helm, they have exactly one championship. A second away from a championship appearance stings, I can't pretend for me it doesn't. In the long run I get it, what happened this season was more than amazing and I will cherish the season like everyone else.

AS noted even by Sports Illustrated, it does not help that the refs suddenly got very whistle happy - on the Owls.

From the 13:53 mark on when we hit the 14 point lead, we were whistled for 11 fouls to SD St. only 3! Think about that, nearly 1 per minute which I believe led us to NOT rebound as aggressively or even defend normally!

We were called for fouls only 6 times before this point. Basically the first 3/4  of the game!

WE did get nervous as the lead slipped away with 5 Turnovers in the closing 1/4 of the game, with only 4 in the first 3/4.

I do credit SD St. for not giving up but it WAS NOT called evenly down the stretch.

GeorgiaOwl said

AS noted even by Sports Illustrated, it does not help that the refs suddenly got very whistle happy - on the Owls.

From the 13:53 mark on when we hit the 14 point lead, we were whistled for 11 fouls to SD St. only 3! Think about that, nearly 1 per minute which I believe led us to NOT rebound as aggressively or even defend normally!

We were called for fouls only 6 times before this point. Basically the first 3/4  of the game!

WE did get nervous as the lead slipped away with 5 Turnovers in the closing 1/4 of the game, with only 4 in the first 3/4.

I do credit SD St. for not giving up but it WAS NOT called evenly down the stretch.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 2:45 PM #413885

The calls were atrocious at time. The foul on Vlad (who had a tough day) that was a clear block was a joke. But have to rebound missed FTs! I give SDSU a ton of credit for staying the course, because down 14 they seemed dead in the water, and getting the players to play uncharacteristically. Saw them appearing rattled and even yelling at each other at times down the stretch which I don't think I have seen all year.

The Vlad call was just one of many strange things that happened during a 3:00 span. We saw them pull down offensive boards on missed free throws twice and they converted buckets each time.

I think at one point they pulled down four offensive boards in one possession. That was when I knew we were probably not going to pull it off, and the plan was for a different outcome.

Rick said

The Vlad call was just one of many strange things that happened during a 3:00 span. We saw them pull down offensive boards on missed free throws twice and they converted buckets each time.

I think at one point they pulled down four offensive boards in one possession. That was when I knew we were probably not going to pull it off, and the plan was for a different outcome.

Posted On: Apr 2nd 2023, 5:08 PM #413889

That span seemed like something out of Space Jam.

ENDING MARCH MADNESS ON A HIGH NOTE THANKS TO MARTIN!

🚨BREAKING🚨 #FAU G @martin_alijah has EARNED A SPOT on @MarchMadnessMBB's #FinalFour All-Tournament Team! CONGRATS ALIJAH, AS @FAUMBB WON'T GO HOME EMPTY-HANDED! 🥳 #MarchMadness #GoOwls!🦉🏀 pic.twitter.com/2vI4K5W5TC

— FAU Owls Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 4, 2023