FAU ends AAC Play at home against Memphis What : FAU (23-7, 13-4 AAC) vs Memphis (22-8, 11-6 AAC) When : Sat. March 9th, @ 12:00 PM EST Where : The Burrow – Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena Series : Tigers lead 2-1 all-time. Won previous matchup against FAU in February. TV : CBS Radio : FoxSports 640 Live Stats : Here Line : FAU -6 FAU at a Glance Offense – 83 PPG, 48% FG, 36% 3PT Defense – 73 PPGA, 44% FGA, 32% 3PTA Rebounding – 38 RPG Owls, 34 RPG Opponents Owl Notables Two things can go down for the Owls when it comes to where they finish in the AAC standings after this weekend: They secure the second seed with a win against Memphis OR a Charlotte loss to East Carolina They clinch the third seed with a loss to Memphis AND a Charlotte win against East Carolina Their road win against North Texas made things easier, getting an automatic bye to the quarterfinals of the AAC Tournament. This was in large thanks to Johnell Davis, who bounced back from a quiet eight-point showing against Tulane with a strong 29-point performance on 10-15 shooting from the field against a defensively elite Mean Green squad. It would be reasonable to expect him to keep up that play against Memphis. Vlad Goldin could play a similar role to how he performed against Memphis last time, scoring 22 points on a perfect 9-9 shooting from the field as an enforcer inside. He also elevated his blocking tendencies, rejecting seven shots over the last two games for FAU. In the last seven games, he is averaging 18.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 1.1 assists on 65.8% shooting overall and 78.7% from the free-throw line. Solid performances from Alijah Martin and Giancarlo Rosado could be on the table for FAU. Martin saw his eight-game streak of scoring in double-digits come to a close against North Texas, meaning he might be due for a 15-or-20-point display Saturday. As for Rosado, he scored nine points off the bench against the Mean Green, the most he has scored since returning from the injury on February 15th. This is significant as the Owls will look to him for inside scoring more frequently when Goldin gets his rest on the bench. With forward Tre Carroll sidelined until further notice, one of the younger players on the team needed to step up. That happened to be Brenen Lorient (pictured below via Rick Henderson), who crashed the glass for a career-high five rebounds in 10 minutes of action. He even splashed a three-pointer for the first time since last December, showing that he can occasionally help offensively while utilizing his remarkable length and athleticism on defense. He is averaging 4.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and a block over the last two games. With a spot in the quarterfinals already locked up, FAU awaits the winner of one of the second-round matchups of the AAC Tournament on March 15th at a time to be determined. Memphis Team Site : Here Memphis at a Glance Offense – 81 PPG, 46% FG, 35% 3PT Defense – 75 PPGA, 42% FGA, 34% 3PTA Rebounding – 37 RPG, 36 RPG Opponents Tiger Notables Memphis is going to be well-rested heading into their season finale, coming off a historic this past Sunday. The Tigers defeated UAB, 106-87, on March 3 after coming back from a 22-point deficit, the largest comeback they’ve made under head coach Penny Hardaway. They also became just the second NCAA Division I team since 2010-11 to win a game by 15 or more points after trailing by 20 or more points. Memphis is riding high on a four-game winning streak that has revitalized their chances of not only securing a top-four seed for the AAC Tournament but also landing them back in the conversation of getting an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament. FAU must do a better job guarding David Jones this time around. The senior forward remains a top 10 scorer in the country at 21.8 points per game, dropping 25 points against the Owls’ defense on February 25th. Matching him up with players who have the speed and length to disrupt his rhythm would be beneficial. They should also be wary of Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s presence when he’s on the court. He gave FAU plenty of fits during their last matchup with 21 points, five rebounds, and two blocks. He has scored 20 or more points in three consecutive games, so the Owls must be active in limiting his efficiency (75% overall shooting in his last three contests) inside the arc. Depending on the results throughout the weekend, Memphis will either play in the second round on March 14th or the quarterfinals on March 15th for the AAC Tournament.
