February 2009 Archives

00 Nick Neumann

C 7-0 245LBS

2000 - 2003

Nick Neumann scored 9 points in the Owl's lone NCAA apperance in 2002.

As part of a recent move by Head Coach Mike Jarvis to further the FAU basketball family bond, a couple of former Owl players were on hand last Satuday during the contest versus Middle Tennessee.  One of these was Nick Neumann.  Neumann played for Sidney Green from 2000-2003 and enjoyed one of his best games as an Owl in the program's lone NCAA Tournament appearance against the University of Alabama back in 2002.  The Owls kept it close to the end and had the crowd cheering thier way as the underdog.

Nick hails from Stuart, Florida and has been playing professionally overseas for the last number of years.  We caught up with him at the game and here is what he had to say about the overseas experience, and the recent transitions the Florida Atlantic Men's Basketball Program has been undergoing:

Best wishes to Nick towards his continued success both on, and off the court.

Senior Night Has Not So Happy Ending

Carlos Monroe hauled in a game high 12 rebounds for FAU 

Senior night didn't play out the way Owls fans hoped for, as Florida Atlantic fell to the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State University by a final score of 68-74 before a crowd of 1,236 at FAU Arena.

Carlos Monroe got the start over Brett Royster, scoring both the Owl's first points and his first basket since retuning last Wednesday night against Savannah State.

Neither team could establish more than a two point lead early on until Shavar Richardson's three pointer from the top of the key put the Owls ahead 16-13 eight minutes into the contest.

MTSU would match that shortly thereafter, but it was nip and tuck for the reminder of the period.

Florida Atlantic lead 31-29 at the half behind a controversial call where there was an inadvertent buzzer from the sideline after Alex Tuckers wild shot underneath hit the side of the back board.

The Blue Raiders garnered the rebound and raced back for the dunk, but not before the buzzer sounded.  MTSU head coach Kermit Davis was livid and protested.  Officials put 4.3 seconds back on the clock, but Carlos Monroe stole the lob underneath and squelched the attempt.

The Owls began the second with enthusiasm and built upon their 2 point halftime lead on a thunderous dunk by Paul Graham, and solid inside defensive play by Brett Royster, pushing ahead 45-37 at the first media time-out.

The Blue Raiders went on a run of their own out of the stop to take a one point lead 46-45.  But FAU responded with a 5-0 run to regain the advantage, as MTSU starters Demetrius Green and Desmond Yates each went to the bench with four fouls a piece.

Things were all knotted up down the stretch, until MTSU pulled ahead by three with 1:35 to play.  The Owls missed on the ensuing attempt and the Blue Raiders took a commanding 5 point lead that they would not relinquish.

MTSU's Kevin Kanaskie led all scorers with a game high 24 points, and was 10-11 from the charity stripe.

FAU had led by as many as 7 points in the second period.

Senior Guard Carderro Nwoji did not play due to a hip injury.

That's the Stats Jack

• Carlos Monroe hauled in a game high 12 rebounds to go with his 4 points.

• Paul Graham led the Owls with 18 points, and added 3 assists.

• Alex Tucker had a game high 8 assists.

• FAU out shot the Blue Raiders 40.4% to 38.2%.

• MTSU went to the free throw line 37 times.

Up Next for the Owls

The Owls head to Diddle Arena this Thursday, February 26th, to take on the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky for the first of their final two regular season games.  Tip off time is scheduled for 8:00PM EST.

Owls beat Forham 8-6 in Season Opener

David Wilson's clutch hit, the go-ahead triple in the sixth inning, help secure the win as Florida Atlantic beat Forham 8-6 on Friday.

Whatever pregame jitters Coach Mac might have felt were short lived. Sophomore starter Mike Gipson provided a great start by retiring his first three batters - two by strikeouts.  

The Owls offense provide some relief of its own when Travis Ozga recorded the first hit of the season, followed by a three-run home run by Tom Hatcher in his first at bat, adding a second digger in his second at bat of the evening later on.

Forham answered with three runs in the top of the second to tie the ball game.

The few lapses by the Owls defenders did allow Forham to rally and chase the Owls starter in the fourth, after Gipson threw 26 pitches allowing the Rams to push three runs across the plate to take a short lived 6-4 lead.  Gipson pitched 3 2/3 innings, striking out six, while allowing five hits and six runs, two of them earned. 

Alex Pepe came on in relief to pitch three solid innings, shutting down the Forham offense by retiring all ten of the Rams batters he faced and the team seemed to finally settle down and play solid baseball the rest of the way.

Newcomer Nick DelGuidice could not have envisioned a better start as an Owl. He led all players with three hits and was inches of going 4-4 in his first game as an Owl, on a ball pulled deep into the left field corner, ruled fouled. 

Hugh Adams worked a scoreless ninth to earn a save and help preserve Coach Mac's first victory as a head coach after serving 18 years as an assistant for the Owls.

Final Stats

MTSU (15-12) @  FAU (6-22)
Saturday, FEB 21st, 2009
7:00 PM EST


MEDIA COVERAGE

Video On The Net:  Live at fausports.com

Radio: FOX 640AM - MTSU @ FAU 7:00PM

Evan Cohen and Sanchez Hughley will call the action on Saturday.


THE SERIES

Demetrius Green's layup with 2.4 seconds left allowed Middle Tennessee State to sqeak out a 59-57 win in Murfreesboro the last time the two teams met .  The Owls have played a home-and-home series with the Blue Raiders in each of the last two years.  The teams have played a total of six times.  MTSU enjoys a 5-1 all-time series edge, but three of those contests were on their home court. 

Team Site:  BlueRaiders.com 

"That is something our teams have always done, improve in February, and be the kind of team nobody wants to play because of toughness and rebounding and how we game-plan. We're not getting that", said Head Coach, Kermit Davis.  And he's right.  Due to a mediocre backcourt performance, freshman guard DeMario Williams saw his first start Feb. 14 against the North Texas Mean Green.  Forward Montarrio Haddock, a junior college transfer, has made the most of his minutes this season. He is averaging 9.4 points and a team-high 5.5 rebounds while only playing 19.5 minutes per contest.  However, foul trouble has plagued him and he has retired to the bench prematurely a whopping seven times this season.  The loss of starting center Theryn Hudson early on has also contributed to the lack of success MTSU was expected to achieve this year.  Picked to win the Eastern Division by most credible sources, the Blue Raiders are in the midst of a four game SBC losing streak that has knocked them out of contention for that title.  However, two more wins would guarantee the Blue Raiders a winning season and make Davis just the second coach in program history to produce six winning seasons in his first seven years.

FAU AT A GLANCE

PROBABLE STARTERS

MTSU

4 Calvin O'Neil F 6-4 190
5 Kevin Kanaskie G 6-2 185
11 Nigel Johnson G 6-2 185
23 Demetrius Green G 6-4 190
31 Desmond Yates F 6-7 225

Florida Atlantic 

25 Paul Graham G 6-5 190
05 Alex Tucker G 5-11 160
12 Carderro Nwoji G 5-11
03 Chris Watson F 6-6 210
40 Brett Royster F 6-8 220


LATEST LINE

MTSU - 3

OWL NEST PREDICTION

We know the drill by now.  Pual Graham, Shavar Richarson, and Carderro Nwoji need to hit on all cylinders for the Owls to pull this out.  Inside scoring, unless Monroe has had a dramatic two days of practice, and is not still tender footed, will be challenged once again.  MTSU is in a slump of their own, but will surely bring their "A Game" to the burrow tommorow night in hopes of obtaining better seeding in the tournament and to take some frustration out for the recent performances they have put up.  Not to say that the Owls won't do the same, but the home court advantage (which is desperately needed right now) has not proved a formidable sixth man for FAU in SBC play this season.  Head to head stat match-ups show us the likley outcome of this one.  However, the Owls are hopeful for an upset.

MTSU - 6

A Shinning Star set to emerge from the Shadows

Don't let Will Block's quiet persona fool you.  Once he steps onto the diamond, he is one of the biggest competitors there is. And entering his final season as an Owl, there seems to have been a natural progression to becoming a team leader. 

 "I'm a pretty quite guy around the locker room and just go about my business. The biggest challenge [for me] was to be more of a vocal leader," he said. Block may also have to adjust being in the spotlight as opposed to staying hidden in the shadows of others.  

It's clear that Coach McCormack wants and expects Block to grab the opportunity to shine and showcase his ability.

"He plays hard. He's very aggressive and he gets the guys to play harder," McCormack said. As a senior who has not had the chance at post season play, McCormack hopes for Block to have a "good year, win a championships and play a regional."

As a junior, Block managed to maintain a .347 batting average, while hitting 12 home runs and totaling 47 RBI. 

For his career, he ranks fourth all-time at FAU with 173 runs scored; fifth in home runs (37), eight in hits (222) and 11th in RBI (138).   

With those type of numbers, you may wonder how he managed to duck the spotlight for so long.

"He's a good player, a team leader and was voted team captain," said McCormack. "He's done a nice job transitioning from when he got here at third base over to second base."

Displaying the type of attitude willing to do what was best for the team that also impressed McCormack. 

Introducing another one of  "Coach Mac's" new twists: "one thing that a lot of people don't know is that he's going to pitch a little this year." 

Pitching is something both have discussed over the summer and it's something McCormack is serious seeing what Block can do.  Block pitched a little in high school and has thrown some in the bullpen during his years at FAU.

This has the potential of being a real bonus for the pitching staff.

"As long as I'm out there and the team is winning that is all that counts," said Block. "As a competitor, I always want the ball in my hands. Being a pitcher and a hitter, it's pretty much the highest level that you can get to compete on the baseball field."

"With the schedule the way it is these days, the more good arms you have the better chance you have saving people and winning games," Block added.

With the success and reputation that Owl baseball has earned over the years,  the idea of post season play was expected.

With the recent three-year drought, fans are yearning to feel the aura once again. There is no doubt not playing in the post season has stayed on the players and coaches minds. 

Block puts it into perspective by saying: "your always working to be the best, to win games, to win the conference, make it to regional and then super-regional. So yes the expectations and  pressures are about the same. You just have to go out and play hard every day."

And win ball games.

As a competitor, you have to like Block's "just give me the ball" attitude .

Team Continues To Press Through Difficult Season

Paul Graham led all scorers with 21 points

The season's first road win will have to come another day as Savannah State's 42-18 first half lead proved too much tonight for Florida Atlantic to overcome.  They knocked off the Owls at Tiger arena 79-66.

FAU jumped out to an 8-4 lead early on behind an unexpected fast pace for both teams, which was sloppy on both ends.

But that soon changed, as the pace slowed down considerably, and the Owls went stone cold, scoring just 12 points over the next the next 18 plus minutes.

Savannah State, however, took advantage of their scoring opportunities, behind solid shooting, and built a 24 point lead heading into the locker room up 42-18 at the break.

Florida Atlantic shot just 19.4% for the first half, and went 0 of 9 from long range.

The Owls regrouped and put up a very spirited charge in the second behind Paul Graham's hot hand, cutting the lead to just 13 with just over 9 minutes to play.

But Savannah State answered with a 4-0 run quickly to steal the momentum.

However, FAU continued to fight, diligently chipping away at the Tiger lead.  The Owls pulled to within 7 on a lay-up by Sammy Hernandez, and then 5 off of two Shavar Richardson free throws from a Tiger foul on the ensuing inbounds.

But that was as close as the Owls would get, as the Tigers took control again for good.

Carlos Monroe saw his first action for the Owls with 7 minutes to go in the first, playing the rest of the period, but did not score.  Afterwards, he appeared to favor his injured foot and would not return.

The loss drops FAU to 6-22 on the year.

Chris Linton was the Tiger's top scorer with 20 points.  He was followed by Tracy Rankins who added 17 in the win.

That's The Stats Jack

Paul Graham led all scorers with 21 points, 17 of which came in the second half.

Brett Royster was perfect from the floor (6 of 6) scoring 15 points, and added 4 blocks to continue to build upon his all time FAU single season record mark.

The Owls outscored the Tigers 48-37 in the second half behind 58.1% shooting.

FAU was 15 of 18 from the charity stripe.

Next Up For The Owls

The team returns to The Burrow this Saturday, February 21, to host the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee in the final home contest of the season.  This will also be the final home games for seniors Paul Graham, Carderro Nwoji, and Sammy Hernandez.  Tip-off time is scheduled for 7:00PM EST, but will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the preceding women's contest.

Owl Forward Hopes Return Will Help Steer the Course Towards Upset City

Carlos Monroe goe up and over FIU center Russel Hicks

It's been a long and grueling season thus far for players, coaches, and fans alike of Florida Atlantic University's men's basketball team.  Hit hard by off-the-court issues, and the injury bug, the Owls have limped through, and made the most of the situation; remaining competitive throughout most of thier games until late in the second period when exhaustion and fatigue has often set in.

However, Owl fans received good news yesterday with the long awaited return of Pre-season All SBC Forward, and all time FAU leading rebounder, Carlos Monroe - who will take to the court tonight against Savannah State. 

Having been hampered by a chronic foot injury for quite some time, Monroe was sidelined for the last month and forced to sit out the majority of the conference line-up.

At first there was dejection for Monroe, when learning of the doctors request to begin a rehab period of at least three weeks.  But, now, he is embracing circumstances and the remainder of the season with bright spirits and open arms:

"My first initial reaction was so much disappointment when I heard I was going to have to sit out with this injury.  I wanted to be completely healthy in December when I was cleared to play and it just hasn't worked out the way we've hoped. Everything happens for a reason, and maybe these last four or five games will be positive; not only for myself but for this team", said Monroe today after pre-game shoot around.

Although basketball is a big part of his life at present, Monroe has academics as his top priority.  He is on track to graduate this December.  "First and foremost, I am hoping to graduate on time," said Monroe.

But for tonight, it will be his return to the basketball court.  A time to once again stand along side his friends, team mates, and basketball family.  He is excited to return, and hopes to help lead the Owls into a successful post season appearance.  "It means I can come back and hopefully help this team, which has been so close this year, to possibly spark a run and make some noise in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. It also means a lot to be around the guys and hanging around. Simple things that are taken for granted."

FAU (6-21) @ SSU (12-14)
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009

7:00PM  EST

MEDIA COVERAGE

Radio:   FOX 640AM - FAU @ SSU 7:00PM

Ken LaVicka will call the action from Mobile on Saturday.

THE SERIES

The Owls easily beat the Tigers, 94-68, last season in Boca Raton. Paul Graham was one of five FAU players to score in double figures in that contest.  The winning-margin was FAU's largest of the season and came during a stretch where the Owls reeled off five-straight wins.  The programs have split the other two previous meetings.

SAVANNAH STATE AT A GLANCE

Team Site:  Tiger Country

The Tigers bring a 10-3 home record into Wednesday night's game.  They consistently plays low-scoring games, averaging 57.0 points per night while giving up 62.7. No player - in what has been a steady starting five - scores in double figures. Savannah State beat Sun Belt member New Orleans 54-44 at Tiger Arena earlier this season and took Michigan into overtime on the road before losing 66-64.  They also knocked off Bowling Green.

FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT A GLANCE

FAU has lost seven league games by nine points or fewer, including a loss at the buzzer to MTSU on January 8th.  Paul Graham enjoys a league-best 18.4 points per game, and has scored 33, 25 and 27 in the Owl's last three games. Graham has seen senior classmate and projected Sun Belt "Player of the Year" Carlos Monroe miss all but six games this year due to injury and eligibility issue. Monroe should be back in the lineup as he made the trip to Savannah.  Shavar Richardson (12.1 points p/g) is the Sun Belt's top freshmen scorer.  Brett Royster leads the SBC in blocks with 2.3 per game.  The Owls are all but assured of playing on the road (No. 13 vs. No. 4 game) in the Sun Belt Conference postseason tournament, but will look for an upset given the return of Monroe.  Pending first round opponents include Middle Tennessee State , North Texas and South Alabama.

PROBABLE STARTERS

SSU

22 Rashad Hassan F 6-7 215
24 Chris Linton F 6-6 195
20 Jovonni Schuler G 6-4
13 Anthony Jones G 6-3 190
05 Ray Bailey G 5-11 180 

Florida Atlantic

25 Paul Graham G 6-5 190
05 Alex Tucker G 5-11 160
12 Carderro Nwoji G 5-11
03 Chris Watson F 6-6 210
40 Brett Royster F 6-8 220


LATEST LINE

TBA


OWL NEST PREDICTION

The Tigers are somewhat similar to the Owls in a couple of ways:  1.  They generally play well at home, and not so well on the road.  2.  They play a half court offense similar to FAU  and have found a hard time getting it to click periodically.  But a  big difference is seen in scoring roles.  Savannah Sate displays consistent scoring across the line-up, and even two deep into the bench; while FAU generally relies on Graham and Richardson for the bigger contributions.  Royster should have another productive night inside defensively against the Tigers inside attempts, thus disrupting across the board consistency they rely on.  The Tigers will also have a hard time matching anyone up on Graham.  These two factors will hopefully give the Owls an advantage that will seal the deal for the first road win of the season.


FAU -3

Travis Ozga

Senior, Infielder

6'2", 215

Pope John Paul II

Boca Raton, Florida

A consistent and steady performer

Travis Ozga made great strides in his junior year as an Owl infielder, with a break-out type of season. He started 53 of the 60 games at first base, and one at third, posting a .357 hitting average for a good part of the season and holding on to a .330 average heading to the final week of regulation play, where his batting average never fell below .300 for the year.

Ozga's steady performance in 2009 allowed him to string together some impressive numbers for the season: finishing the year with 56 RBIs, which happen to be some of the best numbers in school history, and of those, he managed 16 multiple RBI outings with a .326 average with runners in scoring position and compiling 71 hits and 11 HR.

Entering his senior season, Ozga felt he had to work on his leadership skills.

"A lot of the kids look up to me and the rest of the seniors, so being a little bit more serious and energetic" will hopefully help the transition of a new ERA in FAU baseball, he said..

And as the team embarks on a new beginning, "a new twist," Ozga says, is part of a new approach Coach McComack brings as the team looks forward to returning to regional play.

The players are aware of the three-year drought of not making an NCAA regional, something Owl fans have come to expect.

Ozga adds that "we don't necessarily put additional pressure on ourselves, but it serves as extra motivation," striving to return to post season play. 

Heading into the 2009 season, Ozga mentions that "this year our team is a lot closer, we get along very well. We all are good friends and that helps a lot with the chemistry of the team. When you like each other you want everyone to do well," he said. Combined with "a new twist," hopefully that chemistry will help the team to a winning season.

Ozga's consistent play and outstanding performance of last season will no doubt be used as a barometer for the upcoming season. This can only be good news for Owl fans and a good indication what to expect not only form Ozga, but the rest of the team.

Florida Atlantic saw its road loss streak grow to 14 consecutive games tonight, falling in Mobile to the Jaguars of South Alabama by a final score of 70-91.

Early on it was the "Paul Graham and Domonic Tilford" Show, with each player connecting on long range bombs. Graham had 15 of the Owls first 23 points himself.  Tilford accounted for 15 for the Jaguars during the first period.

South Alabama connected on an impressive 15 of their first 20 attempts, building as much as a 15 point lead; which began primarily when Brett Royster went to the bench with an apparent leg injury.

The Jaguars lead 46-31 at the break, shooting 74% from the field in the first half.

Chris Watson had a monster jam at the onset of the second for the Owls.  However, South Alabama would continue to build its lead off of solid shooting, leading by as much as 23 points.

Mid way through the period, the Jaguars finally began to miss a few, and that allowed the Owls to nip the lead to 11 when Shavar Richardson, who caught a hot hand of his own, connected on a series of jumpers and free throws.

Florida Atlantic had a chance to trim the lead into single digits a number of times down the last 8 minute stretch, but could not get the stops needed on the opposite end of the court - as USA continued to answer.

The loss drops FAU to 6-21 overall and 2-13 on the year in Sun Belt play.

Brandon Davis led South Alabama with 23 points behind 9 of 10 shooting.

That's the Stats Jack

The Jaguars shot an astounding 67.3% from the floor for the contest.

Shavar Richardson had a stellar performance for the Owls and finished with a career high 24 points.

Paul Graham had his second straight productive game and dropped 27 for FAU.

Game Scoring Recap

Up Next for the Owls

FAU continues its two game trip away from The Burrow this Wednesday, February 18, when they will next take on Savannah State.  The Owls are hopeful for their first win on the road since February of 2008.  Tip-off time is scheduled for 7:00PM EST.

FAU (6-20) @  USA (14-11)
Saturday, FEB 14th, 2009
8:00 PM EST


MEDIA COVERAGE

Video On The Net:  Live on Jaguar Nation at www.usajaguars.com. 

Radio: FOX 640AM - FAU @ USA 8:00PM

Steve Bishop will call the action from Mobile on Saturday.


THE SERIES

South Alabama leads the all-time series with FAU 4-1, and has won three straight against the Owls.  Most recently, South Alabama guard C.J. Garner blocked a tying 3-point attempt by FAU's Carderro Nwoji with 4 seconds left and went the length of the court to score with 1 second remaining, preserving a 74-69 win over the Owls in Boca Raton January 1st:

USA AT A GLANCE

Team Site:  www.usajaguars.com 

After losing three consecutive games at home, the Jaguars have won three in a row in front of the home fans. The team started 0-4 in league play at the Mitchell Center.  Thursday was USA's first game decided by one point since Jan. 28, 2007 (a span of 68 games). The team has played in four two-point games and four three-point games in this season alone.  South Alabama has won 10 consecutive games against Florida-based schools (4-0 in 2008-09, 6-0 in 2007-08).  Head coach Ronnie Arrow has a 9-2 overall record in February the last two years and 6-0 is at home over that span.  USA continues to lead the Sun Belt in field goal percentage defense (40.3%). It will be going against the 10th-ranked offense in terms of scoring (64.7 ppg) and 11th-ranked in field goal percentage (41.5%).  South Alabama is 12-1 when leading at halftime and 7-0 against Sun Belt teams when ahead at the break.

FAU AT A GLANCE

PROBABLE STARTERS

USA

01 DeAndré Coleman F 6-7 235
21 Brandon Davis F 6-6 205
25 Ronald Douglas F 6-5 205
03 Domonic Tilford G 5-10 170
31 C.J. Garner G 5-10 160

Florida Atlantic 

25 Paul Graham G 6-5 190
05 Alex Tucker G 5-11 160
12 Carderro Nwoji G 5-11
03 Chris Watson F 6-6 210
40 Brett Royster F 6-8 220


LATEST LINE

USA - 9

OWL NEST PREDICTION

"South Alabama is a very talented team that we could have beat (earlier in the year)...It's going to be difficult to beat them on the road", said Owl's Head Coach Mike Jarvis.  We agree.  Unless the Owls have another shooting night like they did against Denver, the "guard only" option will prove to be a very tough hill to climb given the interior defense of USA.

USA - 7

Toppers and Trojans Battle for Top Spot in the East

Orlando Mendez-Valdez scored 24 points, including going 6-for-10 on 3-pointers, to lead Western Kentucky in a 67-59 win over South Alabama on Saturday and keep them atop the SBC.  But they will face the  East Division's hottest team, Troy this Saturday at the Trojan Arena in Alabama. Each are riding on win streaks; with the Trojans having won nine in a row while the Toppers are four-deep in their own stretch.  "I would like it a little more stretched out, but it is what is. You go on the road, it's going to be tough", said Toppers Coach Ken McDonald.

West Wrapped Up in a Tight One

Keeping in line with the predicted outcome, the race for the West displays a definite lack of parity when compared to the East.  With just five games to play for all teams except New Orleans, we have a  four way tie for third, and only 1/2 game keeping the Privateers from joining them.  Don't look for that to change either any time soon, as this baby is likely to go down to the wire - UALR being the only aside.  Can you say photo finish?

Hazzard Gets Second-Straight Player of the Week Nod

For the second week in a row, Troy's Brandon Hazzard is the Sun Belt Men's Basketball Player of the Week - as voted on by the league's 13 member institutions. This marks the first time that any Team has had a player win back to back awards this season.  Hazzard  averaged 22.0 points per game for the week, and shot a tidy 57 percent from the field and 60 percent from down town.  He has scored double figures in 21 games this season.  Most recently, Hazzard scored 21 points as Troy defeated Middle Tennessee 70-64 on Thursday night.

Tidbits from Around the League

• Alex Galindo scored 23 points to give Florida International a 80-76 win over Arkansas State in OT.
• Shane Edwards and Steven Moore each dropped 18 points to lead Arkansas-Little Rock to a 66-57 win over the Denver Pioneers.
• Rudy Turner scored 18 points and Louisiana-Monroe defeated New Orleans 61-56.  New Orleans finished the game shooting just 1 of 9 from long range.
• Tristan Thompson sank 24 points, including all 13 at the charity stripe, to lead North Texas to a 92-74 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.  North Texas led by as many as 39 points in the second half.
• LaShun Watson hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift South Alabama to a 66-65 victory over Florida International on Thursday night.
• Arkansas-Little Rock's Shane Edwards led the scoring with 16 points and his final shot - a jumper with 2 seconds on the clock - gave the Trojans a 58-57 win Thursday night over cross-state rival Arkansas State.

That's the Stat Jack

Denver has now lost an astounding 43 straight games on the road; last being knocked off Thursday night by Florida Atlantic 61-67.  FAU sank 20 of 22 free throws to secure the win.

Game of the Week

Sat, Feb 14^th      Western Kentucky @ Troy          5:00PM CST      CSS 

FAU's Grit Stifles Late Pioneer Rally Attempt

Brett Royster enjoys one of his 2008-2009 Record Setting Blocks 

FAU entered tonight's game hoping to get its second conference win, and to even the score after a 55-66 loss to Denver back on December 16^th. 

Denver, on the other hand, was hoping to quench a 42 game road drought.  Unfortunately, they aren't the Nuggets.

FAU used a combination of a solid shooting, and a tremendous effort at the free throw line, to come away with its second conference win of the season 67-61 before a sparse, but vocal, crowd at FAU arena.

Paul Graham was on fire out of the gate for FAU connecting on all of the Owls first 14 points.  But the Pioneers were hot as well and jumped out to a 19-16 lead.  The Owls responded with a 8-0 run to pull ahead 24-19 midway through the first.

Denver tussled and tugged their way back in, slowing it down as expected, to tie it up at 26 a piece.  FAU ended the first half on a 14-6 run, and lead 40-32.

The Pioneers were determined to take the Owls out of their rhythm, and did just that initially, coming out on a 13-2 run of their own to begin the second half - employing traps, and making FAU work hard for their shots.

But Owls took advantage of Denver's foul trouble mid way through the second, with starters Lewis and Stafford heading to the bench, and matched their first half advantage of 10 points - surging ahead 57-47.

Denver made a late charge, pulling to within 5 with 19 seconds to go, but would get no closer.

That's the Stats Jack

Paul Graham dropped 25 points and pulled into third place on the FAU all-time scoring list with 1,397 career points.  He passes Jeff Cowens (1,388).

Brett Royster was stellar, and became FAU's all-time single season blocks leader with 63 on the season thus far.  He was just shy of a double double and finsihed with 13 points and 9 rebounds.  Here's what he had to say about his accomplishment:

Denver (10-13) @ FAU (5-20)
Thursday, FEB 12th, 2009
7:00 PM EST


MEDIA COVERAGE

Video:  FAUSPORTS.com

Radio: FOX 640AM - UD @ FAU 7:00PM


GAME PROMOTIONS

Lots of things happening for Fans Thursday night:

First 100 FAU students receive a voucher good for a FREE hot dog, popcorn or nachos.  The FAU baseball team will be signing autographs from 6pm-7pm.  The Florida Panthers Ice Dancers/Stanley the Panther will be signing autographs from 6pm-7pm as well.  The Florida Panthers Ice Dancers will perform at halftime.  Be sure and bring your church bulletin to the game and get in for half price.  The first 200 fans will receive a FREE Amp Energy drink.


THE SERIES

Denver leads the all-time series 2-1. The two teams have played one regular season game annually during the past two seasons, but are playing twice this year. In the previous meeting this season the Pioneers overcame a seven-point second-half deficit to beat Florida Atlantic 66-55 at DU's Magness Arena back on December 16. Led by 24 points from Carlos Monroe, FAU beat Denver in overtime 70-68 last season in Boca Raton at Lynn University.  Denver also posted a 90-85 victory over FAU at Magness Arena in January of 2007.


DENVER AT A GLANCE

Team Site:  denverpioneers.com 

The Pioneers are trying to snap its NCAA-worst 42-game road losing streak. They finished 11-19 last season in the program's first year under head coach Joe Scott. Five-straight losses to begin the season included dropping close games at Northern Iowa (61-56) and at home against Northern Colorado (71-66) in overtime, but Denver has rallied to put together a 5-7 Sun Belt record, thanks to winning 5 of 6 vs. the league at Magness Arena in Denver. A 1987 graduate of Princeton, Scott has instilled a disciplined "Princeton" style offense that scores 60.4 PPG while its defense is best in the league, limiting opponents to a league-low 61.2 PPG.


FAU AT A GLANCE

FAU has not been able to compensate for a lack of depth, as just eight scholarship players suit up for first-year head coach Mike Jarvis. The Owls are all but assured of playing on the road (No. 13 vs. No. 4 game) in the Sun Belt Conference postseason tournament.  A youth movement is underway as Jarvis tries to build the program. Rookie guard Alex Tucker has emerged as one of the league's best distributors. Tucker's 11 assists last Thursday at UNO equaled a single-game school record and is on pace to break the school's all-time single-season assist record. Freshman guard Shavar Richardson, is leading all Sun Belt freshmen in scoring (12.0 PPG). Sophomore Brett Royster has swatted 58 shots this season, ranking him No. 29 in the NCAA in blocks entering the week. He needs just two more to break the FAU All-time single season mark.


PROBABLE STARTERS

Denver

5 Brian Stafford G 6-3 180
10 Rob Lewis F 6-7 215
11 Kyle Lewis G 5-11 160
24 Nate Rohnert G/F 6-5 215
12 Justin Coughlin F 6-9 185

Florida Atlantic

1 Shavar Richardson G 6-2 165
5 Alex Tucker G 5-11 160
12 Carderro Nwoji G 5-11
3 Chris Watson F 6-6 210
40 Brett Royster F 6-8 220


LATEST LINE

FAU - 1


OWL NEST PREDICTION

The pace of this game will play into the Owl's hands favorably.  Both teams run a deliberate half court attack, however FAU should look to run as much as possible in this one given the opponent.  Denver is a solid shooting team at 48.3% from the field - good for a 15th national ranking.  But its how they score that is the key.  Defense will be the challenge for the Owls.  The Pioneers will look to milk every second off of the clock and wear out them out, often opting for the back door lay-up given a sleepy defender.  Or the three ball, which they also do well.  But the Owl's athleticism and home court advantage, coupled with the Pioneer's inability to win on the road, makes for a win in a close one.

FAU - 3

Is there still a chance to have the stadium ready for opening day in 2010?

The excitement has been building for a while now and what a better way to set the stage then having a BCS opponent help christen the start of a new era for FAU athletics and for the university. 

Even though the window of opportunity is shrinking, there is still hope that it can get done in time for opening day on 2010. 

"The train is roaring down the tracks toward opening [the on-campus stadium] in 2010, the architects are on board, the construction folks are on board and it [stadium] has been designed, but the piece that needs to drop into that fast moving train is that financing piece," said FAU Athletics Director Craig Angelos. 

It's no mystery that the finances have been holding back the process, but it's the biggest piece of the puzzle left to be ironed out.  Angelos added that "the part of the puzzle trying to outsource the housing [part of the Innovation Village] for $12 million and that will be the first domino to fall and so we can use that $12 million dollars to help fund the stadium and then the housing will get going."

"The infrastructure is underway: the Alumni center across the street, the student recreation center, that mall going up on the south side is taking shape the way we anticipated, but the majority of the stuff we have been planning is going on the north side of the street, so everything is going to fall into place."

As the pieces of the puzzle continue to fall into place, Angelos remains positive that the financial aspect will fall into place in time by adding "we're hoping that [the finances] will drop in time for us to still keep that on track and keep that train moving quickly to reach it's destination in 2010."

"If that doesn't happen in a month or two then we will probably have to pull back on the speed of the train and maybe it won't make it by 2010 - maybe make it later on," he said.

How much later? 2011 or 2012? Angelos responded with "I would hope when we pull it back [speed of the train] that it will be a matter of months not years.

Angelos remains positive that it can still get done in time for 2010.

"Once we hit our financial numbers then we are ready to lock in. Right now I'm still optimistic for 2010 until I see otherwise."

The financial benefits of opening day would be a huge boost for the program, not only in turn of the being able to capitalize on what could be one of the largest crowds for an Owl game, but all the possible donors that this event could attract. 

Can Florida Atlantic afford to miss the opportunity on capitalizing on any possible momentum that this grand event would create - the grand opening of "FAU Stadium" on Opening Day 2010 against the Spartans? It has all the makings of a monster event that would surely benefit the Owl program on many levels, not quite the same effect if we open the stadium later in the year against a conference foe? Although, in all fairness, there is one out-of-conference game still to be scheduled in 2011.

Sure there is the potential of some short term losses if the stadium is not ready for opening day 2010, but the big picture is the future of the program- and in the long haul, the effect it will have on the program in general is what we need to look at.  It is a much needed piece of the puzzle to the continued success that has been unprecedented for a young program.

So regardless of whether it is ready for opening day 2010, the thought of having a place to call home in 2010 should not be under sold. The event, regardless on when it happens, will mark one more step taken, one more accomplishment completed on a road lined with a bright future as the university continues to grow by leaps and bounds.

Graham Alone not Enough

Florida Atlantic got off to a hot start, but couldn't keep pace with the Trojans of Troy, falling tonight by a final score of 63-78.

Paul Graham got things going for the Owls, picking up 9 of the first 12 points as he was 3 of 3 from downtown out of the gate.

But the Trojans hit a run of their own, jumping out to a 28-17 lead midway through the first period.

Coach Mike Jarvis saw an opportunity to put in his "rat pack" consisting of Tucker, Nwoji, Graham, and Richardson to pick up the offensive pace.

The Owls responded accordingly, and went on a 12-2 run to close the gap to 28-30.

Teams traded long range bombs to end the half, with Troy hitting a final shot at the buzzer to tie it up at 40 a piece.

Florida Atlantic began the second on a 7-0 run until the Trojans Brandon Hazzard took a steal to the opposite end for an easy deuce.

The Trojans would eventually work up a 14 point lead as FAU went cold midway through the second - Deja Vu from the last meeting.

Paul Graham, who was 11 of 18 from the floor on the night, could not find fellow accomplices to match the Trojans pace.  Shavar Richardson and Carderro Nwoji shot a combined 7 of 28 from the floor.

The Trojans out shot the Owls 56% to 28% in the second. 

Brandon Hazzard lead Troy with 30 points.

The loss drops FAU to 5-20, and 1-11 in Sun Belt Play on the year.

That's The Stats Jack

Brett Royster picked up four blocks and needs just two more to set an FAU All-time single-season record.

Troy (14-10) @ FAU (5-19)
Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009
7:00 PM EST*

*will tip 30 minutes after the women's game concludes.


MEDIA COVERAGE

640 AM with audio links available via FAUSPORTS.com.  Evan Cohen (play-by-play) will call the games for WFTL on Saturday.  Live scoring via GAMETRACKER and an additional video feed can also be accessed on FAUSPORTS.com.

Radio Link:

Radio Broadcast: FOX 640AM - Troy vs FAU 7:00PM


GAME PROMOTIONS

Free T-Shirts will be offered to the first 100 fans in attendance, and a free hotdog, popcorn or nachos will be available for the first 100 students.


THE SERIES

FAU and Troy have met 22 times. Troy leads the all-time series 16-6, which included a 94-87 victory over the Owls earlier this season at the Trojan Arena in Troy . FAU has won 4 of the last 6 against Troy . FAU senior guard Paul Graham III has enjoyed some of his best collegiate games against the Trojans, scoring a then-career-high 27 points at Troy in a 99-93 FAU win last season on 9-of-15 shooting. Graham - one of the league's top scorers (393 points) - poured in 28 points and made five 3s when the two teams met in December.


TROY AT A GLANCE

The Trojans are the hottest team in the Sun Belt, having won 7-straight. 27th-year head coach Don Maestri has the Trojans in second place in the Sun Belt Conference East standings behind Western Kentucky - surprising considering Troy was picked to finish last in the division. A big reason for Troy 's success is its scoring output (77.7 points per game). Maestri is receiving double-figures in scoring from three different players and the team makes nearly nine 3s per night. Troy began the year 0-7 on the road but has rebounded to win 4 of 6 versus the SBC away from home, including recent wins at South Alabama (94-70), at ULM (71-70), at UALR (63-58) and at North Texas (77-69). Junior guards Brandon Hazzard (14.6 ppg) and Richard Delk (14.2 ppg) lead the team in scoring and junior Michael Vogler is passing out 5.3 assist per game - a league high.


FAU AT A GLANCE

The Owls are 4-5 at home, including winning last Saturday night 63-47 over Louisiana-Lafayette. FAU began the year playing 10 of 13 away from home and have not been able to compensate for a lack of depth, as just eight scholarship players suit up for first-year head coach Mike Jarvis. Despite the Owls record, the team is competitive night-in and night-out, thanks largely to Paul Graham III's league-best 18.5 points per game in conference play. Additionally FAU has seen rookie guard Alex Tucker emerge as one of the league's best distributors. Tucker's 11 assists Saturday at UNO equaled a single-game school record and with two more helpers he will establish a new freshmen record at FAU. Sophomore Brett Royster has swatted 53 shots this season, ranking him No. 35 in the NCAA in blocks entering the week. Saturday's loss to UNO saw FAU turn the ball over 19 times, uncharacteristic for a Jarvis' coached squad that came into the week as one of the nation's best teams in limiting its turnovers (12.2 pg).


PROBABLE STARTERS

Troy

24 Michael Vogler G 6-1 168
14 Brandon Hazzard G 6-2 195
33 Richard Delk G/F 6-4 180
20 Antywan Jones F 6-6 190
13 Tom Jervis C 7-0 230

Florida Atlantic

1 Shavar Richardson G 6-2 165
5 Alex Tucker G 5-11 160
12 Carderro Nwoji G 5-11
3 Chris Watson F 6-6 210
40 Brett Royster F 6-8 220


LATEST LINE

FAU -1


OWL NEST PREDICTION

Oddsmakers continue to pick FAU at home despite faltering on the majority of those picks.  It will take a stellar performance from the Owls to keep this game in check; nonethless win it.  Staying out of second half foul trouble, a lack of depth, and good perimeter defense from the Trojans will prove a major challenge for FAU against a Troy team that is clicking on on cylinders.  They are a very well rounded ball club with fairly equal rebounding as well as scoring from both starters and reserves.  The keys for an FAU win will be for scoring to remain consistent across guard play, and to minimize turnovers given the Trojans up beat tempo.  Graham, Nwoji, and Richardson all need to have solid nights scoring.  If one of them falters into the 20-25% range again, FAU's half court offense, despite Tucker's tastey dishes will not be enough to keep up with the consitency of the Trojans.

Troy - 5

Talented Wide Receiver Adds Depth To Owls Roster

Second Half Surge Is Off The Mark

FAU took on the Privateers of New Orleans tonight hoping to start a new streak - a winning one.  But a failed second half comeback attempt left them back in the loss column by a final score of 68-75.

Teams matched baskets and stood toe to toe during a first half which saw a remarkable 6 ties and 14 lead changes.

Alex Tucker was impressive in the first period with 5 assists, and tossed a half court no look pass to a wide open Chris Watson who flushed one home for the Owls.

The Privateers jogged into the locker room with a 3 point lead off of a late run with just under 1:00 to play in the period.

Florida Atlantic struggled to control the ball during the second half and saw New Orleans extend its lead to 54-42 at the 9:00 mark of the second half.

The Owls pulled to within 4 on a Paul Graham bank shot, and would have a number of chances to cut into the Pioneer lead late in the game, but shots just didn't fall.  Turnovers also plagued the Owls:

"Can not win on the road turning the ball over.  I don't think one of them was forced.  Poorly played game in terms of concentration", offered Coach Jarvis on the loss.

Free throws were also a problem for FAU, as they made just 6 of 14 from the line.

That's The Stats Jack

Brett Royster sank a career high 17 points, and added 3 swats in his continued quest to become FAU's all-time single season leader in blocks.

Chris Watson hauled in 9 boards to accompany his 10 points.

Alex Tucker dished out 11 assists.

Next Up for The Owls

FAU next hosts the Troy Trojans this Saturday, February 7^th, at 7:00PM. The Owls will look to avenge an earlier season road loss when they were downed 87-94 at Troy.  Free T-Shirts will be offered to the first 150 fans in attendance, and a free hotdog, popcorn or nachos will be available for the first 150 students.

FAU (5-18) @ FAU (9-13)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
8:00 PM EST


MEDIA COVERAGE

640 AM with audio links available via FAUSPORTS.com.  Steve Bishop (play-by-play) will call the games for WFTL on Thursday.  Live scoring via GAMETRACKER and an additional video feed can also be accessed on FAUSPORTS.com.

Media Links:

Radio Broadcast: FOX 640AM - FAU vs UNO 8:00PM

Live video is available for purchase at unoprivateers.com

THE SERIES

Florida Atlantic leads the all-time series 3-0, with UNO being the only SBC team FAU is undefeated against. FAU twice beat UNO two seasons ago (2006-07) and won the only meeting last season, 82-72 at the FAU Arena (1/30/08). Carderro Nwoji scored 18 points (4-for-4 from 3-point range) and Paul Graham III had 13 in last year's win. In the first-ever meeting and only game played in New Orleans (1/4/07), FAU beat UNO 93-86. The Owls are averaging 91 points per game in its three meetings vs. the Privateers.

UNO AT A GLANCE

Surprisingly FAU is running into a team that is even smaller in personnel than themselves. The Privateers had just six scholarship players available in its two games last week, losing to FIU 64-54 at home and on the road at South Alabama 56-53. UNO is scoring just 60 points per night through its 11 league games (4-7). Preseason All-Sun Belt pick, 6-foot-3 senior Kyndall Dykes scores a team-high 16.3 points per game for second-year head coach Joe Pasternack. The Privateers were 19-13 overall last season and 8-10 in the league. New Orleans is 7-2 at Lakefront Arena this season, but has lost 5 of its last 6 league games overall. Thursday's game with FAU will be followed by a home date with ULM Saturday.

FAU AT A GLANCE

The Owls used an 18-point performance by high-scoring guard Paul Graham III to snap a 13-game losing streak, beating Louisiana-Lafayette 63-47 Saturday at home. The Owls hope to bring that momentum into Thursday's game at New Orleans where they look to pick up their first road win of the season. With the exception of a lopsided loss at UAB in late December, FAU has had a legitimate chance to win every game it has played, making its 5-18 record a bit misleading.  Monroe is hoping to return from injury later this month. With just eight available scholarship players FAU has relied heavily on Graham, who is pouring in a league-best 18.7 points per game in league play. Rookie guards Shavar Richardson (11.8 ppg) - the Sun Belt's top freshman scorer - and Alex Tucker (4.8 apg) have emerged as two of the league's best young guards and sophomore big-man Brett Royster is rewriting the FAU record book for blocks shots.


PROBABLE STARTERS

UNO Privateers

10 Justin Archie G 6-0-170
23 T.J. Worley G 6-4-205
00 Kyndall Dykes F 6-3-190
22 Jahmal Burroughs F 6-5-210
13 Jaroslav Tyrna C 6-10-220

Florida Atlantic

1 Shavar Richardson G 6-2 165
5 Alex Tucker G 5-11 160
12 Carderro Nwoji G 5-11 185
3 Chris Watson F 6-6 210
40 Brett Royster F 6-8 220

LATEST LINE

UNO - 2.5

OWL NEST PREDICTION

Depth will not be a big  factor in this contest or the Owls given that UNO has no real bench to speak of either  Both teams can tucker each other out, but neither will have much relief.  FAU did a great job of staying out of foul trouble in its last outing against ULL.  They should continue the trend given UNO's lack of a player over 6-5 with the exception of Tyrna, who is a pretty decent big man, but only hauls in 5.4 RB per game.  Overall, another good head to head match-up at each position.  FAU should get their first road since February of 2008, and (dare we say) extend its win streak to two games.

FAU - 2

Carlton Falconer

Offensive Lineman - 6' 4" 280lbs

Dillard High School, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

When Carlton Falconer gave a verbal commitment to play at Florida Atlantic, the Owls got a versatile player - one that can play multiple positions including guard, tackle or center.  And with his versatility and size, he should be a boost to a line known to be on the small side. 

According to Falconer's high school coach, "[Falconer] is fast and brings a good presence to the line," said Coach Franklin. Franklin also added that Falconer possesses "a good head on his shoulders."

Like many other prospects, having a chance to play close to home was a big part of his decision to play at Florida Atlantic.

Falconer said he was "excited to be part of building a program - [an] up and coming program and help them be on the map." He feels that Florida Atlantic was a good fit for him by saying, "[players and coaches] treated me good and felt like I was at home."

He will join two former Dillard players on the roster:  Offensive lineman Lavaris Williams (redshirt senior) and line backer Edward Bradwell (red shirt senior).

Travis Jones

RB - Athlete, 5'10" 150

Treasure Coast High School

Port St. Lucie, Florida

Travis Jones is of these kids that might have escape the grasp of larger programs because of his size. But when you find someone with his skills, it's hard to pass up.

One thing is for sure, Florida Atlantic coaches are not afraid to take a chance on any player - regardless of size.  It seems to allow them to find great athletes other school will overlook merely because their size, or lack there of.

 "I'm really excited for Travis. They [Florida Atlantic] are getting an athlete," Coach Kelley said. "He was a ridiculous amount of our offense... about 60% of our offense and in [my] nineteen year of coaching, I haven't had a kid that could make people miss as well as he could. He has the ability to make people miss."

The natural ability Coach Kelley talks about allowed Jones to grind out over 1,400 yards with an impressive total of 24 touchdowns.

"He has a God given ability to make people miss and watching him on film doesn't do it justice [on Jones abilities]. Watch it in person and you will literally see Travis make three cuts in space in the second level and I couldn't tell you which direction he ends up going - his cut ability is fantastic, as good as I've seen," said Kelley. He adds that with his best skill is making people miss, which is proportional to Jones "quickness, tremendous quickness, tremendous change of direction, there is no waste of steps when he changes direction."

And when you hear Coach Bill Kelley talk about Jones, it's hard not to get excited to have an opportunity to watch Jones in action.

Terrel Bradley

CB - 5'10", 185

East Side High School

Gainesville, Florida

Deciding on where to get an education and play college ball is never an easy decision for a young man.

When part of the requirement is to play for a reputable coach - your choices seem to narrow a bit.

On a recruiting trip to East Side High School in Gainesville, Fla. last year, Terrell Bradley caught the eye of Florida Atlantic; and when your Head Coach is Howard Schnellenberger, it surely satisfies the wish to play for a reputable coach. 

Plus, having the chance to play for an up-and-coming program also enticed Bradley; along with the chance to compete with other talent in the state.

Bradley's high school coach Kent Johnson said he started both on offense and defense and that "he's an all around outstanding athlete."

"He's super quick and he's got great athletic abilities. He can make people miss," added Johnson.

On Bradley's offensive talents, Coach Johnson said he possesses "good hands and outstanding moves on offense, " which allowed him to average 110 plus yard of total offense per game in his senior year.

His versatility showcases emphasizes his athleticism as he played multiple positions; on defense - he logged some playing time at free safety and corner back and on offense saw time as a running back, slot receiver and even started a few games under center when their starting quarterback went down with an injury (in his junior year).

And on special teams, he was the teams top punt returner and even pulled some punting duties.

No question that Florida Atlantic has landed another gifted athlete in Terrell Bradley and 

Schnellenberger's proven track record and legendary aura still seems to be paying dividend when it comes to recruiting Florida talent.