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