Florida Atlantic pulled off a 78-70 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, securing their first-ever Sweet 16 appearance. Led by Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin, the Owls proved too strong for the Knights, who had previously upset top-seeded Purdue in their opening game. Despite the loss, Fairleigh Dickinson’s impressive performance won’t soon be forgotten, as they became the first No. 16 seed to win a game in the tournament since UMBC’s shock victory over Virginia five years ago. With the win, Florida Atlantic will face Tennessee at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. The game was a high-speed affair that at times resembled a playground pickup game. Although the loss marked the end of Tobin Anderson’s impressive turnaround at Fairleigh Dickinson, the coach expressed pride in his team’s history-making performance in the tournament.
Florida Atlantic Upsets Fairleigh Dickinson 78-70 in NCAA Tournament
In a thrilling NCAA Tournament second-round game, ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic defeated No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson 78-70 on Sunday night. Led by Johnell Davis, who scored an impressive 29 points, and Alijah Martin, who added 14, the Owls proved too strong for the Knights, who had stunned top-seeded Purdue in their previous game.
The game was a high-speed affair that at times resembled a playground pickup game. Despite the loss, Fairleigh Dickinson put up a good fight and received a standing ovation from their fans after the final horn. Demetre Roberts led the team with 20 points, and Sean Moore added 14.
With the win, Florida Atlantic secured its first-ever Sweet 16 appearance and will face Tennessee at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. “My team just believed in me,” said Davis, a junior from Gary, Indiana. “It’s just a dream come true.”
Despite the loss, Fairleigh Dickinson’s performance in the tournament won’t soon be forgotten. The Knights, who didn’t even win the Northeast Conference tournament, made history by becoming the first No. 16 seed to win a game in the tournament since UMBC’s shock victory over Virginia five years ago.
Although FDU was still within striking distance at 67-64, Davis fought for a rebound and made a putback to extend Florida Atlantic’s lead. The Knights managed to narrow the gap to six points, but Bryan Greenlee’s 3-pointer with just over a minute left put the game out of reach.
In the game’s final seconds, Florida Atlantic’s Alijah Martin attempted a 360-degree dunk, which led to an awkward exchange between the coaches. Owls coach Dusty May apologized for Martin’s behavior and reminded Anderson that they are adults who need to fix their behavior.
The loss marked the end of Tobin Anderson’s impressive turnaround at Fairleigh Dickinson, which went 4-22 just a year ago. Despite the disappointment, Anderson told his players not to foul and let the final seconds run off the clock.
Don’t miss interesting posts on Famousbio
