No. 10 FAU dominated in their hope opener against Eastern Michigan on Tuesday night.
Six players scored in double digits as the Owls put up 100 points in front of a school-record crowd of 3,161.
“It was impressive,” head coach Dusty May said postgame regarding his team’s performance. “Guys were turning down good shots to get great shots time and time again. They trust each other. They believe in each other. They are not looking for the individual shine and it’s become cool to pass the ball in an era where that may not always be the case. Guys created for their teammates. Their teammates made the extra pass to get a great shot.”
Vlad Goldin had a team-high 19 points alongside Brandon Weatherspoon’s 16 points, Brenen Lorient’s 13 points, Giancarlo Rosado’s 13 points, Bryan Greenlee’s 12 points, and Nick Boyd’s 11 points.
The Owls shot an outstanding 62.5% from the field, receiving contributions up and down the lineup.
FAU is one of those teams that live off of contributions. Had it not been for FAU’s depth last year, the Owls would have never made the Final Four, or even March Madness.
FAU’s depth allows head coach Dusty May to not have to rely on certain players night in and night out.
“The starters played well but that bench is crazy. You come off that bench, you have to come off the bench with some pride and confidence,” Rosado said postgame when talking about the depth of the Owls.
FAU’s leading scorer last season, Johnell Davis, did not score double digits; he only scored one point. While it’s extremely surprising, his contributions weren’t needed. He only took three shots as he let his teammates take over the game.
Jalen Gaffney and Alijah Martin also struggled to score much, but it obviously didn’t affect the game’s result.
Lorient, a sophomore from Ocala, Florida, had a career-high 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting. The 6-9 forward made just 21 appearances last year and had a previous career-high of six points.
“He gives us something that we don’t have,” coach May said postgame when speaking about Lorient’s performance. “Last year we had a nine man rotation. Seven of the guys were really similar… they can shoot, they can dribble, they were all playmakers. And then you had G (Rosado) and Vlad (Goldin) who are at the five. With Brenen, he gives us something completely separate than all of those guards. And he can make a shot. And he can drive. He’s obviously still evolving into more of a perimeter guy. He’s talented, he’s tough, he fits the mold intangibly of what our guys are. He found some ways to really impact the game today.”
Coach May also spoke postgame about the performance of Bryan Greenlee, who shot 4-of-4 from three-point range.
“I thought offensively he was incredible. He struggled shooting the ball at Loyola (Chicago) and he had great looks. He probably had better looks than he had tonight. Some nights the ball doesn’t go in; it can’t impact your defense or any other things you bring to the table. Very proud of him.”
Another guy who shot 4-of-4 from downtown (6-of-6 from the field) was Brandon Weatherspoon.
“I’m thankful for my teammates,” Weatherspoon stated postgame. “They were giving me open shots. It’s FAU basketball. Any night can be anybody’s night.”
Speaking of having a night, it was a big man show in the paint. Goldin and Rosado combined for 32 points on 15-of-20 shooting. The duo performed extremely well both offensively and defensively, and they even shared time on the court together for a few minutes, something that rarely happens with the Owls.
“Coach May told me when I came out that ‘we are going to put you back in in two minutes to see you and Vlad play with each other a bit to experiment some things.’ It was good. I really enjoy playing with Vlad. I feel like that can be big for us down the road in the future.”
FAU outscored Eastern Michigan in the paint 54-30.
“Just playing physical,” Rosado said regarding why FAU dominated in the paint. “Playing with a physical mindset. Going to Vlad. He is one of the best bigs in the nation. Probably the best center in the nation. Getting him the ball is essential to this program. Finishing in the paint is essential to this program as well.”
The Owls are now 2-0 and continue their path to return to the Final Four. Next up will be a Saturday night matchup against Bryant. After that, FAU will travel to Orlando for the ESPN Invitational.
