BOCA RATON, Fla. — The anticipation of Florida Atlantic University’s appearance this week in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament is sufficient to fee feelings throughout campus.
“It’s incredible the amount of energy that this is bringing to the student body,” freshman Tyler Meinhold stated.
FAU band member Andrew Heylager stated he consents.
“It was electric,” Heylager stated. “But honestly, it was FAU versus the world.”
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The first week of tournament play used to be a anxious one for the Owls.
The group pulled off a one-point victory against Memphis on Friday because of a last-second shot.
“The Memphis game was absolutely insane,” pupil Alex Taylor stated. “When Nick Boyd made that layup, man, we were screaming.”
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FAU additionally won its second-round game in opposition to Fairleigh Dickinson University on Sunday, this time by way of a extra relaxed margin of 8 issues.
But the sport ended with some controversy when FAU’s Alijah Martin tried a windmill dunk with seconds last, a transfer that some believed used to be unhealthy sportsmanship because the sport used to be already determined.
Students like Heylager are status by way of their squad.
“We were actually just talking about that dunk,” Heylager stated. “You could say whatever about it, but at the end of the day, ‘Go FAU.’ You know, we still got the win fair and square, and there was still time on the clock.”
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The Owl Nation now has its eyes set on New York and their matchup in opposition to Tennessee in the Sweet 16.
FAU pupil Jerson Millan stated he is already happy with the group’s historical accomplishment.
“No matter what the outcome is Thursday, they’ve made a stamp on our school, the team,” Millan stated. “I’m just proud to be part of this. It’s amazing.”
Win or lose in opposition to the Volunteers, the group has already made college historical past.