Lamont Butler’s dagger because the buzzer sounded in Houston was a coup de grâce to Florida Atlantic’s storybook season. From being picked fifth within the preseason convention match to blitzing by means of their schedule, the Owls served wake-up calls to every one in every of their opponents en path to the Final Four.
Unfortunately, Dusty May’s workforce obtained hit by the Sandman within the last 14 minutes of their nationwide semifinal matchup in opposition to San Diego State, getting outscored 30-15, together with Butler’s buzzer-beater. The loss was particularly painful for FAU as a result of the sector had been cleared of high seeds and the storyline felt like one thing stolen out of a Ted Lasso script.
May had a Ted Lasso high quality to him. Maybe it’s a consequence of being a scholar supervisor witnessing the demise of Bobby Knight firsthand, however May’s teaching demeanor was a whole 180 from the cranky outdated coot who retired because the winningest coach in males’s school basketball historical past. In the actual world although, May doesn’t depend on his assistants to cowl up for his incompetence.
Even after the loss, May was lamenting the lack of senior Michael Forrest and allotting saccharine coach-ism sentiments you’d discover on the finish of a sitcom.
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“In this era, it’s tough to find great teammates and we have a locker room full of them,” May informed Jeff Goodman of Stadium.
TV studio viewers: “aaaaawwww….. (applause)
Like his fictional AFC Richmond counterpart, May did look overseas — for the muse of his teaching philosophy. He’s spoken at size this season about how his offense derived from the Euro-ball that emphasised ball motion, participant motion, and an egalitarian share of the scoring load. It’s uncommon to see one ball handler or scorer dominate FAU’s possessions.
As nice of a narrative as San Diego State is, it’s not as juicy as a result of they’ve misplaced their mid-major aura. They’ve been to the match over a dozen occasions by now and the Aztecs needs to be receiving a Pac-12 invitation any second now.
Future prospects
The Final Four doesn’t need to be the collection finale for FAU’s limited-run collection. So what’s going to it take to convey the Owls present again for a season two run to the Final Four?
They’ve obtained all of the components, together with a cohesive ensemble forged returning. Most trendy packages are an anthology of disconnected groups, trotting out utterly new rosters for each new chapter. FAU’s whole rotation has eligibility remaining in 2023. If they may storm by means of their schedule and into the NCAA Tournament because the strongest mid-major within the nation, there’s nothing stopping them from making a repeat run utilizing Saturday’s loss as motivation.
FAU wasn’t a Saint Peter’s sort one-year marvel. They have been an undersold 9-seed, who ought to have been larger. Before the match, they have been nonetheless thought of the high mid-major within the area of 68 based on Pivot Analysis, have been ranked within the AP Poll’s last high 25, and are a top-20 workforce based on KenPom’s adjusted offense and defensive system. If May had left for greener pastures, you may relaxation assured that Johnell Davis and 7-footer Vladimir Goldin can be coming with him.
May’s teaching fashion would possibly lean into mawkishness, nevertheless it molded FAU right into a workforce with arguably the most effective on-court chemistry in school basketball. Not unhealthy for a program that was taking part in in its first NCAA Tournament ever.
They all the time discovered the open man, the rock by no means stopped and their excessive IQ off-ball actions slid them into opportune scoring positions. Down the stretch although, school basketball’s AFC Richmond wanted a Zava, a playmaking virtuoso who may hotwire the offense once they snapped right into a funk. UConn has just a few of these offensive cheat codes that may get away and finish a dry spell. San Diego State’s protection was their trump card.
However, not a single participant from FAU will likely be drafted within the first spherical of the following NBA Draft. Their entire is larger than the sum of their components. Perhaps they even look into the switch portal for an improve or to switch Forrest. Some grad switch needs to be enticed by the prospect of taking part in on that Boca Raton campus for a yr and FAU’s NIL collective raked within the dough they beforehand lacked. They’ll additionally be capable of assure publicity below a extra conspicuous highlight than the one they operated below the radar on this season.
Or they’ll run it again with the identical group and their incoming freshman class. A dozen years in the past, Brad Stevens and Butler made a repeat journey to the Final Four and even superior to the nationwide championship sport the yr after Gordon Hayward was drafted.
A yr after 9-seed Wichita State obtained a sniff of the Final Four, they launched into an undefeated common season demolition tour. The throughline between FAU, Wichita State, and Butler are their skilled rosters growing an habit to trouncing foes and retaining the coach who instilled that profitable tradition. May seems to be on board for an additional run after declining to hop into the teaching carousel. That is probably not the case in 2024 if the Florida or Florida State jobs re-opens. Of course, he gained’t stay a scorching identify without end in teaching circles if FAU stumbles early subsequent season. This yr wasn’t Florida Atlantic’s time and May’s skilled ascension is simply simply starting, however this is probably not the final time we see them on the Final Four stage.
Follow DJ Dunson on Twitter: @cerebralsportex