Basketball in Boca Raton used to be a quiet affair. You could walk up to the Burrow—officially the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena—minutes before tip-off and snag a seat wherever you wanted. It was local. It was modest. Then came 2023. If you followed college hoops at all that year, you know the Florida Atlantic University basketball program didn't just "arrive" on the national stage; they kicked the door down and stayed for the party.
People keep asking if it was a fluke. It wasn't.
But honestly, the transition from being a Cinderella darling to a consistent AAC powerhouse is harder than the initial climb. When Dusty May left for Michigan in 2024, a lot of folks expected the whole thing to crumble. That’s the nature of mid-major success, right? The big schools come in, poach the coach, lure the stars into the portal, and the program resets to zero. Except FAU didn't follow that script. By hiring John Jakus—a guy who spent years under Scott Drew at Baylor and Mark Few at Gonzaga—the administration signaled they weren't interested in a "reset." They wanted an evolution.
The 2023 Final Four Run: More Than Just Luck
We have to talk about that run because it changed the DNA of the school. FAU entered the 2023 NCAA Tournament as a 9-seed. They weren't even the "trendy" upset pick in most brackets. But then Nicholas Boyd hit that layup against Memphis. Then came the dismantling of FDU, the gritty win over Tennessee, and that absolute war against Kansas State in the Elite Eight.
They were seconds away from a National Championship appearance. Lamont Butler’s buzzer-beater for San Diego State is still a "cover your eyes" moment for Owls fans, but that single point doesn't take away the 35-4 record.
What made that Florida Atlantic University basketball team special wasn't just shooting. It was chemistry. You had Alijah Martin’s explosiveness and Johnell Davis’s ability to score from basically anywhere on the court. They played "unselfish" ball before it became a coaching cliché. They led the nation in bench points for a huge chunk of that season. It wasn't just a starting five; it was a wave of talent that never let the opponent breathe.
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Life After the "Golden Era"
Transitioning to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) was a massive jump from Conference USA. It meant playing Memphis, UAB, and Wichita State regularly. The travel got harder. The scouting got deeper.
When Johnell Davis entered the portal and headed to Arkansas to play for John Calipari, it felt like the end of an era. It was. But look at the roster construction now. The program has leaned heavily into the "Baylor South" philosophy. Jakus brought in a mix of high-upside transfers and international talent that fits a very specific mold: versatile, high-IQ, and tough.
The recruiting trail has changed. Five years ago, FAU was fighting for two-star recruits who were overlooked by the Sun Belt. Now? They are in the living rooms of four-star guards who want to play in a system that prizes perimeter freedom. The brand is "winning." It’s a powerful recruiting tool.
The Venue Factor
The "Burrow" underwent renovations to keep up with the hype. It’s small, loud, and incredibly intimate. For a long time, the biggest challenge for Florida Atlantic University basketball was getting students to care. That’s over. The student section, the "Owl Nation," has turned that arena into one of the most hostile environments in Florida.
Why the System Matters More Than the Stars
One thing most casual observers get wrong about FAU is thinking they relied solely on star power. In reality, the "Owlball" style—fast-paced, high-volume three-point shooting, and aggressive help defense—is baked into the program's current identity.
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John Jakus didn't come to Boca to play "slow-down" ball. He brought the DNA of a National Championship program at Baylor. He understands that in the modern NIL era, you can't just rely on four-year players. You need a system that a transfer can plug into immediately.
- Player Development: FAU has become a developmental hub. Look at the shooting splits of their guards over the last three seasons. Almost everyone improves their 3-point percentage by year two.
- The Global Reach: The program has been aggressive in looking at European and African prospects, areas often neglected by other Florida schools.
- Defensive Versatility: They switch almost everything. It requires a specific type of athlete—long, mobile, and communicative.
It’s not always pretty. Sometimes they get out-rebounded by bigger, traditional "Power 5" lineups. But they make up for it by forcing turnovers and turning the game into a track meet.
Navigating the NIL Landscape in Boca
Let’s be real: money matters. Florida Atlantic University basketball has had to ramp up its collective game to compete with the likes of USF and Memphis. The "Paradise Collective" has been a huge part of keeping the program competitive. Without the ability to offer competitive NIL packages, the Owls would have lost every single player to the portal the moment Dusty May walked out the door.
The fact that they kept a core group and replaced the departures with high-level talent says a lot about the boosters' commitment. Boca Raton is a wealthy area, and the local business community finally realized that a winning basketball team is the best marketing the city has.
Common Misconceptions About the Program
People think FAU is a "commuter school" with a "commuter team." That’s outdated. The campus has transformed, and the basketball program is the centerpiece of that new identity.
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Another myth? That they can't recruit "bigs." While they usually play small-ball, the program has consistently found athletic centers who can run the floor. They don't need a 7-foot-2 plodder; they need a 6-foot-9 pogo stick who can defend the rim and then sprint for a transition dunk.
The Coaching Tree
Dusty May is the headline name, but his assistants have spread out across the country. This has created a scouting network that benefits FAU. They know who is entering the portal before the paperwork is even filed. It’s a "who you know" business, and FAU is currently very well-connected.
What to Watch for This Season
The AAC is a gauntlet. To finish in the top three, the Owls have to stay healthy—something that bit them in late 2024.
Keep an eye on the guard rotation. The system is designed to let guards make decisions. If the decision-making is crisp, they are nearly impossible to beat at home. If they get sloppy with the ball, the transition defense suffers, and that’s where they’re vulnerable.
The schedule is also tougher. They aren't hiding in the shadows anymore. Every mid-major in the country circles FAU on the calendar because beating them is a "Quad 1" or "Quad 2" win opportunity. They have the target on their backs now.
Taking Action: How to Follow the Owls
If you’re looking to get the most out of following Florida Atlantic University basketball, you have to look beyond the box scores.
- Check the Net Rankings: Since the move to the AAC, FAU’s NET ranking is the most important factor for their tournament hopes. High-scoring wins against "bad" teams don't help as much as gritty wins against top-75 opponents.
- Watch the "Kill" Counts: The coaching staff tracks "kills"—three defensive stops in a row. It’s a metric they value more than almost anything else. If they get 7+ kills in a game, they almost always win.
- Attend a Mid-Week Game: If you're in South Florida, go to a Tuesday or Wednesday night game. The energy is different. It’s less corporate and more "college hoops" than anything you’ll find at the pro arenas in Miami or Sunrise.
- Follow the Advanced Analytics: Sites like KenPom and Torvik give a better picture of FAU’s efficiency than the AP Poll ever will. Look at their "Adjusted Offensive Efficiency." That’s the pulse of the team.
The era of FAU being an "underdog" is officially over. They are an established brand. Whether they can return to another Final Four remains to be seen, but the foundation is solid enough that they aren't going back to the basement of college basketball anytime soon. The Burrow is staying loud.