On Tuesday evening, Florida Atlantic took down Jacksonville 85-63 for its second home win of the season.
The Owls (6-5) relied on paint touches to score, allowing them to outscore the Dolphins 42-10. Four FAU players scored in double figures, with 7-foot freshman Matas Vokietaitis scoring a team-high 17 points in 24 minutes. Junior forward Tre Carroll also chipped in 17 points off the bench.
“I am really proud of Matas. Being a freshman in college and learning English and also being coached in English is not easy,” Florida Atlantic coach John Jakus said.
After adapting to Jacksonville’s tight man-to-man defense, Florida Atlantic quickly built a 13-0 lead. Sophomore forward Kaleb Glenn ignited the game and went 6 of 11 from the field, including 1 for 3 from the 3-point line and 1 for 4 from the free-throw line. He contributed 14 points.
“We wanted to attack and have them foul us so we could get to the free-throw line,” said Glenn.
By halftime, the Owls led 37-31. Driving to the basket and dishing it out for 3-point play opportunities helped the Owls extend their lead to 25 points in the second half.
Carroll continued to uphold his momentum, leading the way in the second half. Carroll contributed 17 points, making 6 of 9 from the floor and 3 of 5 from the free-throw line.
The Owls executed sharply on both ends of the court. Offensively, they outscored the Dolphins 42-10 in the paint. Their alley-oops were a standout feature of the game. Leland Walker and Ken Evans Jr. had four assists.
“Leland had four assists this game and 12 last game, which is real growth for him. Evans has created ways to help the team,” said Jakus.
As a team defensively, the Owls matched their season high in blocks with six. Junior forward Baba Miller had a career-high four blocks. Sophomore guard Niccolo Morretti pocketed three steals.
Tuesday’s victory marked the Owls’ second consecutive victory after defeating FIU by 11 on Dec. 4 on the road.
“It’s big to have two back-to-back wins, especially leading up to Texas and Michigan State. We have to have a high morale,” said Glenn.
With essentially a brand-new roster under Jakus, a first-year head coach at FAU, the Owls have played well this season. Jakus and the coaching staff have emphasized team play while giving each player leeway to showcase their skills.
“I think the guys did great, overall, to execute like that while finals are going on. We are really thankful,” said Jakus.
The Owls’ final home game of this calendar year is against Texas State (7-3) at 2 p.m. ET at home. The game will be on ESPN+.
