Davis hits a 3-pointer at the end and No. 22 FAU holds off North Texas 66-63
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) Johnell Davis rewarded Dusty May's trust.
Davis scored 28 points, capping it off on a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left, and No. 22 Florida Atlantic held off North Texas 66-63 on Sunday for its sixth consecutive win.
The final play for the Owls ended up being a broken one, and May considered calling timeout on a couple of occasions as the last seconds ticked away. But with the ball in his top scorer's hands, May rolled the dice.
Swish. Win. Again.
“I decided not to call timeout and trust him,” said May, who has coached FAU to 52 wins since the start of last season - the most in Division I, one more than Houston has in that span. “When you've got a potential player of the year on your team, you've got to trust him.”
Vladislav Goldin had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Owls (17-4, 7-1 American Athletic Conference), who led for only 3:16 of the game's 40 minutes. But Davis - who scored more points than anyone has managed against North Texas this season - delivered with the game on the line, from just in front of the FAU bench.
“We're very comfortable,” Davis said of FAU's penchant for late-game heroics; the Owls are now 4-2 in games decided by five points or fewer this season. “We know what we need to do at the end of the day.”
Robert Allen scored 15 for North Texas (12-7, 5-2), while CJ Noland had 14, Jason Edwards and John Buggs III each finished with 12 and Aaron Scott scored 10. The Mean Green were bidding for their first road win in 37 tries against an AP Top 25 team since 1971 - and nearly got it, until Davis hit the shot of the day.
“Tip your cap to him,” North Texas coach Ross Hodge said.
FAU took a pair of one-point leads midway through the second half; both were quickly snuffed out by 3-pointers from Buggs, a beyond-the-arc specialist.
Buggs started the game 4 for 4 from deep, making him 9 for 9 since Dec. 30. He's made four 3-pointers and finished with 12 points in each of his last four outings - and hasn't scored a point other than on a 3 since Dec. 10.
But he missed a wide-open look with about 25 seconds left. And Davis hit the game winner on FAU's ensuing possession.
The Mean Green - who led 28-26 at halftime and led by as many as seven early in the second half - are 11-0 this season when scoring 65 or more points. They’re now 1-7 when scoring 64 or less.
“He'd been 4 for 4 and he's wide-open at the top of the key,” Hodge said of Buggs. “You can't draw up something better than that. I told him, 'Dude, I want you shooting that shot 1,000 out of 1,000 times.”
BIG PICTURE
North Texas: The Mean Green came into the day ranked fourth nationally in points allowed per game at 58.7 and ninth nationally in field-goal percentage defense, 38.%. The Mean Green wasted no time showing off how they do that, holding the Owls scoreless for the game’s first 3:41.
Florida Atlantic: It was the seventh time in the last 10 games that FAU trailed at halftime, and the Owls' 26 points at intermission tied a season low. The Owls are now 2-4 this season in games where they score 30 or fewer points by halftime. When the Owls score more than 30 in the first 20 minutes, they're 15-1.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Another close win, but another unbeaten week will almost certainly keep the Owls in the AP Top 25 for a 14th consecutive week dating back to last season.
UP NEXT
North Texas: Hosts UAB on Wednesday.
Florida Atlantic: Hosts Tulsa on Saturday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Moulaye Sissoko vs. Vladislav Goldin (Johnell Davis gains possession) | |||
19:36 | Vladislav Goldin offensive foul | |||
19:36 | Vladislav Goldin turnover (offensive foul) | |||
19:25 | +2 | Jason Edwards makes two point jump shot | 2-0 | |
19:09 | Alijah Martin turnover (lost ball) (Moulaye Sissoko steals) | |||
18:57 | C.J. Noland turnover (bad pass) | |||
18:38 | Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot | |||
18:36 | Jason Edwards defensive rebound | |||
18:13 | C.J. Noland misses three point jump shot | |||
18:11 | Nick Boyd defensive rebound | |||
18:02 | Aaron Scott blocks Bryan Greenlee's two point layup | |||
18:00 | Jason Edwards defensive rebound | |||
17:55 | +2 | Jason Edwards makes two point jump shot | 4-0 | |
17:33 | Nick Boyd turnover (lost ball) (Moulaye Sissoko steals) | |||
17:06 | C.J. Noland misses two point layup | |||
17:04 | Bryan Greenlee defensive rebound | |||
17:01 | Rondel Walker shooting foul | |||
17:01 | Johnell Davis misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
17:01 | Johnell Davis misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
17:01 | Alijah Martin offensive rebound | |||
16:52 | Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot | |||
16:50 | Mean Green defensive rebound | |||
16:35 | +2 | Robert Allen makes two point layup | 6-0 | |
16:25 | +3 | Bryan Greenlee makes three point jump shot (Alijah Martin assists) | 6-3 | |
16:04 | Jason Edwards misses three point jump shot | |||
16:02 | Rondel Walker offensive rebound | |||
15:55 | Jason Edwards misses two point jump shot | |||
15:53 | Johnell Davis defensive rebound | |||
15:44 | +2 | Johnell Davis makes two point layup | 6-5 | |
15:33 | John Buggs III turnover (lost ball) (Alijah Martin steals) | |||
15:27 | Robert Allen personal foul | |||
15:27 | TV timeout | |||
15:12 | Johnell Davis turnover (bad pass) | |||
15:02 | +2 | C.J. Noland makes two point jump shot | 8-5 | |
14:46 | Brandon Weatherspoon misses three point jump shot | |||
14:44 | Aaron Scott defensive rebound | |||
14:17 | Jason Edwards misses two point jump shot | |||
14:15 | Bryan Greenlee defensive rebound | |||
14:10 | +3 | Johnell Davis makes three point jump shot (Brandon Weatherspoon assists) | 8-8 | |
13:49 | +3 | Aaron Scott makes three point jump shot (C.J. Noland assists) | 11-8 | |
13:28 | Johnell Davis misses two point jump shot | |||
13:26 | Aaron Scott defensive rebound | |||
12:49 | Mean Green turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
12:39 | Moulaye Sissoko personal foul | |||
12:33 | +2 | Vladislav Goldin makes two point layup (Johnell Davis assists) | 11-10 | |
12:00 | Mean Green turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
12:00 | TV timeout | |||
11:34 | Vladislav Goldin misses two point layup | |||
11:33 | Moulaye Sissoko defensive rebound | |||
11:13 | +2 | Jason Edwards makes two point jump shot | 13-10 | |
10:54 | Moulaye Sissoko personal foul | |||
10:50 | Nick Boyd misses three point jump shot | |||
10:48 | Mean Green defensive rebound | |||
10:26 | Jason Edwards misses two point layup | |||
10:24 | C.J. Noland offensive rebound | |||
10:23 | C.J. Noland misses two point layup | |||
10:21 | Robert Allen offensive rebound | |||
10:21 | Jalen Gaffney shooting foul | |||
10:21 | +1 | Robert Allen makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 14-10 | |
10:21 | Robert Allen misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
10:21 | Vladislav Goldin defensive rebound | |||
10:07 | Vladislav Goldin misses two point layup | |||
10:05 | Rondel Walker defensive rebound | |||
9:44 | C.J. Noland misses two point jump shot | |||
9:42 | Vladislav Goldin defensive rebound | |||
9:25 | Aaron Scott shooting foul | |||
9:25 | +1 | Vladislav Goldin makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 14-11 | |
9:25 | Vladislav Goldin misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
9:25 | Rondel Walker defensive rebound | |||
9:09 | Aaron Scott misses two point jump shot | |||
9:07 | Vladislav Goldin defensive rebound | |||
8:55 | +3 | Alijah Martin makes three point jump shot | 14-14 | |
8:27 | Aaron Scott misses three point jump shot | |||
8:25 | Nick Boyd defensive rebound | |||
8:16 | +3 | Johnell Davis makes three point jump shot (Nick Boyd assists) | 14-17 | |
8:16 | Mean Green 30 second timeout | |||
8:16 | TV timeout | |||
7:58 | John Buggs III offensive foul | |||
7:58 | John Buggs III turnover (offensive foul) | |||
7:47 | Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot | |||
7:45 | Johnell Davis offensive rebound | |||
7:33 | Alijah Martin turnover (lost ball) (C.J. Noland steals) | |||
7:31 | +2 | C.J. Noland makes two point layup | 16-17 | |
7:08 | Nick Boyd misses three point jump shot | |||
7:06 | Rondel Walker defensive rebound | |||
6:58 | Jason Edwards turnover (lost ball) (Johnell Davis steals) | |||
6:55 | Johnell Davis misses two point dunk | |||
6:53 | C.J. Noland defensive rebound | |||
6:44 | +3 | Jason Edwards makes three point jump shot (Rondel Walker assists) | 19-17 | |
6:35 | +2 | Alijah Martin makes two point layup | 19-19 | |
6:02 | C.J. Noland misses three point jump shot | |||
6:01 | Aaron Scott offensive rebound | |||
5:57 | Johnell Davis personal foul | |||
5:37 | Robert Allen misses two point layup | |||
5:35 | Brandon Weatherspoon defensive rebound | |||
5:31 | Johnell Davis misses three point jump shot | |||
5:29 | Robert Allen defensive rebound | |||
5:27 | Vladislav Goldin personal foul | |||
5:08 | +2 | Robert Allen makes two point jump shot (C.J. Noland assists) | 21-19 | |
4:44 | +2 | Tre Carroll makes two point layup (Jalen Gaffney assists) | 21-21 | |
4:28 | +3 | John Buggs III makes three point jump shot (Aaron Scott assists) | 24-21 | |
4:04 | Nick Boyd misses three point jump shot | |||
4:02 | Jason Edwards defensive rebound | |||
3:42 | Jason Edwards misses three point jump shot | |||
3:40 | Brandon Weatherspoon defensive rebound | |||
3:29 | Robert Allen blocks Tre Carroll's two point layup | |||
3:27 | Owls offensive rebound | |||
3:29 | TV timeout | |||
3:22 | Alijah Martin misses two point layup | |||
3:20 | Jalen Gaffney offensive rebound | |||
3:17 | +2 | Jalen Gaffney makes two point layup | 24-23 | |
2:54 | Brenen Lorient blocks Rondel Walker's two point layup | |||
2:52 | Jalen Gaffney defensive rebound | |||
2:42 | Brenen Lorient offensive foul | |||
2:42 | Brenen Lorient turnover (offensive foul) | |||
2:25 | +2 | C.J. Noland makes two point layup | 26-23 | |
2:04 | Jalen Gaffney misses three point jump shot | |||
2:02 | C.J. Noland defensive rebound | |||
1:42 | C.J. Noland misses two point layup | |||
1:40 | Robert Allen offensive rebound | |||
1:35 | +2 | Robert Allen makes two point layup | 28-23 | |
1:16 | Nick Boyd misses two point layup | |||
1:14 | Brenen Lorient offensive rebound | |||
1:14 | John Buggs III personal foul | |||
1:14 | Brenen Lorient misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
1:14 | Owls offensive rebound | |||
1:11 | +3 | Johnell Davis makes three point jump shot (Jalen Gaffney assists) | 28-26 | |
0:44 | Jason Edwards turnover (lost ball) (Brenen Lorient steals) | |||
0:11 | Alijah Martin misses two point jump shot | |||
0:09 | Johnell Davis offensive rebound | |||
0:07 | Owls turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
0:01 | Jason Edwards turnover (lost ball) (Alijah Martin steals) | |||
0:00 | End of period |