Florida Atlantic continued its strong finish to the regular season with a 69-63 win over rival South Florida on Sunday afternoon, securing a season sweep over the Bulls. The Owls (16-13, 8-7 American Athletic Conference) never trailed in the contest, achieving their second wire-to-wire victory over USF (13-17, 7-10 AAC) and earning their first-ever win in Tampa.
Head coach Dusty May made key lineup adjustments, inserting sophomore forward Kaleb Glenn and freshman center Matas Vokietaitis into the starting five. The duo delivered a combined 29 points and 18 rebounds, proving instrumental in FAU’s dominance inside. The Owls leaned heavily on their frontcourt, with junior forward Baba Miller leading all scorers with 17 points.
FAU wasted no time asserting control, jumping out to a 19-8 lead, fueled by two early three-pointers from Miller. Redshirt junior Tre Carroll, coming off the bench for the first time in 14 games, drained a three-pointer to help extend the Owls advantage to 16-5.
Although the Bulls clawed back to cut the deficit to two, FAU responded with another run to regain a cushion. Redshirt sophomore Niccolo Moretti provided a major momentum shift just before halftime, drilling a step-back, buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the Owls into the locker room with a 34-25 lead.
Florida Atlantic controlled the glass, grabbing 28 rebounds in the first half alone, and converted their opportunities at the free-throw line, shooting a perfect 8-for-8 with Vokietaitis and Glenn leading the way.
The second half opened in similar fashion to the first, with Miller knocking down a three-pointer, followed by another from junior guard Leland Walker. The duo combined for FAU’s first 16 points of the half, helping extend the Owls lead back to double digits.
A crucial 8-0 run stretched the margin to 18 points, FAU’s largest of the game. Though South Florida made several attempts to rally, the Owls had an answer each time, maintaining their lead and controlling the tempo down the stretch.
With just one week left in the regular season, Florida Atlantic now turns its attention to two crucial matchups before the 2025 AAC Tournament, which begins March 12 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.
Thursday, March 6: FAU travels to face UAB (19-9, 12-3 AAC) at 7 p.m. EST on ESPN2. Sunday, March 9: The Owls host East Carolina (16-12, 8-7 AAC) for Senior Day at 12 p.m. EST on ESPN+.
With momentum on their side, FAU looks to finish strong and solidify their seeding for the postseason.
