Florida Atlantic Universitys mens basketball team, the Owls, kick off the American Athletic Conference tournament as the seventh seed, following a tumultuous regular season. Despite a 17-14 overall record and a 9-9 conference record, tying for seventh with Charlotte and North Texas, the Owls face eleventh-seeded Temple in the first round on March eleventh.

The teams performance has been inconsistent, with a 3-3 record in their final six games, but injuries, particularly to leading scorer Devin Vanterpool, have derailed their early success. Coach John Jakus views the tournament as a fresh start, with players and fans maintaining optimism despite a drop from last seasons stronger conference mark.

Point guard Kanaan Carlyle has been on a scoring spree, hitting double figures in five of the last six games, including a season-high 26 points against Wichita State. Freshman Josiah Parker has stepped up as a starter, averaging over 12 points and 8 rebounds in conference play, and could take on a larger role if Vanterpools participation remains uncertain.

With five games in five days ahead, the Owls recent resilience and team-first mindset could propel them towards a deep tournament run.

Support the show:
Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn.

Advertise on DNN:
advertise@thednn.ai

This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.
Report issues to feedback@thednn.ai.

View sources & latest updates:
https://sources.thednn.ai/3be04a0a920e7f7e