Senior point guard DeAndre Rice says the home crowd enthusiasm helped his team in Wednesday’s 75-72 win against Sun Belt Conference foe University of Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns. “Home crowd, home court, made us play different than our two previous road games.” The FAU men’s basketball team had spent the previous week on the road, losing a 90-85 thriller on Jan. 18 at the University of Denver and a 76-59 loss at North Texas Jan. 20. Veteran leader Rice said they worked all week on incorporating “game situations” and “concentration on free throw shooting.” This helped the Owls win a game that was almost tied by Ragin’ Cajuns point guard David Dees’ three-pointer that bounced off the side rim as time expired. Dees led all scorers on both teams with 30 points.
With the three-point win, FAU improved its overall record to 9-11 and 5-5 in Sun Belt Conference play. ULL Head Basketball Coach Richard Lee felt that FAU took his team out of its game plan early.
“The pressure FAU put on our wings took us out of our game in the first half,” Lee said at the post game news conference.
The Owls dominated the first half, leading 38-28. They caused ULL five first-half turnovers, four of which turned into eight fast-break points. FAU’s perimeter defense caused Louisiana- Lafayette to shoot 0-9 from the three-point arc in the first half. The Owls put on a how-to clinic in offensive perimeter passing that led to a first half field percentage that topped 50 percent. FAU head basketball coach Rex Walters said after the game that his team mirrored a comment Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley told Walters when he was on Riley’s NBA team. “Coach Riley said if you share the ball, it will find its way into the basket.”
Walters also praised senior guard Rice’s total effort that resulted in 17 points. “DeAndre Rice is a player that steps up and makes plays.” Senior point guard Brent Crews had five points, six assists, and freshman point guard Avery Holley hit a crucial three-pointer to give FAU a seven point lead with just over three minutes remaining in the game. Holley, who is also a starting wide receiver for the Owls football team had three points and two assists in seven effective minutes. The two-sport star scored two touchdowns as receiver for Owls football in 2006 and was just shy of 300 receiving yards. Coach Rex Walters’ team dominated in the post with forward/center Carlos Monroe scoring 18 points. Monroe led all FAU scorers and finished the game 4-4 from the free throw line. Overall FAU was 17-20 from the free throw strip, good for an outstanding 85 percent. “Our guys made some free throws at the end,” Walters said. “We did just enough to win.” Next up for the Owls is a home game against Arkansas-Little Rock (9-12 and 4-6 in the Sun Belt Conference). The game will be at the FAU arena on Saturday Jan. 27 at 2p.m.
Dave DiPino can be contacted at [email protected].
