Florida Atlantic men’s basketball (14-12, 6-7 AC) lost to the University of South Florida Bulls (18-8, 10-3 AC) in overtime at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena. 

The Owls had multiple chances to win the game, including a last-second three-point attempt, but failed to convert down the stretch. This loss marked the Owls’ sixth in a row, with their last win being Jan. 21 against the Tulane University Green Wave (15-10, 6-6 AC).

In the last matchup against USF on Jan. 25, the Bulls defeated FAU 89-75. USF guard Wes Enis led the team with 19 points. With the season sweep, the Bulls now lead the Owls 17-4 in the all-time series. 

Just as he did in their last game against FAU, Enis led the Bulls in scoring, but this time with 27 points. For the Owls, Vanterpool was right behind him with 26 points of his own after only scoring six in the first half. 

“The reality is we have done a couple things pretty consistently,” said head coach John Jakus. “One, we can’t seem to understand who [opponent’s] the two best three point shooters are. Two, we miss no free throws until the last five minutes. Three, the second chance points.”

Jakus went on to list fouling the opponent’s shooters in the last few minutes as the final problem, calling it “inexcusable.”

Guard Kanaan Carlyle, the Owls’ second-leading scorer on the team, played in his first game back from a calf injury since February 1st against the East Carolina Pirates (9-16, 4-8). Carlyle was tied for second on the team in points with 15 alongside forward Devin Williams.

The Bulls won the tip-off, but Bulls forward Izaiyah Nelson was immediately blocked by Williams. A few moments later, guard Isaiah Elohim hit a three from the right wing for the first points of the game. Williams then hit a mid-range jump shot on the next possession for the Owls to gain a five-point lead over the Bulls quickly. 

The Bulls eventually answered back with a floater from guard Joseph Pinion after two offensive rebounds from the Bulls. For the next few minutes, the two teams went back and forth. One second, the Owls had the lead; the next second, the Bulls took the lead. 

With 15:56 remaining in the first half, the Owls led 9-8. Williams led the team with four points and one block during the first four minutes of the game. Then, Enis started to heat up.

Enis scored all 13 points in a 13-5 run for the Bulls. With 11:27 remaining in the first half, the Bulls had a commanding 21-14 lead. About a minute later, the Bulls extended their lead to nine after a successful Josh Omojafo layup from the Bulls guard. However, that would be the end of their domination.

USF guard CJ Brown went up for a shot, but guard Josiah Parker swatted the ball off the court for a block. This started a 13-2 run with Williams scoring six of the 13 points. The highlight of this run was when Parker did a 360-degree no-look pass to Williams for the open layup. 

The crowd roared as the Owls made highlight after highlight to retake the lead. With 5:38 remaining in the first half, the score was 29-27. From here on out, the two teams traded blows until the half concluded.

The Owls managed to hold onto the 38-36 lead with Williams scoring a team high 12 points and three blocks. For the Bulls, Enis led the team with 18 points. 12 of which came from threes. 

“Wes got hot in the first half,[when] our big was on him, his feet was inside the three-point line. It’s a massive mistake…If you’re low [on a shooter] it’s over,” Jakus said when explaining the mistakes FAU made on defense.

Omojafo opened the half with a layup to tie the game at 38. Brown followed behind him with a layup of his own to retake the lead for the Bulls. Vanterpool answered with back-to-back field goals, one from beyond the arc, to take back the lead. 

From here on out, another back-and-forth stretch broke out. Right before the first media timeout of the second half, Parker drove down the baseline and made a layup while being fouled. The score was 49-47 with 15:13 remaining in the game.

With 10:15 remaining, the Owls went on a two-minute scoring drought. A three from Pinion gave the Bulls a 60-57 lead during this stretch, but Vanterpool answered 30 seconds later with a three to tie the game and end the drought. 

That shot from Vanterpool started an 8-0 scoring run for the Owls. However, the Bulls went on a run of their own to come back and take a 68-67 lead with the help of back-to-back threes from Pinion. There were under four minutes remaining in the game. 

The Owls scored three points off free throws, but the Bulls remained in the lead after two layups. With 13 seconds remaining, the score was 72-70, and the Owls had a chance to tie or take the lead. 

Guard Nicollo Moretti inbounded to Vanterpool, who drove down the middle and made an acrobatic layup over a Bulls defender to tie the game. With seven seconds left, Enis passed to Brown, who then went toward the basket but lost the ball and turned it over to the Owls.

After a failed shot attempt from the Owls, the game went to overtime, tied at 72. Williams won the tip-off, and Vanterpool made one free throw after being fouled by Omojafo to score the first point of the third period. 

Enis hit a right-wing three-pointer to score the first points for the Bulls in overtime. Vanterpool answered right back with a layup of his own. Once again, the two teams were trading baskets. The Elly grew louder and louder with each passing second. 

With 50 seconds remaining, the Bulls led 81-78. The Owls went down the court, and Williams hit a three-pointer on the top of the key to tie the game. The arena erupted in celebration. Williams scored his first points since the first half.

On the next possession, Brown drove down the baseline and was fouled. He made both of his free throws. Moretti drove down the court and passed it to Carlyle, who shot a three-point attempt for the win. However, the ball bounced off the rim, and Pinion caught it for the game-winning rebound.

The Owls will be back on the road for their next matchup against the University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners on Wednesday, Feb. 18; tipoff is set for 8 p.m. 

Morgan Larkins is a Staff Writer for the University Press. For more information on this and other stories, email him at [email protected].