Markquis Nowell

The diminutive guard broke a 36-year-old record in a spectacular Sweet 16 performance on Thursday.

That Nowell was even available to finish the game -- much less break records while doing it -- was an incredible story in and of itself. [Tennessee](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/TENN/tennessee-volunteers/). [FAU](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/FAU/florida-atlantic-owls/) vs. Nowell's 19 assists also set a Kansas State program record. But the 5-foot-8 star came up biggest in overtime. [UNLV's](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/UNLV/unlv-rebels/) Mark Wade, who had 18 in a 1987 Final Four loss to [Indiana](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/teams/IND/indiana-hoosiers/).

After Kansas State Wildcats defeated Michigan State 98-93 in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, NBA star Kevin Durant gave praise to Markquis Nowell.

The [Markquis Nowell](https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650) continued to grow Thursday in the NCAA Tournament. ](https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake)

Kansas State's 5'8 point guard Markquis Nowell authored an unforgettable March Madness moment.

Nowell and K-State coach Jerome Tang appeared to be yelling at each other with the ball in play. Suddenly, Nowell stopped the argument and fired an incredible alley-oop pass to teammate Keyontae Johnson for the dunk. With under a minute left in overtime and the score tied, Nowell threw a dime that will live on March Madness lore forever. Nowell broke a tournament record with 19 assists, and also added 20 points and five steals in the win. The close-up angle is even better. 7 seed [Michigan State](https://www.theonlycolors.com) played an instant classic Sweet 16 game at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, with a dramatic ending fitting for such a well played game.

As impactful as he's been in college, is there a place for Markquis Nowell at the NBA level?

[Predictor tool](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/march-madness-2023-find-best-bracket-picks-poolgenius-ncaa-tournament-prediction-tool/uklv5hwc66pbbzmcqbdpnrk8) [TV schedule](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/march-madness-2023-bracket-schedule-scores/bovm8yiodadpbjsrlyyeuu6c) It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Nowell is Ulis' NBA career didn't quite pan out, but he was a problem as an undersized guard at Kentucky. Facundo Campazzo (5-10), Ultimately, the weaknesses tied to Nowell's size and age will negatively impact his draft stock. In a draft class headlined by 18- and 19-year-olds, Nowell will be 24 on Christmas. Take his game-winning lob in the above clip as an example of how no moment is too big for the senior. Not only does his passing get his teammates involved, but it also infuses energy into the game and can sway momentum. As impactful as he's been in college, is there a place for Nowell at the NBA level? His 266 assists entering the Sweet 16 are 80 more than any other Wildcat has dished out in one season. Nowell, a Third Team All-American and First Team All-Big 12 performer, has led the Wildcats on an electrifying run in March.

NEW YORK — Kansas State's Harlem-raised players reveled in the bright lights of Madison Square Garden. Thanks to them, the Wildcats are heading to the ...

Head to our [sports betting section](https://nationalpost.com/category/sports/sports-betting) for news and odds. [sports section](https://nationalpost.com/category/sports) for the latest news and analysis. Nowell went down with the ankle injury early in the second half and had to be helped off by two assistants. Nowell, Massoud and Nae’Qwan Tomlin all hail from Harlem, the famed neighborhood in Upper Manhattan. Nowell fed Keyontae Johnson (22 points) an alley-oop pass, and Johnson’s two-handed reverse slam pushed the Wildcats ahead 94-92 with 52 seconds left in overtime. On a baseline out-of-bounds play, Nowell hit Ismael Massoud for a corner jumper with 17 seconds left.

Markquis Nowell sets an NCAA Tournament record with 19 assists and added 20 points as Kansas State topped the Spartans to reach the Elite Eight.

But he quickly returned with tape on his ankle and reasserted himself after a Michigan State spurt had pushed the Spartans ahead. If you're looking for one of the great moments in program history, that was it — and even Cleaves had to respect what Nowell was putting together. Playing back in his hometown, the former Arkansas-Little Rock transfer put on a clinic. The Wildcats will face the winner of No. In an unforgettable, back-and-forth Sweet 16 clash against one of the premier brands in college basketball, Nowell battled through an apparent lower-body injury to deliver 20 points and 19 assists to help the No. 3 Wildcats knock off the No.

Wildcats guard Markquis Nowell set an NCAA Tournament single-game record for assists (19).

[Montana State](https://theathletic.com/college-basketball/team/montana-state-bobcats-college-basketball/) and [Kentucky](https://theathletic.com/college-basketball/team/kentucky-wildcats-college-basketball/) in the opening two rounds. Hoggard](https://theathletic.com/college-basketball/player/aj-hoggard-XddCT5b3DrO6bT3z/) and [Jaden Akins](https://theathletic.com/college-basketball/player/jaden-akins-TnzESm06GunB22NF/) — with Akins having the most success — against Nowell, but even when he was bottled up, he often found a teammate in a spot to take a good shot. [Keyontae Johnson](https://theathletic.com/college-basketball/player/keyontae-johnson-KhuJ0lC0aD9r3Nh2/) led the Wildcats in scoring with 22 points. [Kansas State Wildcats](https://theathletic.com/college-basketball/team/kansas-state-wildcats-college-basketball/) outlasted the No. On the final possession of overtime with the Spartans down three and looking to tie, Hauser pumped, got his defender in the air and passed, which eventually led to Tyson Walker being stripped. [Ismael Massoud](https://theathletic.com/college-basketball/player/ismael-massoud-eXezyXFDqAfcdt5v/)converted a jumper with 15 seconds left. All five of the Spartans’ top players had moments and all scored 13 points or more. The Spartans will have offensive regrets, too, though it’s hard to complain about 93 points and 1.257 per possession. 7 [Michigan State Spartans](https://theathletic.com/college-basketball/team/michigan-state-spartans-college-basketball/) in thrilling fashion Thursday, winning in overtime 98-93 to advance to the Elite Eight. The unsung hero of the game was Massoud. The Spartans tried Walker, If he was a few inches taller he’d have a case to be back in the city come June for the NBA Draft.

Kansas State's Markquis Nowell just had arguably the best game of March Madness thus far, and it was highlighted by one crazy possession.

Would genuinely love to know if that is a set play for Kansas State. Scripted or not, that possession rocked. The Spartans allowed 1.19 points per possession on cuts to the basket, which was far worse than the NCAA average (1.12) in 2022-23. K-State was one of the most efficient teams in the nation when finishing offensive possessions after timeouts, per Synergy. Nowell noticed Johnson out of the corner of his eye and threw the alley oop because of their connection. Johnson added that the two just have a [strong feel](https://twitter.com/Kyle__Boone/status/1639076303029645317) for each other. Tang said they were at a “place of fire” and that Nowell was ready for what happened next. He looks to the sideline and has an apparent disagreement with head coach Jerome Tang. [March 24, 2023] [little kid](https://ftw.usatoday.com/2023/03/john-calipari-kentucky-kansas-state-markquis-nowell-mens-ncaa-tournament)” after Kansas State defeated Kentucky in the Round of 32, recorded 20 points and a tournament-record 19 assists during the victory over Michigan State. Tang was calling one thing and Nowell was calling something else.

Markquis Nowell broke the NCAA Tournament record for assists in a game with 19, his last two on spectacular passes in the final minute of overtime, ...

Massoud, who like Nowell honed his game on the playgrounds of Harlem, finished with 15 points for the Wildcats, who shot 55.9% from the field. Nowell turned his ankle early in the second half, was helped off the court and had it taped. Joey Hauser added 18 points and Walker had 16, including a layup with 5 seconds left in regulation that forced the first overtime of this year’s NCAA Tournament. “It’s not just that he sees it, but they all have to pay attention to him when he has the ball in his hands.” Nowell finished with 20 points and five steals in a signature performance at basketball’s most famous arena that drew tweets of praise from Patrick Mahomes and Kevin Durant. Hoggard scored a career-high 25 points for seventh-seeded Michigan State (21-13). We actually did a pretty good job on him. Keyontae Johnson slipped behind the Michigan State defense, elevated with his back to the basket, grabbed the ball and slammed it down. I just threw it up, and he made a great play.” 3 seed Wildcats, who will face either fourth-seeded Tennessee or ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic on Saturday as they seek the program’s first Final Four berth since 1964. “I mean, it was just a basketball play between me and Keyontae,” Nowell said. “Today was a special one, man,” said Nowell, who fought through a second-half ankle injury.

The point guard from Harlem wrote his own chapter in Madison Square Garden lore with a record-setting performance.

Kansas State's diminutive NYC point guard was electric with 20 points and a record 19 assists as the Wildcats edged Michigan State in overtime at Madison ...

When you lead victories against Kentucky and Michigan State – and the latter comes in basketball heaven – you become the lead story of the tournament. Nowell is no longer just a story in the tournament. "It's not just that he sees it, but they all have to pay attention to him when he has the ball in his hands." Walker hit a layup with a drive to the basket to tie the game at 92 with five seconds remaining, and Nowell missed what would have been the game-winning shot at the buzzer. Nowell's 19 assists broke the record of 18 set by UNLV's Mark Wade against Indiana in a Final Four matchup on March 28, 1987 – a game the Rebels lost 97-93. Nowell appeared to be talking to Tang while dribbling near the half-court line. KSU went from up four to down three with Nowell on the bench for a few short minutes while his ankle was attended to. 3 Kansas State advanced to the Elite Eight because of a performance that will register from Manhattan, N.Y., to Manhattan, Kan., for years to come. Nowell went head-to-head with Michigan State point guard Tyson Walker – another New York City native – and that led to a heated back-and-forth that made for beautiful basketball on both sides. It's the alley-oop to Keyontae Johnson for a 94-92 lead that generated the most conversation. Remember Cleaves limping on his right foot in the 2000 NCAA championship? Nowell had 20 points, a NCAA tournament-record 19 assists and five steals, and he did all that in his first game on basketball's most-hallowed stage at Madison Square Garden.

After leading the Wildcats into the Elite Eight with 19 assists vs. the Spartans, Nowell is the toast of Manhattan and Manhattan, Kansas.

The exact kind of player the country loves to fall in love with in March. 1 trending topic on Twitter "in the WORLD." A steal and a layup that kissed off the glass and fell through the net as the horn blared and the backboard flashed red, bringing Kansas State to its 14th Elite Eight in program history. In fact, the injury was the only time Nowell subbed out of the entire game. A tiny guy with the biggest heart and an endless supply of moxie. And to think, Nowell was doing it all on a bad wheel. "It's not just that he sees it, but they all have to pay attention to him when he has the ball in his hands." "It was just a basketball play between me and Keyontae," Nowell said. Tang and Nowell said afterward it was a healthy disagreement between player and coach. Johnson made a hard cut from the corner to the basket. He looked at Tang and fooled everyone except the one guy who knew exactly what was about to happen. Moments later, Nowell would be at his locker in the New York Knicks' spacious locker room, enveloped by dozens of reporters.

Markquis Nowell staked K-State to a place in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight with an assists record performance against Michigan State in the Sweet 16.

But it went in, and the prayer was answered.” and I came up with Markquis Nowell.” The sort of thing that feels like an out-of-body experience just to witness as it happens. I never had the pleasure of watching Patrick Mahomes play basketball. and promptly made what was literally and figuratively a staggering three-point shot. I just tried to get it on the rim so that my teammates could get a second chance on the offensive end. Rousing as the play was, it only tied the game at 55-55 and set the stage for the rest of the instant classic that Nowell likened to “a ‘Rocky’ fight.” If it ended Thursday, he’d be not only its most outstanding player but its most captivating because of his size (5-foot-8 … “I was pumped up about being in that ‘place of fire’ that Coach always talks about,” he said, “and I love that place.” I mean, it was a prayer that I threw up. On the verge of falling as he turned toward the basket and the shot clock was closing in on him, he banked it in. perhaps), the verve and nerve with which he plays the game and his uncanny sense of where he is and where to go with the ball.

Not only did Markquis Nowell argue with his coach before throwing his best pass of the game, but he also trash-talked this NBA legend.

He's the real deal." That’s just wild. That’s just amazing, man. [March 24, 2023] They were both in the Michigan State section and Nowell told them to “watch this” before he tossed the alley-oop. [looked like Nowell was actually arguing with his coach](https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/markquis-nowell-jerome-tang-keyontae-johnson-alley-oop-march-madness) about something before catching his teammate cutting using his peripheral vision and tossing the lob.

Flash forward nine years and Kansas State's 5-foot-8 floor general, Markquis Nowell, staked his claim as New York City's premier point guard by setting “The ...

He did the [same thing in a tie game against Kansas](https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1615533282594287616?s=20) in mid-January as well. Nowell risked giving Walker three shots or a potential four-point play on the reach-in, but on a night when he was downright supernatural, he could do no wrong. Even Nowell’s 19th and final assist was a bounce pass along the baseline that had to be placed with pinpoint accuracy to reach Ismael Massoud’s hands. With 1:03 remaining, Nowell got Jaden Akins off-balance with a slick stutter-step, stepback mid-range two to extend the lead to four. “I was talking to Isaiah Thomas because I think he had a friend over there, and he was rooting for them. Before the alley-oop he whipped to Johnson, Nowell was overheard yelling “watch this” toward Isaiah Thomas. Even when Nowell got too risky with the biscuit, the bounces went in his favor. Michigan State was so mesmerized by Nowell pounding the rock and probing the paint, they missed him throwing teammates open on cuts to the rim. 19 hanging from the rafters, Nowell pulled a Willis Reed. [Mark Wade’s](https://www.statista.com/statistics/1106995/assists-march-madness/#:~:text=The%20tournament%20takes%20place%20each,1987%20edition%20of%20the%20tournament.) NCAA Tournament record for assists, Nowell scored or assisted on 69 of 98 scores according to [Synergy Basketball](https://twitter.com/SynergySST/status/1639070392034775043). The flush gave Kansas State a lead they’d never surrender and Nowell his record-tying 18th assist. From Kemba Walker to Napier to Jameer Nelson, Napoleonesque point guards have been conquerors before, but this one was extra special because of the confluence of events.

Kansas State's diminutive NYC point guard was electric with 20 points and a record 19 assists as the Wildcats edged Michigan State in overtime at Madison ...

When you lead victories against Kentucky and Michigan State – and the latter comes in basketball heaven – you become the lead story of the tournament. Nowell is no longer just a story in the tournament. Walker hit a layup with a drive to the basket to tie the game at 92 with five seconds remaining, and Nowell missed what would have been the game-winning shot at the buzzer. "It's not just that he sees it, but they all have to pay attention to him when he has the ball in his hands." Nowell's 19 assists broke the record of 18 set by UNLV's Mark Wade against Indiana in a Final Four matchup on March 28, 1987 – a game the Rebels lost 97-93. Nowell appeared to be talking to Tang while dribbling near the half-court line. Nowell hit a cross-court bounce pass through two Michigan State defenders to N'Guessan for another score. Nowell went head-to-head with Michigan State point guard Tyson Walker – another New York City native – and that led to a heated back-and-forth that made for beautiful basketball on both sides. 3 Kansas State advanced to the Elite Eight because of a performance that will register from Manhattan, N.Y., to Manhattan, Kan., for years to come. Remember Cleaves limping on his right foot in the 2000 NCAA championship? Nowell had 20 points, a NCAA tournament-record 19 assists and five steals, and the 5-foot-8 guard did all that in his first game on basketball's most-hallowed stage at Madison Square Garden. Remember Thomas hobbling on one ankle in the 1988 NBA Finals?

The Harlem native put on a show at Madison Square Garden, setting an NCAA tournament record with 19 assists and propelling the Kansas State Wildcats to the ...

”I was talking to Isiah Thomas because I think he had a friend over there, and he was rooting for them,” Nowell said after the game. But it took the atmosphere at the Garden and the tournament stage to bring out his best performance. Amid the cheering from Cam’ron and the jeering from anybody wearing green, the tiny point guard with the huge chip on his shoulder made himself a March Madness icon. (I think this is also why there aren’t NYC superstars anymore in the 3-point era.) But there’s also something about the bravado of the position that fits the NYC flair for leadership via showmanship. Spike Lee—and only a few feet away on the MSG sideline from where that famous fan-player showdown went down—except if Miller had thought Lee was just a more famous person’s friend. Nowell put both Manhattans on his back (New York and Kansas) and set an NCAA tournament record with 19 assists to send 3-seed Kansas State to the Elite Eight. From the press seats, it looked like Nowell was just throwing the ball into crowds of Spartans. Hobbling and hopping, and spurred on by a little trash talk, Nowell got back in the game and made March magic. Everything was set up for Nowell to have a storybook evening on Thursday. (NYC native Tyson Walker also had 16 for the Spartans.) But the star was Nowell, who kept whipping diabolical passes to semi-open cutters. The game went to overtime, but all the Wildcats agree it was probably over when somebody on Michigan State started talking to Nowell. Nowell is from Harlem and was playing in Madison Square Garden for the first time.

The alley oop pass from Markquis Nowell to Keyontae Johnson was Jerome Tang set play in Kansas State's NCAA Sweet 16 win vs. Michigan State.

The most common way he racked up his NCAA-record 19 assists was by attacking the “low man” on Michigan State’s defense, which is the weak-side defender lowest on the floor and closest to the basket. “We worked on that in practice and we were ready for them to over-play everybody like that,” Sills said. “I just remember turning around and all of a sudden I see the ball going over my head and I turn and see Keyontae grabbing it and dunking it. Michigan State’s defense had been vulnerable to cuts all season, but no team exploited that weakness more than the Wildcats, as the Spartans were allowing just 5.8 points per game on cuts before Thursday’s regional semifinal. It was clear from the outset that Tom Izzo wanted to limit Markquis Nowell’s dribble penetration as much as possible by how aggressively the Spartans’ help defenders were playing the gaps. “I don’t think that was planned,” Carter said. “I was talking to Isiah because I think he had a friend over there and he was rooting for them. Meanwhile, Nowell and Tang barked back and forth with each other: The coach yelled something that the star point guard demonstrably waved off. “Dang, I’ve got to watch what I say,” Nowell said while laughing at the podium afterward. “While (Michigan State) was caught up in us bickering with each other, (Nowell) and Keyontae just made eye contact. As Nowell brought the ball up the court, TBS cameras showed Tang on the sideline with his arms perpendicular and his hands folded in. “(Nowell) wanted to run one play and I wanted to run another,” Tang told reporters.

That friend that Nowell was referencing happened to be Michigan State legend Mateen Cleaves, the star of the Spartans' 2000 National Championship team.

One of the most famous examples of a distraction play in basketball is "the barking dog," in which a player got down on all fours to draw the attention of ...

"Where we was at it was a place of fire," Tang said. With that being said, if this play was pure spontaneity on Nowell's part and he saw Johnson on the backdoor mid-argument? "But we practice at a pace of fire all the time. Or was it a ruse? And Keyontae just told me -- we got eye contact and he was like 'lob, lob,' and I just threw it up, and he made a great play." "It was just a basketball play between me and Keyontae," Nowell said.

Markquis Nowell has become an NCAA Tournament legend. Is there a place for him at the NBA level?

[Predictor tool](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/march-madness-2023-find-best-bracket-picks-poolgenius-ncaa-tournament-prediction-tool/uklv5hwc66pbbzmcqbdpnrk8) [TV schedule](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/march-madness-2023-bracket-schedule-scores/bovm8yiodadpbjsrlyyeuu6c) It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Nowell is Ulis' NBA career didn't quite pan out, but he was a problem as an undersized guard at Kentucky. Facundo Campazzo (5-10), Ultimately, the weaknesses tied to Nowell's size and age will negatively impact his draft stock. In a draft class headlined by 18- and 19-year-olds, Nowell will be 24 on Christmas. Take his game-winning lobs in the above clips as an example of how no moment is too big for the senior. In a high-pressure situation, Nowell's pass set up the finish that would put K-State up for good. His 285 assists entering the Elite Eight are 99 more than any other Wildcat has dished out in one season. As impactful as he's been in college, is there a place for Nowell at the NBA level? With performances like the one above, Nowell has led the Wildcats on an electrifying run in March.

Practically no one penciled Kansas State or FAU into the Final Four at the start of the season. But as one of the teams head to Houston next week, ...

“They get an opportunity to learn from a guy who walked in their shoes,” Smith told me outside of Michigan State’s locker room. After Saturday’s showdown at The Garden, one of those teams will be two games away from an improbable title. “He patterns a lot of the Michigan State camaraderie and culture for his own company. More importantly, the program helps educate participating athletes on potential career opportunities at UWM and the benefits of working with an independent mortgage broker, Ishbia wrote in a Sept. “I think it should have happened long ago, but now that it is happening, guys are going to take advantage of it.” [Melo7 Tech Partners](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/investor/65327-23), a venture capital firm that specializes in seed, early, and later-stage investments. Nowell, a Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award finalist, still managed to bank in an acrobatic shot off one leg on the play. On Saturday, Kansas State will face Florida Atlantic, a 62-55 victor over Tennessee in the other East Regional semifinals. He joined his Kansas State teammates in a raucous celebration, then bumped into childhood hero Carmelo Anthony on his way to the locker room. 9 seed in the East, is coached by Dusty May, a former manager for Bob Knight at Indiana. The contingent included 2000 Final Four Most Outstanding Player Mateen Cleaves, NBA All-Star Steve Smith, and Mat Ishbia, the new owner of the Phoenix Suns. Nowell set an NCAA tournament single-game record for assists, with 19 dimes in the Wildcats’ 98-93 victory over the Spartans.

Tiny guards like Kansas State's Markquis Nowell are the most joyous part of March Madness.

K-State's Markquis Nowell, who rolled his ankle while setting an NCAA tourney record with 19 assists, says he's 85% to 90% healthy for Saturday's game vs.

"You have to pick your poison. "You don't shut him down," May said. "I'm not overlooking them because I've seen what they did to people in this tournament. FAU is aware that Nowell is the No. "It was a scare," Nowell said. ... We just gotta focus and lock in like we've been doing after games." Like we've been preaching the whole season," Nowell said. "We had a great performance yesterday, celebrated last night and now today is the time to flip over the page and focus on Florida Atlantic. "I tweaked it a little bit, but it feels good now. Much of that performance came after Nowell suffered a seemingly serious ankle injury early in the second half. "It will probably be [better] tomorrow." And he left zero doubt about his status for Saturday's Elite Eight game against [Florida Atlantic](/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2226/florida-atlantic-owls).

The Naismith Hall of Famer delivered a gratifying message to the Wildcats' guard after a historic performance at Madison Square Garden.

K-State's Markquis Nowell, who rolled his ankle while setting an NCAA tourney record with 19 assists, says he's 85% to 90% healthy for Saturday's game vs.

"You have to pick your poison. "You don't shut him down," May said. "I'm not overlooking them because I've seen what they did to people in this tournament. FAU is aware that Nowell is the No. "It was a scare," Nowell said. ... We just gotta focus and lock in like we've been doing after games." Like we've been preaching the whole season," Nowell said. "I tweaked it a little bit, but it feels good now. "We had a great performance yesterday, celebrated last night and now today is the time to flip over the page and focus on Florida Atlantic. Much of that performance came after Nowell suffered a seemingly serious ankle injury early in the second half. "It will probably be [better] tomorrow." And he left zero doubt about his status for Saturday's Elite Eight game against [Florida Atlantic](/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2226/florida-atlantic-owls).

Much of that performance came after Nowell suffered a seemingly serious ankle injury early in the second half. He was on the floor for several minutes and ...

"You have to pick your poison. "You don't shut him down," May said. "I'm not overlooking them because I've seen what they did to people in this tournament. FAU is aware that Nowell is the No. "It was a scare," Nowell said. ... We just gotta focus and lock in like we've been doing after games." Like we've been preaching the whole season," Nowell said. "We had a great performance yesterday, celebrated last night and now today is the time to flip over the page and focus on Florida Atlantic. "I tweaked it a little bit, but it feels good now. Much of that performance came after Nowell suffered a seemingly serious ankle injury early in the second half. "It will probably be [better] tomorrow." And he left zero doubt about his status for Saturday's Elite Eight game against [Florida Atlantic](http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2226/florida-atlantic-owls).