First place in the American Athletic Conference is on the line as the No. 24 Florida Atlantic Owls head up to the Yuengling Center in Tampa to face the surprise USF Bulls. Tipoff for this in-state showdown will take place at noon ET and the game will air on ESPN.
FAU (20-5, 10-2 AAC) is cruising right along through conference play and is fresh off an 80-68 home victory over Temple on Thursday. FAU shot 49.1% from the field and maintained control for most of this contest, even fending off a mid-second half surge from Temple. Johnell Davis supplied 17 points, six assists, and five rebounds in the win.
USF (18-5, 11-1 AAC) is tied for the nation’s third-longest win streak at 10 and was able to grab its latest victory in a 69-50 triumph over Tulsa on Wednesday. The Bulls were not caught in a look-ahead spot as they led most of the game and held the Golden Hurricane to just 35.7% shooting for the night. Kasean Pryor stepped up with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in the home victory.
Florida Atlantic possessions will be a best-on-best battle according to KenPom, as the Owls have had the top offense in conference play while the Bulls have had the top defense. The Owls have been excellent at taking care of the basketball and getting shots up, which is evidenced by the offense having the lowest steal and block percentage in the league. On the other end of the floor, threes have been an effective weapon for South Florida as it is shooting roughly 40% from downtown in AAC play. Just over 41% of the Bulls points in conference games are coming from beyond the arc, so the Owls will have to try lock that down on defense.
What this game means for FAU
FAU is hitting the road for its toughest test in conference so far and will be doing it against a USF team that is 10-3-1 against the spread at home this year. As expected, the Owls have gone about their business in their first year in the AAC and are on their way to another trip to the NCAA Tournament. It would be really gratifying for them to snatch first place from an in-state foe while ending their win streak in front of their fans.
What this game means for USF
USF has been one of the nation’s biggest surprises under first-year head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim and Sunday’s showdown will be the biggest home game in the modern history of the program. The Yuengling Center will be sold out and that speaks to the level of buzz they’ve been able to generate over the past month. An upset over a Quad 1 opponent would draw more national attention to what’s happening in Tampa and would solidify their spot at the top of the AAC.
FAU vs. USF odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: FAU -5
Total: 147
Moneyline: FAU -218, USF +180