Men’s Basketball: Owls fly by Old Dominion in 81-62 victory
The Owls’ 13 three-pointers propelled them to their tenth consecutive home victory.
Michael Forrest attempts a layup against Old Dominion on February 8, 2022. Forrest led the way in FAU’s victory, scoring 16.
February 8, 2022
The FAU Owls (15-9, 8-3 C-USA) comfortably defeated the Old Dominion University Monarchs (ODU) (9-14, 4-6 C-USA) on Tuesday night at the Burrow at Abessinio Court. The win extends the Owls’ winning streak to four and marks their tenth consecutive victory at home.
The Owls were flying high in the first half, opening the game through a three-point shot from junior guard Michael Forrest.
Old Dominion then took a slight lead early into the first half, securing a 13-7 scoreline just over five minutes into the game. The Owls then came together and played complete and complementary basketball, regaining the lead three minutes later into the game.
FAU spread out their scoring and were particularly effective from beyond the three-point line, converting nine of 18 attempts. Freshman guard Alijah Martin led the way with three three-pointers and scored 12 points in the first half alone.
The Owls were just as dominant on defense as they were offensively. Their defense limited the Monarchs to just 25 points in the first half, and attacked the ball at will. FAU’s 11 forced turnovers in the first half made it almost impossible for ODU to develop any momentum offensively.
Coming into the second half with a 48-25 lead, it could have been easy for the Owls to take the pressure off ODU. Fortunately for the Owls, they only stepped up their efforts.
The Owls’ starters continued to increase their lead over the Monarchs steadily through the second half, bringing it up to 33 points nearly halfway into the second half.
ODU simply could not respond even after FAU put the majority of their backups in with just under nine minutes remaining.
The Owls remained steadfast for the remainder of the game, eventually securing an 81-62 victory over the Monarchs. The two teams will face off again on Feb. 24 in Norfolk, Va.
FAU’s offense was explosive against ODU, as four players scored 10 or more points. Forrest finished with 16, leading the team. Meanwhile, Martin ended with 12 points while both freshman guard Johnell Davis and sophomore guard Brandon Weatherspoon scored 10 points off the bench. The team shot 47.1% from the field and overwhelmed ODU’s defense.
The Owls will travel up to Bowling Green, Ky., to face the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Thursday, Feb. 10. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Eston Parker III is the lead photographer for the University Press. For more information on this or other stories, email him at [email protected].
