FAU men’s basketball (14-1, 3-0 C-USA) defeated the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers (UAB) (12-3, 3-1 C-USA ) 88-86 on Wednesday night, moving their historic win streak to 13 consecutive games.

“I’m very proud of the resiliency of our guys,” said head coach Dusty May. “I’m very proud that we were able to go 18-21 from the free throw line and do the job we did on the defensive glass, especially being undersized.”

Sophomore guard Johnell Davis was the man of the night, as he finished the victory with a career-high 36 points shooting 64.7% from the field, alongside six rebounds and a block.

Junior guard Bryan Greenlee also contributed to Thursday night’s win with a statline of 12 points, three rebounds, and two assists. Redshirt freshman guard Nick Boyd and sophomore forward Giancarlo Rosado both had a productive night respectively, as each finished with eight points.

The game was neck and neck going into the second half, tied at 41 each. 

Their ability to shoot efficiently from three-point range has been key to the Owls success all season. However, at halftime the Owls were struggling from deep, shooting just 29.4% from three-point range. 

The matchup remained closely contested throughout the second half and into the closing minutes as Davis made a layup with 1:29 left in regulation, which moved his point total to 30 and tied the score at 82 apiece.

In the final minute of the game, UAB tied the score again off a jumpshot by redshirt junior forward Javian Davis with 28 seconds remaining, yet FAU’s Davis was not phased. On the following possession, he saw a lane and attacked the bucket, scoring with 15 seconds left on a strong take to put FAU ahead 86-84.

Davis had his name called again on the Owls’ next possession, as he drew a foul and sank both free throws to extend their lead to four and secure the Owls thirteenth consecutive victory.

The Owls next game will be another conference matchup against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte 49ers on Saturday, Jan. 7 at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on C-USA TV.

Jahsheem Benjamin is a contributing writer at the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @JBenzzofficial.