Giancarlo Rosado of the Florida Atlantic Owls shoots Ismael Massoud of the Kansas State Wildcats during the Elite Eight round of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament held at Madison Square Garden on March 25.
Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
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Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Giancarlo Rosado of the Florida Atlantic Owls shoots Ismael Massoud of the Kansas State Wildcats during the Elite Eight round of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament held at Madison Square Garden on March 25.
Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Don’t sign anything without a lawyer present.
These words of wisdom are usually invoked during business negotiations and when someone is trying to, well, stay out of trouble.
In 2018, Dusty May signed up for trouble. And if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have propelled himself and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) into the history books by compiling the most wins in school history; a conference regular season championship; and a berth in the Final Four of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Who are they? The Florida Atlantic Owls – aka an underdog team with zero NCAA tournament win before 2023, and arguably the main Cinderella story for the 68-team men’s group entering this weekend’s Final Four as the region’s No. 9 seed. East.
Florida Atlantic head coach Dusty May looks on during practice in March.
Adam Hunger/AP
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Adam Hunger/AP
What is the problem ? May signed a contract to become the head coach of the Owls in March 2018 Before he saw the basketball gymnasium, weight room, and college facilities.
- He admitted as much to CBS, saying he thought he “just killed himself in his career” by not doing his due diligence on what he had to work with in Boca Raton.
- May’s path to FAU and her team raisin in the sun moment has always been driven by impulse, intuition and the imaginative spirit.
- Those same descriptors hold true when it comes to what is now the vaunted home trap known as “The Burrow” in Boca Raton, seating just under 3,000 people. On a court this size, the fandom is close…and loud!
- Regardless of his title, responsibilities and destination as a coach, May, a country boy, has always trusted his instincts. This innate inclination inspired the Final Four “In Dusty We Trusty” t-shirts.
- May’s career has been far from all the highlights, and he’s had his fair share of humble pie this year, with a notable loss to Ole Miss early in the season. All of this makes FAU’s current Final Four more satisfying.
Dusty May’s coaching tenures
- 1996-00 Indiana University Student Basketball Coach
- 2000-02 University of Southern California Video Coordinator
- 2005-06 Eastern Michigan Assistant
- 2006-07 Murray State University Assistant
- 2007-09 Assistant at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
- 2009-15 Louisiana Tech University Assistant and Associate Head Coach
- 2015-18 University of Florida assistant coach
- FAU Head Coach 2018-present
What are people saying? Of the seven CBS Sports pundits predicting this weekend’s Final Four matchups, three pundits predict the FAU will advance to Monday night’s national championship game in Houston.
- Gary Parrish says he “takes FAU over SDSU and UConn over Miami. In the championship game, I have UConn defeating Florida Atlantic to win what would be their fifth national championship in 25 years, giving the Huskies two more titles in that time frame. than any other school.”
- Matt Norlander believes in FAU, saying: “The Owls are deep, and they have something special here. SDSU is a bowl of treacle to play against, but the good thing about FAU is that he can win games. in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s; it’s the most flexible team of the four. The Owls will play on Monday night.”
Florida Atlantic’s Brandon Weatherspoon celebrates a three-pointer against Kansas State in the Eastern Region Finals of the NCAA Tournament March 25.
Frank Franklin II/AP
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Florida Atlantic’s Brandon Weatherspoon celebrates a three-pointer against Kansas State in the Eastern Region Finals of the NCAA Tournament March 25.
Frank Franklin II/AP
Can’t get enough of March Madness? Listen to the consider this episode on if it’s a time for women’s college hoops.
And now? Sit down (I know that’s next to impossible given the annual electricity surrounding the tournament) and tune in to see how far May and the FAU Final Four will go.
- Whatever the outcome this weekend, it’s safe to say that May will have a number of big power conference suitors and maybe a blue blood or two looking to offer him a contract (I’m looking at you, Indiana , where his journey began).
- May told the student body and fans that he hoped to see them on Tuesday, a day after the national championship.
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