Florida Atlantic faced Georgia Coastal in its 2024-25 home opener, securing a dominant 50-point victory, 99-49, on Friday. The victory moves the Owls to 2-0 on the season.
The Owls had a slow start but quickly found their rhythm, igniting their offense with fast breaks and plays from the bench. They scored 40 points on fast breaks and another 50 points from the bench. The Owls had 30 points off turnovers compared to the Mariners’ eight.
In the first half, the Owls relied on their bench to energize their offense. Tre Carroll and Kaleb Glenn played key roles in the team’s run. The Glenn, a sophomore, knocked down a shot from beyond the arc. Carroll played a vital role, making a 3-pointer, a fast-break layup and a slam dunk. The duo scored 22 points, contributing to the Owls’ 51-20 lead at halftime.
Florida Atlantic coach John Jakus also activated a full-court man defense midway through the game. Niccolo Moretti, a sophomore guard, and redshirt junior guard, Ken Evans Jr., led the Owls with four steals each. Baba Miller, a junior, added an additional three steals. The Owls executed the adjustment rapidly and locked the Mariners down.
During the second half, the Owls worked together as a cohesive team, scoring 25 points through fast breaks with 18 points coming off of turnovers to build a 54-point lead. Evans was on fire from the 3-point line, going 3 for 4 and also gaining six points from the free-throw line.
The Owls recorded 53 rebounds, with Carroll and Miller grabbing a game-high nine rebounds, helping the Owls outrebound the Mariners by 26.
Evans and Glenn each achieved a game-high 18 points.
The team chemistry is evident in the Owls’ second game, as they excelled on both ends of the floor. Jakus and his coaching staff have installed a mentality of resilient, adaptable players who play smart basketball.
The Owls will head to Orlando next to face UCF (2-0) in their first road game of the season on Tuesday.
