FAU basketball soars in way-too-early Top 25 polls: 'The Owls aren't going anywhere'

Eric J. Wallace, Palm Beach Post
·2 min read

It doesn't look like Florida Atlantic basketball will be flying under-the-radar in 2023-24.

FAU basketball is projected to start the next college basketball season as one of the top ranked teams in the country.

The Owls are ranked No. 5 in ESPN's way-too-early Top 25 for next year's college basketball season. Reigning national champion UConn took the top spot with Marquette, Duke and Kentucky ahead of the Owls, respectively.

"The Owls aren't going anywhere, people," Jeff Borzello's report says of FAU basketball's 2023-24 chances. "This year's NCAA tournament darlings are well-equipped to make another run even if it doesn't end with 35 wins and a Final Four appearance again."

Other way-too-early poll appearances include 247 Sports (No. 10), The Athletic (No. 5), Fox Sports (No. 12) and USA Today (No. 9)

Many of the polls cage their ranking on head coach Dusty May's ability to keep the core of the FAU roster together this offseason.

Mar 25, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Florida Atlantic Owls guard Bryan Greenlee (4) reacts after a 3-pointer during the second half of an NCAA tournament East Regional final against the Kansas State Wildcats at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 25, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Florida Atlantic Owls guard Bryan Greenlee (4) reacts after a 3-pointer during the second half of an NCAA tournament East Regional final against the Kansas State Wildcats at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

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May, who has already committed to returning on a long-term extension, projects to return the Owls' entire starting lineup: Bryan Greenlee (7.4 PPG), Nick Boyd (8.9 PPG), Johnell Davis (13.9 PPG), Alijah Martin (13.1 PPG) and Vladislav Goldin (10.3 PPG).

FAU finished 35-4 in the greatest single season in program history: The Owls' led the nation in wins, set the program's single-season wins record and recorded the program's first NCAA Tournament victories by storming to the Final Four in Houston.

The Owls lost 72-71 to San Diego State in the national semifinal on Saturday after a last-second buzzer beater by Aztec guard Lamont Butler.

Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: FAU basketball soars in way-too-early Top 25 polls