Memphis basketball vs FAU in NCAA Tournament 2023: Our March Madness prediction is in
Memphis basketball is largely unfamiliar with its upcoming March Madness opponent, FAU.
But the No. 8 seed Tigers (26-8), who stamped their ticket to the NCAA Tournament with a 75-65 win Sunday over No. 1 Houston in the AAC Tournament title game, are already giving the 9-seed Owls (31-3) their full respect. The teams will square off Friday (8:20 p.m., TNT) at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The winner will face either No. 1 seed Purdue or First Four teams Texas Southern or Fairleigh Dickinson.
“I don’t know anything about them,” said senior forward DeAndre Williams. “But I know about the NCAA Tournament and anybody can be beat.”
Here are three things to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's tip-off:
MEMPHIS BASKETBALL: Tigers take down No. 1 Houston to capture AAC title, auto March Madness bid
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Tigers coming together
Memphis is playing its best basketball of the season at precisely the most opportune time. And the Tigers are getting it done in a variety of ways.
In just the past three days, they have won big. They have gotten dominant showings from their stars, Kendric Davis and Williams. They have fended off the highest-ranked team in the country. But, perhaps more important than anything, they have shown they are a complete team.
For much of the season, Davis and Williams willed Memphis to a second-place conference finish, landing first-team all-AAC honors in the process. Davis led the league in scoring and assists. Williams was top-five in points per game and rebounding. The past two games, however, the stars' supporting cast has come through in clutch moments.
In the win over Houston, Alex Lomax played his best game since returning from a groin injury several weeks ago, putting up 10 points to go along with four assists, three steals and three rebounds. Elijah McCadden and Chandler Lawson each had key blocks. Malcolm Dandridge had four points and a pair of rebounds.
Common opponent
The only team to face both Memphis and FAU this season is Ole Miss. The Tigers defeated the Rebels 68-57 on Dec. 3, while the Owls slipped up 80-67 on Nov. 11.
It's difficult to glean much from results that early in the season. But FAU leading scorer, 6-foot-4 guard Johnell Davis (13.5 ppg) was held in check with just 10 points. Ole Miss also owned the glass, out-rebounding the Owls 40-31.
Memphis won the battle of the boards versus the Rebels, 42-39. Williams led the way with 17 points, while Davis and Lomax each put up 14.
FAU scouting report
FAU's only other losses this season were to UAB and Middle Tennessee State in the regular season, and they came by a combined 13 points.
The Owls, who are 32nd in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, are also balanced. Alijah Martin (a 6-2 guard from Summit, Mississippi) scores 13.2 per game, while 7-1 center Vladislav Goldin puts up 10.6 points a game. Goldin also has 41 blocks and leads the team with 6.4 rebounds a game.
FAU, who sits at 13th in the NET rankings, is that high in part because it ranks ninth in the country with an average margin of victory this season of 13 points per game. That doesn't mean Dusty May's team has not been in close games, though. Nine of its 31 wins came by 5 points or fewer.
Memphis vs. FAU score prediction
Memphis 79, FAU 68: Kendric Davis has been pining for this moment for as long as he can remember. No way he's letting it slip through his fingers.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis basketball vs FAU in NCAA Tournament: Our March Madness prediction
