'Pit bulls and Rottweilers': How FAU was the big dog vs. Tennessee basketball in Sweet 16
NEW YORK – Physical was the buzzword in FAU’s locker room in preparation for its Sweet 16 game against Tennessee basketball on Thursday.
The ninth-seeded Owls understood they were at a disadvantage in the matchup when it came to size against the fourth-seeded Vols. However, they played like a team with the advantage.
“We weren’t ducking no action, we’re physical, too,” said Johnell Davis, who led FAU with a team-high 15 points along with six rebounds. “Be the hammer, not the nail.”
Tennessee fell to FAU 62-55 in the NCAA Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Josiah Jordan-James and Jonas Aidoo led the Vols with 10 points apiece. FAU’s Nick Boyd, who is 6-foot-3, had 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
VEXING VOLS: Tennessee basketball's tantalizing season tanked by consistent inconsistencies in Sweet 16
ESTES:The worst part for Tennessee basketball? Florida Atlantic 'wanted it more'
RICK BARNES:Rick Barnes' NCAA Tournament history again aired out after Tennessee Sweet 16 loss: Reaction
FAU won the rebound battle 40-36.
“They was pretty big but at the end of the day we just carving out space, boxing them out, getting them out the way and attacking the rebound,” said FAU's Brandon Weatherspoon, who had four points and seven rebounds.
FAU’s Alijah Martin, who had nine points and four rebounds, said winning the battle on the glass was one of the team’s goals and was accomplished because of their toughness.
“You just look around this locker room, it’s a bunch of pit bulls and Rottweilers," said Martin. "I’m ready to go to war with these guys. Just knowing I can count on him (gesturing to Weatherspoon) right here next to me to go out there and get a rebound if I’m blocking out.”
That dog mentality is why FAU’s 7-1 center Vladislav Goldin was excited to match up with one of Tennessee’s most physical players, 7-1 Uros Plavsic.
“I love playing against tall (players), especially he’s Serbian,” said Goldin, who is from Russia. “That’s something that reminds me of home. I love playing against physical people like (him). I love it.”
For Weatherspoon and Martin, the determination to exceed the toughness of Tennessee originates from their background.
“Me and Alijah from Mississippi, we got it out the mud,” Weatherspoon said. "We flipping tires, pulling trucks … we just some strong kids who been through adversity our whole life.
“Heart over height. At the end of the day, they bleed like we bleed. We not scared of nobody. We don’t care about SEC, ACC.”
Boyd said that FAU’s performance against Tennessee represents how they have been successful this season.
“That’s the story of our season,” Boyd said. “We go against bigger teams all the time. We’re willing to bang, we got a good mental to bang. We just having fun.”
FAU’s fun is guaranteed another game when it faces Kansas State in the Elite 8 on Saturday.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What FAU basketball said after upending Tennessee in Sweet 16
