Take #626 FAU over FIU
(NCAAB) Florida International vs. Florida Atlantic,
Point Spread: -23.00 | -110.00 Florida Atlantic (Home)
Result: Win
Florida Atlantic returns home with perhaps a lesson learned from its opening-round defeat at the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. At least coach Dusty May hopes so. The No. 15 Owls (7-2) get back to action Wednesday night when they host Florida International University in Boca Raton, Fla. FAU went to the legendary New York venue and dropped a 98-89 decision to then-No. 20 Illinois on Dec. 5. The biggest problem for the Owls against the Big Ten school was slowing down its two top scorers -- Marcus Domask and Terrence Shannon Jr. The two players recorded career-high 33-point performances and combined to go 25-for-35 from the field as the Fighting Illini's offense proved too much to handle. From the floor, Illinois shot 63.2 percent (36 of 57), while FAU made 48.4 percent (31 of 64). May challenged his team not to panic over the early-season loss. We like FIU to lay the hammer down here and run away with it.