Florida Atlantic vs Kansas State: 2023 NCAA Tournament game preview, how to watch, odds, prediction
By Joey Loose
How to watch Florida Atlantic vs Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
TV schedule: Saturday, March 25, 6:09 pm ET. TBS
Arena: Madison Square Garden in New York, New York
This has already been a dream season for Florida Atlantic (34-3) but the dream isn’t over yet. The Owls have rewritten their program’s history books this season, shattering their most wins in a season and totaling three straight wins in the Big Dance as well. The Owls have been masterful in how they’ve handled these recent weeks, marching to a CUSA Tournament title before knocking out Memphis, Fairleigh Dickinson, and Tennessee in order.
The combination of sophomore guards Johnell Davis (13.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Alijah Martin (13.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg) has gotten the Owls to this magical point. Davis just had 15 points to lead the team to that Sweet Sixteen win over Tennessee, while Martin has had his share of standout performances, including a 30-point effort in the conference tournament what seems like a lifetime ago. Sophomore forward Vladislav Goldin (10.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg) is a 7’1 big who’s played great ball this season while the roster’s only senior is Michael Forrest (8.4 ppg) who had 11 clutch points on Thursday night.
Florida Atlantic’s resume all season long showed us that they were capable of great things. They’re currently at 17th in KenPom after this run to the Elite Eight and they were even higher for most of the season in the NET rankings. They played efficient offense against that top-level Tennessee defense in the last round and have a unique balance of clutch offense and a fierce defense of their own.
On the other side, Kansas State (26-9) is living their own dream, and Jerome Tang’s first season in Manhattan is going better than anyone imagined. The Wildcats stood out all season long, racking up impressive wins in the Big 12. Now, they’ve taken care of Montana State, Kentucky, and Michigan State, surviving their way and getting one step closer to their first Final Four in nearly six decades.
You cannot tell the story of Kansas State without their two stars who were both named All-Americans and have the Wildcats on the cusp of greatness. Senior forward Keyontae Johnson (17.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg) is back in elite form after transferring from Florida, three seasons after collapsing on the court while with the Gators. Not to be outdone, senior guard Markquis Nowell (17.1 ppg, 7.8 apg) is nearly always the smallest guy on the court but just set an NCAA Tournament record with 19 assists in that overtime win over the Spartans. Keep an eye on junior forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin (10.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg), who like Nowell is a New York native playing in his home state and playing well.
Florida Atlantic vs Kansas State NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 odds
According to FanDuel:
Moneyline: KAN ST: (-128) | FAU: (+106)
Spread: KAN ST: -1.5 (-114) | FAU: +1.5 (-106)
Total: 144.5 — Over: (-104) | Under: (-118)
Believe it or not, the Wildcats sit below Florida Atlantic in several of the metrics, sitting at 21st in KenPom’s most recent update. Kansas State’s interior offense has been explosive in their Tournament run and clearly there isn’t a point guard running the show better right now than Nowell. What got the job done against the Spartans is that the 3-point shooting picked up and if that continues then can anyone stop this two-headed monster?
Florida Atlantic vs Kansas State NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 prediction
This is the kind of matchup that you would’ve laughed at if someone had suggested it before the season began. Kansas State was picked to finish last in the Big 12 while Florida Atlantic is just another mid-major in Conference USA. Neither team was supposed to be here, but you can bet we’re going to get an impressive showing from both sides, with a Final Four close enough to taste.
dark. Next. What happened to the preseason top-25 teams?
Anything can happen. If Nowell plays like that again, then Florida Atlantic’s defense might be stunned early and often. However, if the Owls can play smart offense and dictate the pace of this game, then there’s no reason to believe they can’t pull off another win. The star power is more significant on the side of Kansas State, but that didn’t stop the Owls in their two previous upset wins. An incredible story continues and the Wildcats won’t lose in the Elite Eight to a mid-major for the second time in five years.