Florida Atlantic takes on Fairleigh Dickinson at 7:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 19 on truTV. The 9-seed Owls are spread favorites, with the 16-seed Knights to win the game on the moneyline. The point total for FAU vs. FDU odds is set at .
In this article, we’ll dissect what you need to know before placing a bet on these second round odds, including team matchups, key metrics, and the best available odds.
FAU vs. FDU Odds
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Fairleigh Dickinson’s Historic Upset
The Knights were one of the worst teams across college basketball in 2021-22, delivering a 4-22 record while ranking No. 345 on KenPom. FDU then hired Tobin Anderson, their head coach with zero Division I experience before this season, in May.
Fast-forward 10 months later. FDU became the second No. 16 seed to win a NCAA tournament game in the Round of 64. When UMBC upset Virginia in 2018, the first 16-over-1 upset in March Madness history, the Retrievers were set as 20.5-point underdogs. Hence, FDU’s win was a more improbable victory, considering Purdue was a 23.5-point favorite. On top of that, Anderson’s team managed to fend off Zach Edey, the likely 2022-23 Wooden Award winner, holding him scoreless for the final 8:32.
Believe it or not, the Knight didn’t even cash their conference tournament odds. But they wound up representing the NEC in the dance because Merrimack isn’t eligible for March Madness (nor the NIT) until the 2023-24 campaign.
That’s a product of the NCAA’s policy on reclassifying programs. FDU, the runner-up, earned the automatic bid. It also knocked off fellow 16-seed Texas Southern in the play-in game before shocking Edey & Co. All of the Boilermakers last three tournament losses have come to 13-seeds or higher.
Will Owls End The Party?
Florida Atlantic manufactured its own March magic to move onto the second round. The Owls overcame a seven-point deficit with 9:55 left before freshman guard Nick Boyd tallied the game-winning layup in the waning seconds.
Although taking the points with the Knights is an alluring proposition on the surface, this matchup doesn’t favor FDU nearly as much as their previous game did. That’s because Sean Moore and his Knights teammates press at the highest rate nationally. The Boilermakers’ freshman-laden backcourt scuffled with turnovers throughout Big 10 play, and that carried over into Friday’s affair, accruing 16 of them.
However, FAU (No. 22 overall on KenPom), showcases a bottom-the 70 turnover percentage. Not only does Boyd — the Owls’ point guard — rarely provides an opponent with a takeaway, but their leading shot-taker Alijah Martin also exhibits a low miscue rate.
This spread may be slightly inflated after FAU opened as a 12.5-point favorite, yet I wouldn’t touch the Knights here.
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