Florida Atlantic-Northwestern NCAA Tournament predictions: Who do experts think will win?
The Florida Atlantic men's basketball team is back in March Madness. Their path back to the Final Four starts Friday against Northwestern.
FAU (25-8) comes in as the No. 8 seed in the East Region, with Northwestern (21-11) as the No. 9 seed. The winner likely takes on defending champion UConn on Sunday, unless No. 16 seed Stetson pulls a remarkable upset, just like Fairleigh Dickinson did last year that helped clear the path for FAU to win the region.
This year's Owls didn't run through the regular season the way the 2023 squad did, but coach Dusty May still guided them through a new conference, the American, to an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. Most of the Final Four team is back, led by guard Johnell Davis and center Vladislav Goldin. FAU won four straight games before being upset in the AAC Tournament semifinals by a Temple team that finished 16-20.
The Wildcats enter the tournament having lost three of their last four games, including their only game in the Big Ten Tournament. Guard Boo Buie paces Northwestern with over 19 points and 5 assists per game. They've only made the NCAA Tournament two other times but won their opener both times, including last season as a No. 7 seed.
March Madness updates: The latest from FAU basketball vs Northwestern
So who should you have moving on in your bracket? Here's a look at what college basketball experts predict:
Jay Bilas, ESPN: FAU wins
"FAU has lost a couple of curious games to Bryant and Florida Gulf Coast, but this experienced bunch should not go out early to a lesser team. FAU is a second-weekend team that is just as dangerous this year as last year."
David Suggs, The Sporting News: FAU wins
"With neither side being particularly known for its stout defense, it's hard to pick anyone other than the explosive offense of Florida Atlantic. (Dusty) May's team has both the experience and the potential to explode upon anyone. For all of Northwestern's plaudits, it's hard to imagine a world in which the Wildcats blatantly stop Davis, Goldin and Co. from getting to their spots at will."
USA TODAY: FAU wins
College basketball experts Jordan Mendoza and Paul Myerberg both picked Florida Atlantic to win. Dan Wolken went with Northwestern.
Our FAU-Northwestern prediction: Here's who the Palm Beach Post picks to win in the first round of March Madness
Nate Silver: FAU wins
Projection models from Nate Silver, the founder of FiveThirtyEight, give Florida Atlantic a 65.5% chance to win vs. Northwestern. "Florida Atlantic is a bigger favorite than you might think in the 8-9 game over Northwestern, in part because Northwestern has injury issues," Silver wrote on his Silver Bulletin Substack.
CBS Sports: Push
The CBS Sports bracket panel was split 3-3. Gary Parrish, Matt Norlander and David Cobb picked Florida Atlantic, while Jerry Palm, Chip Patterson and Kyle Boone back Northwestern.
CJ Moore, The Athletic: FAU wins
"The Owls have performed their best coming off their lowest points, and losing to Temple in the AAC tournament was a low. Dusty May’s team will be motivated and also potentially a scary matchup for UConn, as the Owls also play their best against top competition — they knocked off Arizona in Las Vegas just before Christmas."
Teddy Ricketson, DraftKings Network: FAU wins
"The Owls are the better team on offense, and guard Johnell Davis will be a problem for the Northwestern defense. The Wildcats tend to play at a slower pace, so if the Owls can speed up the game, they should come out on top, as long as they don’t play so fast that they sacrifice their offensive efficiency."
Caleb Tallman, The Sporting News: FAU wins
"FAU will feed their star center, Vladislav Goldin, early and often. Even when Goldin does not get the ball he will be active on the offensive glass, leading to easy buckets and a controlling first round FAU win."
Adam Burke, VSiN: FAU wins 71-69
"Northwestern plays at one of the slowest tempos in the nation. Florida Atlantic was a little higher than the national average. If the Owls can speed this one up in transition on missed shots, I like their chances to cover against the Wildcats. They took a lot more Close Twos and also fared much better on the offensive glass."
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FAU-Northwestern betting odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Wednesday, March 20.
Spread: FAU (-2.5)
Over/under: 141.5 points
Moneyline: Northwestern +125, FAU -155
FAU basketball schedule: When is the Northwestern game in March Madness 2024?
Time: 12:15 p.m. Friday, March 22
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
TV: CBS
Streaming: Fubo (free trial), March Madness Live (TV provider log-in required), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial)
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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: FAU-Northwestern predictions: March Madness experts make their pick