GETTING INSIDE
Florida Atlantic will enter Sun Belt Conference play with the youngest lineup in the league. The Owls started four freshmen in late November, and coach Mike Jarvis has kept them in the lineup for three victories, including two in December.
Despite its youth, Florida Atlantic is well on its way to surpassing last year’s victory total. After going 6-26 during the 2008-2009 season, the Owls picked up their fifth win this year by beating New Orleans on Dec. 14.
Florida Atlantic’s freshmen class is averaging 48 percent of the team’s roughly 79 points per game.
Point guard Raymond Taylor is averaging 17.6 points per game and guard Greg Gantt, another freshman, is at 14.3, both among the individual scoring leaders in the SBC. Sophomore Shavar Richardson, another guard, is at 11.3.
The Owls also are learning how to play on the road. Florida Atlantic has nine of its first 11 games away from home, and won five of the first nine, including two of their six road games.
The schedule includes a five-game trip with games at Maryland, Georgia and Miami. The Owls open Sun Belt play at Louisiana-Lafayette and New Orleans.
Offense hasn’t been a problem for the Owls early this season. In mid-December Florida Atlantic was second in the Sun Belt in scoring at 79.3 points per game, and next to last in scoring defense, allowing 76.7.
NOTES, QUOTES
• PG Raymond Taylor wasted little time establishing himself as one of the best point guards in the Sun Belt. As of Dec. 8, the freshman was leading the conference with 6.6 assists, tied for third in steals at 2.0 per game, and third in assist-to-turnover ratio at 6.6-to2.9.
• G Greg Gantt, one of four freshman starters for Florida Atlantic, is averaging 14.3 points and has made an average of 2.7 three-pointers per game, second-best in the Sun Belt.
Key Early-season Conference Game: The Owls’ young lineup will face back-to-back conference tests at home, Jan. 2 against South Alabama and Jan. 7 against Troy.
Last Year ‘S CONFERENCE RECORD: 2-16, sixth in the Sun Belt’s East Division.
Quote To Note: “We want balance. What happened tonight was that we played how we were capable of playing, and we’ll hopefully see a lot more of it in the future.”—Coach Mike Jarvis after an early-season victory over Albany in which he started four freshmen.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
What We Learned In November: Florida Atlantic coach Mike Jarvis is committed to a youth movement, moving four freshmen into the starting lineup five games into the season. The Owls won two of the next three games. Freshmen guards Raymond Taylor and Greg Gantt are ranked in the top 20 in the Sun Belt Conference in several offensive categories.
December At A Glance: The Owls won two of their first three games in December. The final games before conference play begins will be a little more difficult. Florida Atlantic faces Miami, Georgia and Maryland in the last two weeks of December.
Player Rotation: G Raymond Taylor, G Greg Gantt, SF Brett Royster, F Andre Mattison, PF/C Demonte Simpson. Key Subs: F Sanchez Hughley, G Shavar Richardson, F Jordan McCoy.
Roster Report:
• F Sanchez Hughley is healthy for only the second time in his four-year college career. The 6-6 junior has missed significant time two of the last three years.
• F/C Kore White is sitting out this season after transferring from Marshall, where he saw limited playing time last year as a true freshman.
