Fresh faces, top to bottom
May begins first year as FAU coach with 10 newbies dotting his roster
If you show up to the Florida Atlantic men’s basketball season opener on Wednesday and don’t recognize much of the team, don’t worry. It’s not you.
The Dusty May era for FAU begins when the Owls host Florida Tech at 7 p.m. at FAU Arena, and the first-year coach isn’t nearly the only new face around.
FAU, projected in the preseason to finish 12th in Conference USA, has 10 newcomers on its roster to go with May and his coaching staff. It’s pretty much a complete refresh of the program after Michael Curry went 39-84 over the past four years coaching the team.
“It’s such a unique situation where we have so many new faces, and even the guys who have played college basketball before, they’re in such new roles,” said May, the former assistant under Mike White at Florida and Louisiana Tech.
One such example is Jailyn Ingram, the Owls’ lone returning starter. Ingram, a 6-foot-7 junior forward, averaged 8.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in 26.1 minutes per game last season and will have a featured role in 2018-19.
May likes the leadership Ingram has exhibited ahead of the season. More of a post presence previously, May will try expand Ingram’s game out on the perimeter and play an uptempo style to allow him and other athletic wings to get out in transition.
“It helps my game a lot. I played that way in high school. We played very fast, so it’s good to get back to playing that way,” Ingram said. “I just try to
Next up
Season opener: Florida Tech at FAU, 7 p.m. Wednesday
stay consistent, come in and get extra reps every day and try to be a better shooter.”
Senior guard Anthony Adger will also be counted on more. He started every game as a junior up until the second game in conference and played as a reserve the rest of the way, averaging 6.2 points per game.
The Owls have a couple of SEC transfers eligible to play and expected to contribute. Forward Xavian Stapleton came over as a grad transfer from Mississippi State, where he averaged 6.7 points and 2.7 rebounds. Six-foot-11 Latvian center Karlis Silins comes in from Ole Miss, where he was hampered by injuries and didn’t see much playing time.
A freshman class is headlined by standout guard out of Blanche Ely, Michael Forrest. As a senior for the Tigers, the 6-foot, goggle-wearing playmaker went for 26 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals a game in leading them to a Class 8A state championship. His work ethic has been on display since arriving in Boca Raton.
“Every drill looks like the national championship as far as his preparation,” May said. “Every shooting drill he looks like he’s preparing for a Game 7 NBA Finals.”
FAU lost its Oct. against 92-87.
The FAU women also begin on Wednesday, hosting Hampton at 11 a.m.
Coach Jim Jabir said the Owls, projected to finish ninth in C-USA, expect to be explosive offensively and create fast-break opportunities. 27 exhibition Lynn