Florida Atlantic players 'not dwelling' on defeat in Final Four

HOUSTON — Minutes after a buzzer-beating jump shot by San Diego State's Lamont Butler sent his team home in a 72-71 loss in the Final Four on Saturday, Florida Atlantic guard Nick Boyd didn't pout.

Although he said he was «in shock» when Butler made the winner, Boyd spoke positively about his team's experience and journey, which included the program's first NCAA tournament win and a trip to the Final Four.

«It's a bittersweet moment,» said Boyd, who finished with 12 points. «I'm not dwelling on it much. I'm ready to get back to work. I'm happy for our team. I mean, we put FAU on the map. That's most important to me. When I came to this school and I committed here, I said this is what we're going to do. And we took it to a new height. All I can do is smile and be appreciative of the run we went on.

Most losing teams arrive at the postgame news conference in tears after a tough Final Four game. But the Owls were not the typical heartbroken crew. Disappointed? Yes. But they were also proud of what they achieved.

They expect that buzz to continue. The key players from the squad are all expected to return for the 2023-24 season. Plus, head coach Dusty May recently signed a lengthy extension.

»It feels good because we really took this university from the bottom to the top," said Alijah Martin, who scored a game-high 26 points. «And to know what we did to get here, it just feels amazing. Just got to keep our heads down and keep going at it.»

After the game, May said his team will reflect on the loss but not at the expense of focusing on the future. May led this program on one of the most remarkable runs in recent NCAA tournament history. He said his players will be remembered forever.

«These guys have created memories and a