Florida Atlantic rolls past Kansas State, advances to Final Four

NEW YORK — Alijah Martin, Vlad Goldin and ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic became the first and lowest-seeded team to reach this year's Final Four as the Owls withstood another huge game by Kansas State's Markquis Nowell to beat the Wildcats 79-76 on Saturday night.

FAU (35-3), making just its second appearance in the NCAA tournament, won the East Region at Madison Square Garden and will head to Houston to play the winner of Sunday's South Region final between Creighton and San Diego State.

The Owls entered the tournament at 300-1 to win the championship at Caesars Sportsbook and would be the longest-shot to win the tournament since seeding began in 1979, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

«I expect the prognosticators to pick us fifth in the Final Four,» fifth-year FAU coach Dusty May said.

FAU, the winningest team in Division I this season, had never won an NCAA tournament game before ripping off four straight, all by single digits. They are the first No. 9 seed to reach the Final Four since Wichita State in 2013 and the ninth No. 9 seed or lower to make it that far since 1979.

Nowell, the 5-foot-8 native New Yorker, was incredible again at Madison Square Garden, with 30 points, 12 assists and five steals, coming off a Sweet 16 game in which he set the NCAA tournament record with 19 assists. He didn't get enough help this time.

Nae'Qwan Tomlin was the only other player in double figures for Kansas State (26-10) with 14 points. Keyontae Johnson, the Wildcats' leading scorer, fouled out with nine points.

Florida Atlantic is the ninth No. 9 seed or lower to reach the Final Four since seeding began in 1979. None of the previous eight made it to the title game.

Martin scored 17 points, including a huge 3 down the