The Florida Atlantic men’s basketball team advanced to the second round of the 2026 American Conference Championship after defeating Temple 63-59 on March 12. The No. 7-seeded Owls relied on a strong performance from redshirt junior guard Niccolo Moretti, who scored 19 points, to secure their third win over Temple this season.
This victory is significant for Florida Atlantic as it keeps their postseason hopes alive and demonstrates their ability to perform under pressure during tournament play.
The game began with back-and-forth action, featuring four ties and five lead changes in the first ten minutes. Josiah Parker, named American Freshman of the Year, helped FAU take an early lead. A three-pointer by Moretti tied the game before Devin Williams gave FAU a two-point advantage as part of a seven-point run. By halftime, Florida Atlantic led Temple by two points.
In the second half, Kanaan Carlyle scored inside to start a streak of seven consecutive made shots for FAU. An eight-point run extended their lead to eight before Temple narrowed the gap. Two straight three-pointers from Moretti and a nine-point run capped by Williams put FAU up by eleven with less than four minutes left. Despite a late rally from Temple, Moretti’s layup in the final minute and Parker’s defensive play secured the win for Florida Atlantic.
Moretti finished shooting seven-for-nine from the field and was perfect from beyond the arc while playing all twenty minutes in the second half. Carlyle added twelve points and continued his streak of games with multiple three-pointers. Yohann Sissoko collected a career-high six rebounds, while Xander Pintelon posted a game-high plus-seventeen rating in sixteen minutes played. The Owls outshot Temple fifty percent to thirty-eight percent and won the rebounding battle thirty-seven to twenty-eight.
Looking ahead, Florida Atlantic will face No. 6-seeded North Texas on Thursday, March 11 at 9 p.m., with coverage scheduled on ESPNU.
