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The No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic Owls are in the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history after their win over No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday night.
Unfortunately for them, that was not the biggest talking point after the game.
Instead, it was the attempted dunk attempt that Owls star guard Alijah Martin decided to do despite the Knights not looking to foul them any longer. They accepted their efforts were not enough with the clock winding down in the 78-70 loss.
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Joe Munden Jr., #1 of the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights, shoots the ball against Alijah Martin, #15 of the Florida Atlantic Owls, during the second half in the second round game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 19, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Martin’s windmill attempt did not go through the hoop, and it did not sit well with fans in the stands either.
A large amount of boos rang from the seats, as both teams began to walk for the customary handshake. The unwritten rules of basketball state that layups or dunks done when teams are admitting defeat are unnecessary and frowned upon.
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The fans gave their piece in the stands, and the FDU players were also seen not shaking Martin’s hand after the game. They made it a point to congratulate the rest of the Owls except him.
It also looked like FAU head coach Dusty May apologized to FDU’s Tobin Anderson for Martin’s actions at the buzzer.
Social media was also infuriated with his decision to go for the dunk.
"Really Cool missed dunk by FAU’s Alijah Martin!" CBS Sports’ David Cobb tweeted sarcastically.
"FAU should be eliminated from the tournament for that missed dunk," Washington Post’s Tramel Raggs added. ‘Basketball Gods not gonna let that slide."
It also appears that Martin decided not to attend the post-game press conference because he likely knew what questions were coming his way.
We will see what the "Basketball Gods" have in store for Martin and the Owls, as they head to Madison Square Garden to take on the No. 4 seed Tennessee Vols in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.
Alijah Martin, #15 of the Florida Atlantic Owls, celebrates a basket against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights during the first half in the second round game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 19, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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Martin finished the game with 14 points, but it was the Owls’ Johnell Davis who dropped 29 points to lead FAU in the win over FDU.