HOUSTON — Beyond their appearance at the Final Four, perhaps the strongest confirmation that the Florida Atlantic Owls are of undeniable quality was the performance of their conference foes this postseason.

FAU won the Conference USA regular-season and tournament titles, finishing two games up on North Texas, which claimed the NIT championship Thursday. The Mean Green beat UAB, which placed third in the C-USA, in the fourth NIT title game to feature conference opponents — the first in 20 years.

Charlotte, the fifth seed in the C-USA tournament, won the College Basketball Invitational title, helping the C-USA to an 18-2 postseason record prior to the Owls’ national semifinal appearance.

“It shows that the whole conference can compete with everybody,” FAU senior guard Michael Forrest said. “Everyone, the whole conference, the whole year has just been a dogfight.”

FAU (35-3) leads the nation in victories and finished 18-2 in C-USA, falling on the road against UAB and Middle Tennessee. Any doubts that the Owls are battle-tested have been dismissed.

“It certainly affirms what we saw all season long,” FAU coach Dusty May said. “Every night was a battle, well-coached teams with great players. Just happy that the nation can see what we saw all along because as Charlotte, UAB, North Texas — what they’re able to do in those moments was special. And like I said, we saw it all along.”

–By arriving at the Final Four, UConn continued its impressive run of unblemished play against nonconference competition. The Huskies opened 11-0 prior to their Big East schedule. The NCAA Tournament has yielded four additional wins by an average margin of 22.5 points.

UConn (29-8) dropped six of eight games during a particularly rough patch midway through its schedule. Down the stretch, the Huskies noticed that head coach Dan Hurley eased a bit off the throttle, and Hurley credited his players’ performance for influencing that decision.

“I think it definitely does become a trust thing when you really believe in the group and they’ve shown you enough quality at both ends of the court and on the backboard,” Hurley said. “And you feel like they finally understand what your identity is. And you’ve been through so many of these wars together that you — generally when the calendar turns to March, you really begin to back off and just make sure you keep your team fresh.”

–The knee-jerk reaction to almost any reference to the Miami Hurricanes is to envision a football program that was, in its heyday, one of the most revered and perennially successful in the nation.

It seems fitting that one of the Hurricanes’ standouts is sophomore forward Norchad Omier, who at 6-foot-7 and 248 pounds is averaging 13.3 points and 10.1 rebounds with a frame that might be equally suited for the gridiron.

“He’s going to be in the NBA,” Miami coach Jim Larranaga said of Omier. “… In football you get hurt. I don’t want him even thinking about playing football. I don’t think he ever will because he’s a dynamic basketball player.

“He hasn’t even scratched the surface. His offensive skills, as good as they are, can reach not just one level up but two or three levels up. And we’re going to spend a lot of time with him spring, summer and fall leading into next season, and we’ll see a much-improved offensive player.”

–San Diego State has come to epitomize a Final Four that is short on consensus first-round NBA draft prospects and McDonald’s All-Americans, yet long on experience, with seniors making up seven of the Aztecs’ top nine players in minutes.

Those grizzled veterans have been the guiding force behind a team unfazed by adversity and bound by camaraderie.

“It’s kind of fun,” Aztecs coach Brian Dutcher said. “We have a lot of older guys, obviously, fifth-year guys. Sixth-year guy in (Adam) Seiko, fifth-year (Matt) Bradley, fifth-year (Aguek) Arop and fifth-year (Nathan) Mensah.

“We’ve got an older team. The fun thing is to watch them kind of integrate the freshmen in, have fun with the freshmen. And usually, when there’s that big of an age difference, they don’t want to have a lot to do with each other. But they’ve bonded, have fun together. They’re a tight group.”

–By MK Bower, Field Level Media

Kansas freshman guard Gradey Dick announced Friday on Instagram that he is declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-8 sharpshooter had a standout debut season for the Jayhawks, starting all 36 games and finishing second in scoring at 14.1 points per game. He also averaged 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in being selected to the All-Big 12 second team, the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team and the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.

“As a kid from Kansas, I have fulfilled my goal of playing at my dream college,” he wrote on the Instagram post. “I cannot thank Jayhawk Nation enough for the love and support you have shown to me and my family. I will always have Kansas in my heart but I now have to chase the ultimate dream that I have had since I first started playing ball.”

A highly decorated prep player at Wichita Collegiate (2019-20) and Sunrise Christian Academy (2021-22), the Wichita native stayed in state as a top Kansas recruit.

He set the Kansas freshman record for made 3-point baskets (83) and posted numbers in numerous offensive categories to rank among the Jayhawks’ top all-time freshmen.

Dick shot 44.2 percent from the field and 40.3 from 3-point range.

He averaged 13.0 points and a team-best 9.0 rebounds during the Big 12 champion and top-seeded Jayhawks’ NCAA Tournament run.

“I feel that NBA teams have learned more about my competitiveness from this season,” Dick said Friday on ESPN’s “NBA Today” program. “My goal has always been to try and outcompete everyone in anything that I do. I also wanted to show my resilience. No matter what happens, how I play, I’m always going to come back levelheaded and ready to go. I often get labeled as a shooter, but I love to show the versatility that I have to my game.”

Dick is projected to be a first-round and perhaps a lottery pick by ESPN and other media outlets.

–Field Level Media

The second half of the national championship game picture will be determined when Miami (29-7) and UConn (29-8) square off in the second game at NRG Stadium in Houston on Saturday.

UConn was a consensus 5.5-point favorite as of Friday afternoon, and the Huskies are also the heavy favorites to win it all among the Final Four teams.

The line has held steady at BetMGM, where UConn has drawn 63 percent of the spread-line bets but the money has been almost evenly split between the teams. Meanwhile, Miami’s +200 moneyline has been the second most Final Four bet at the sportsbook, garnering 63 percent of the bets and 57 percent of the money.

Bet Rivers reported 65 percent of the spread-line bets and 56 percent of the money on the Huskies, while UConn has been backed by 54 and 66 percent, respectively, at PointsBet.

Miami has been led by senior guard Isaiah Wong, third-year sophomore forward Norchad Omier and fifth-year senior transfer guard Jordan Miller. Miller produced 27 points on perfect shooting to lead the Hurricanes to the 88-81 victory over the Longhorns on Sunday.

It was a breakout performance for Miller, whose national emergence epitomized that of Miami.

“He’s underrated because he’s under the radar,” Hurricanes coach Jim Larranaga said of Miller. “People haven’t seen just how good he is. I think he showed the country how darn good he is these past two weeks.”

While three of the four semifinalists are first-timers, UConn is in pursuit of its fifth national title. The Huskies have recaptured the momentum from their perfect non-conference run and 14-0 start before the rugged Big East schedule yielded six losses over an eight-game stretch.

The Huskies finished fourth in the Big East but have again reclaimed the form that made them surprise contenders prior to their midseason lull. Their average margin of victory in the NCAA Tournament is 22.5 points, and the Huskies have again emerged as the prohibitive favorites to win a championship.

“Harder,” said Huskies coach Dan Hurley, when asked if it was easier or harder to get the program back to the Final Four for the first time since it won the 2014 national championship.

“And probably because, like, the history and tradition doesn’t really — it helps you in recruiting. We sold to it these guys. We’ve done it here before; we can do it again.

“But I think it becomes a little bit of a mental hurdle, especially like early rounds of NCAA Tournament where you feel like maybe the burden of the history and tradition and first-round games, maybe even second-round games.”

UConn has come to embrace that burden. Led by junior forward Adama Sanogo and sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins, the Huskies are relishing this latest championship opportunity.

“Back!” UConn junior guard Andre Jackson Jr. said. “Back, but we never left.”

There is concern about the availability of Hawkins, who became sick Thursday night and missed Friday’s practice. He is averaging 17.3 points during the NCAA Tournament and was named Most Outstanding Player of the West Regional.

“We obviously isolated him,” Hurley said Friday. “Started to not feel well last night. For him to miss today obviously tells you he’s not in a great way.”

PREDICTION
After winning the ACC regular-season title, Miami has ousted top-seeded Houston and No. 2 Texas en route to its final Four. The Hurricanes are legit, but they are also playing with a much finer margin for error. UConn has bullied its way to this point, with the Huskies demonstrating why many analysts pegged them a title threat despite being a No. 4 seed.

–UConn 83, Miami 78

–Field Level Media

Michigan big man Hunter Dickinson entered the transfer portal on Friday.

The 7-foot-1 center was a consensus second-team All-American and Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2021 and is coming off an All-Big Ten first-team selection in 2023.

Michigan coach Juwan Howard had mixed feelings about Dickinson’s decision but recognized his contributions to the program in a statement released Friday night.

“Today is bittersweet,” Howard said. “While Hunter Dickinson’s departure is unfortunate, there are so many reasons to be thankful for and celebrate (him). This young man has accomplished so much in his three seasons.

“Statistics aside, Hunter helped us to a Big Ten title, back-to-back Sweet 16s, as well as a memorable Elite Eight run. These are memories that will last a lifetime. What I love most is he was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree, twice. That says so much about his character and maturity.

“As much as I tried to instill in him, he was a guide and inspiration for me. We wish Hunter and his family all the best in the future.”

Dickinson averaged 18.5 points and career highs in rebounding (9.0 per game) and blocks (1.8 per game) across 34 starts in 2022-23. He increased his 3-point shooting rate, as well, making 24 of 57 on the year (42.1 percent).

In 94 career games (89 starts), Dickinson averaged 17.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 blocks per game for the Wolverines. He ranks 12th in Michigan history in career points (1,617) and 10th in career rebounds (787).

Dickinson toyed with entering the NBA draft last year but withdrew his name because he was unlikely to have gone in the first round.

The Alexandria, Va. native is classified as a graduate transfer because he is on track to graduate from Michigan after the summer semester, per ESPN.

–Field Level Media

The Final Four officially gets under way when Florida Atlantic (35-3) and San Diego State (31-6) tip off at NRG Stadium in Houston on Saturday.

One of the two Cinderella stories from this year’s Final Four will play in Monday’s national championship game.
San Diego State was a consensus 2.5-point favorite as of Friday afternoon.

That’s a shift from when it opened at 1.5 at BetMGM, with the Azetcs drawing 60 percent of the spread-line bets and 75 percent of the money. However, the most popular Final Four bet at the sportsbook has been FAU’s +130 moneyline, which has shifted from +105 with the Owls backed by 64 percent of the total bets.

BetRivers’ also reported more spread-line action on San Diego State, which has been supported by 57 percent of the bets and 56 percent of the money.

While the Owls and Aztecs made surprising runs to Houston, their season-long success belies the notion that their appearances are an aberration.

The Owls are currently riding an 11-game winning streak that isn’t even their longest of this season. FAU had its 20-game win streak snapped by an 86-77 road loss to UAB on Feb. 2.

To many, the Owls might seem to be a bunch of unknowns. However, FAU leads the nation in victories and is ranked 17th in efficiency in KenPom ratings.

At 13.1 points per game, Alijah Martin is one of three Owls averaging double figures in points with five-plus rebounds alongside fellow sophomores Johnell Davis and Vladislav Goldin.

FAU has thrived via collective effort, and white-knuckle tournament victories over Memphis, Fairleigh Dickinson, Tennessee and Kansas State validated the Owls’ egalitarian approach to success.

“Extremely rewarding to see a group give as much as these guys have all season,” Owls coach Dusty May said. “Shots, playing time, minutes, everything you could imagine. Grit, everything 100 percent every day in practice, and then be rewarded because there’s never a guarantee.

“You’re always relying on faith that you believe it’s going to happen, but you never really know. In this era where everyone wants the whole pie, these guys continued sharing the pie every single day, and this was the result.”

Experience is the Aztecs’ calling card. Of the nine players to have logged at least 500 minutes for San Diego State this season, seven are seniors

After knocking on the door in seasons past, the Aztecs have finally arrived on center stage. It would be tempting to enjoy this singular moment, but according to coach Brian Dutcher, the work isn’t done.

“Here we are,” Dutcher said. “We’re making the next step, and it’s something we’ve always talked about, and I’m sure there were people that doubted we could do it, but we never doubted for a minute.

“Now we have to take advantage of our opportunity. We can’t say going to the Final Four is the end-all, it’s the beginning. So we have to go try to find a way to win two games and hang a championship banner.”

PREDICTION
It’s true that neither one of these teams should be considered a true shock to reach the Final Four. Fresno State has immense experience in its favor, while FAU has an opportunity to win an incredible 37 games this season.

The Owls have been extremely impressive under pressure, winning several tight games to reach this point. The Aztecs bevvy of seniors also won’t wilt under the bright lights, and San Diego holds on to win a tight contest.

–San Diego State 69, Florida Atlantic 66

–Field Level Media

UConn sharpshooter Jordan Hawkins missed Friday’s practice with a non-COVID illness and his status for Saturday night’s Final Four clash against Miami is unclear.

Huskies coach Dan Hurley said Hawkins began to feel ill on Thursday night in Houston. Team doctors moved Hawkins’ roommate, Tristen Newton, to another room to prevent the illness from spreading through the team.

“I think we’ve got like three doctors on this trip with us, so you hope that we could navigate it,” Hurley said during a press conference. “We obviously isolated him. Started to not feel well last night. For him to miss today obviously tells you he’s not in a great way.”

Hawkins is averaging 17.3 points through UConn’s four NCAA Tournament victories and has knocked down 16 of 31 3-point attempts. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the West Regional.

He scored 24 points in an 88-65 rout of Arkansas in the Sweet 16 and followed it up with 20 points and matched his career high of six 3-pointers during an 82-54 whipping of Gonzaga in the Elite Eight.

Forward Alex Karaban is hopeful that fourth-seeded UConn (29-8) will have its top shooter for the game against the fifth-seeded Hurricanes (29-7).

“I think he’s going to be fine,” Karaban told reporters of Hawkins. “The doctors are with him right now, trying to speed it up, make him feel better. We’ll need him out there. He’s one of the main reasons why we’re here. I think he’ll be just fine. He’s just as excited as anyone else, so I know he won’t want to miss this moment.”

Hawkins is second on the squad with a 16.3 scoring average and lead the team with 104 3-pointers. The sophomore also has been rising on NBA draft boards and is a potential lottery selection.

The Huskies have won their four NCAA tourney games by an average of 22.5 points.

Fifth-seeded San Diego State (31-6) and ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic (35-3) play in the other Final Four matchup.

–Field Level Media

One day after leading North Texas to an NIT championship, Grant McCasland was named the new head coach at Texas Tech on Friday.

McCasland, 46, compiled a 135-65 record over six seasons with the Mean Green, who capped a 31-7 campaign with a 68-61 victory against UAB in the NIT title game Thursday night in Las Vegas.

“The commitment and vision for Texas Tech has no limits and we look forward to loving our team everyday with a greater purpose,” McCasland said in a statement. “We will strive daily for excellence in every aspect of our program, do things the right way, winning championships that values relationships throughout.”

McCasland began his coaching career at Texas Tech as the men’s basketball director of operations from 1999-2001.

“Our search committee was immediately impressed not only by Coach McCasland and his ability to win at every level of college basketball, all while creating a positive culture built upon toughness, but also his passion for Texas Tech and his vision for our basketball program,” athletic director Kirby Hocutt said.

He was the head coach at Midland College (2004-09), Midwestern State (2009-11) and Arkansas State (2016-17) before taking over at North Texas, where he led the program to the 2021 NCAA Tournament and was named the 2020-21 Conference USA Coach of the Year and also guided the Mean Green to the 2018 CBI title.

He was also an assistant at his alma mater Baylor from 2011-16.

McCasland replaces Mark Adams, who resigned on March 8 after being suspended by the university for making an “inappropriate, unacceptable and racially insensitive” comment to a Red Raiders player.

Adams, 66, was 43-25 in two seasons at his alma mater.

Texas Tech is coming off a 16-16 season that included a 5-13 record in the Big 12. The Red Raiders have been to the NCAA Tournament five times since 2016 and reached the national championship game in 2019, losing to Virginia.

–Field Level Media

Xavier guard Colby Jones declared for the 2023 NBA Draft over social media on Friday.

Jones averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 36 games (all starts) this season for the Musketeers. The junior shot a robust 50.9 percent from the floor and 37.8 percent from 3-point range to help Xavier advance to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament before falling to Texas.

Jones initially thanked his family in his post on Twitter before turning his attention to the coaching staff for aiding in his development.

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— Colby Jones (@kovajoness) March 31, 2023

Jones contributed 12.3 points, 6.2 boards and 3.6 assists in 86 career games (82 starts) with Xavier.

–Field Level Media