When I think of Florida Atlantic University (FAU), I think of former head football coach Lane Kiffin. When I think of FAU basketball, I don’t think of much. To be fair, since leaving the Trans America Athletic Conference in 2001, they have just one March Madness appearance (remains their only program bid) and have eclipsed 20 wins just once. I’m sorry, but in a sport with over 350 teams eligible for postseason play, it’s been tough to make room in my brain for FAU basketball. However, I would be doing everyone, including myself, a disservice if I didn’t have the Owls on my brain this season. Bench boss Dusty May took over at FAU in 2018 after the team suffered seven straight losing seasons. Since then, he and the Owls have never gone under .500, and it’s not crazy to say this season has been A-MAZ-ING.
The Florida Atlantic Owls are 25-3 this season and became ranked in the AP poll for the first time in program history. One might think coach May hit the transfer portal hard to have fielded such a dominant team, but it is homegrown talent, mainly sophomores, who have led the way this season. They returned nearly everyone from last season’s team, highlighted by the quartet of sophomores led by Johnell Davis. In this article, we will highlight Davis using ShotQuality data.
ShotQuality Profile
ShotQuality is an easy-to-use basketball analytics tool that enables coaches and players to optimize their shot selection by calculating the quality. Johnell Davis has been extremely efficient this season, ranking in the 80th percentile in SQ points per possession (PPP). His rim & three rate (shots taken near the rim and beyond the arc) is 86%, suggesting he takes high-quality shots, while his SQ PPP illustrates he is good at it. Davis is also exceptionally well at hunting shots where the Gary, Indiana native is most effective. He is in the 67th percentile or better in all shot types that he has taken at least 11 or more times. Those shots are catch-and-shoot three-pointers, drives to the left towards the basket, post-up on the left block and drives to the basket, off-the-dribble three-pointers, and guarded catch-and-shoot three-pointers. Overall, he is in the 78th percentile in efficient three-point shooting and in the 89th percentile in efficiency in creating his own shots. It also should be noted he is a 90% shooter from the line, or in other news, a lethal ability to have in close games.
Davis is also in the 91st percentile in the steal rate. He has proven to be a two-way guard that pesters opposing guards and remains highly regarded in ShotQuality in turnover frequency. His overall efficiency places him in the 80th percentile, and Davis has played a large part in FAU being one of the best mid-majors in the country.
To be a mid-major with a good chance of making the NCAA Tournament without winning their conference title is a huge achievement and accomplishment. At 25-3, FAU is one of those teams. In addition, seven separate players play over 20 minutes per game, making them one of the best TEAMS amongst the mid-majors. First, however, let’s give Johnell Davis his flowers. He averages 13 points per game on a ludicrous 47% from the field.