HOUSTON — We have one of our finalists for the 2023 national championship game. San Diego State will play for a national title.
After a surprising set of 64 games in the men’s 2023 NCAA tournament, surely things would quiet down and the national semifinal would go exactly as expected, right? The Aztecs would inflict their will with their highly regarded defense. The vast venue and Final Four excitement would make both teams miss shots. None of which really happened. The surprises kept coming, all the way down to the final second against the Florida Atlantic Owls, defeating them 71-70.
ESPN’s team of Myron Medcalf, Jeff Borzello, John Gasaway and Joe Lunardi discussed all the key points from Saturday’s content at NRG Stadium in Houston.
How San Diego State beat Florida Atlantic
What was the key to San Diego State winning this game?
Down the stretch, San Diego State was able to get back to what worked in the first four games of the NCAA tournament (and all season, really). It had only three offensive rebounds in the first half, but grabbed nine in the second half — including six in a 59-second stretch toward the end. After having some success going at Nathan Mensah and SDSU’s interior players in the first half, FAU started struggling to finish at the rim. The Owls finished just 5-for-14 on layups. And the Aztecs’ defense came back to life as a whole. They have been a dominant defensive unit this season, but FAU had its way in the first half, scoring 40 points in the first 20 minutes. But the Owls made just eight shots after halftime, including just two in the final 7:40. San Diego State’s switchability at every spot on the floor began to cause issues for FAU, after giving the Owls too much space early. — Borzello
What surprised you most about this game?
Everything, literally everything, surprised me from start to finish. FAU acted like it had been here before right from the opening tip. After the first 40 minutes of the Final Four, Alijah Martin is your most outstanding player (so far): 26 points with 19 coming in the second half. And even that wasn’t enough on a night when San Diego State began attacking the offensive glass after halftime. (Speaking of surprises, the Aztecs got many of those second chances off of their own missed free throws.) Matt Bradley started fast and finished with 21 points, just enough to put Lamont Butler in position for his iconic game-winner. Yes, Lamont Butler. Just one more surprise in a 2023 bracket filled with them. — Gasaway
Where does this semifinal rank among semifinals for you?
Game notwithstanding, this was an important national semifinal for the sport. That both teams played at a high level reinforces the notion of non-power conferences belonging at this level. Throw in a legendary finish and we’ll remember both FAU and San Diego State for a long, long time. The first true buzzer-beater of a great tournament could not have been more dramatic. — Lunardi
What’s next for Florida Atlantic?
FAU isn’t going anywhere. Provided no players enter the portal or make ill-advised NBA draft decisions, Dusty May should bring back all but one player from this year’s team. Michael Forrest is the lone senior on the roster, with all five starters still having eligibility. May has already made it clear he’s not going anywhere, agreeing to a long-term extension that was announced earlier in the week. If he can retain Johnell Davis, Martin, Vladislav Goldin, Nick Boyd and Bryan Greenlee — plus a few key bench players — FAU will once again be a top-25 team. Thirty-five wins and a second straight Final Four appearance will take some doing, but the Owls will have the continuity and talent to make another run. — Borzello