Fairleigh Dickinson coach gives pep talk, assistant alleges Florida Atlantic trash talk before big game

Fairleigh Dickinson men’s hoops coach Tobin Anderson gave his squad a pep talk arsenic nan No. 16 seed looked to proceed its Cinderella communicative against No. 9 Florida Atlantic connected Sunday night.

Anderson and his adjunct coach Tom Bonacum addressed nan squad astatine their believe earlier they return connected nan Owls. Bonacum said he was correct down their opponents arsenic they walked successful nan hallway and suggested that Florida Atlantic was overlooking them.

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Fairleigh Dickinson players observe beating Purdue 63-58 aft a first-round assemblage hoops crippled successful nan NCAA Tournament connected Friday, March 17, 2023, successful Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

"I was stepping behind, you guys were successful nan huddle complete there, they were stepping successful nan hallway and each they said was, ‘They look for illustration they’re fresh to spell home. They did their thing, they look for illustration they’re fresh to spell home,’" Bonacum said.

Anderson past gave his connection to nan team.

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"Are we fresh to spell home? We don’t look and enactment for illustration a squad fresh to spell home," he said. "It’s going to beryllium hard. Like I told you today, it’s gonna beryllium really hard. It’s gonna return a hellhole of an effort nan full measurement through. Four-minute games, correct? Win nan 4 minutes, 4 minutes astatine a time. No 16 seeds person ne'er made nan Sweet 16. You tin do thing that’s ne'er been done before."

Fairleigh Dickinson caput coach Tobin Anderson reacts aft a handbasket against Purdue successful Columbus, Ohio, Friday, March 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Fairleigh Dickinson delivered nan improbable upset of nan No. 1 seed Purdue connected Friday. The Knights hit Texas Southern successful nan play-in crippled earlier their triumph complete Purdue, 63-58.

The only No. 16 seed to sound disconnected a No. 1 seed came successful 2018 erstwhile UMBC upset Virginia. UMBC mislaid successful nan Round of 32. 

Fairleigh Dickinson caput coach Tobin Anderson signals against Purdue successful nan NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 17, 2023, successful Columbus. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Florida Atlantic is coming disconnected a 66-65 triumph complete No. 8 Memphis. Florida Atlantic’s 32 wins this play is nan astir successful programme history.