FAu center Dragan Sekelja battles for a rebound vs. Lynn on Monday. (Owl Access Photo)
Fine tuneup
FAU handles Lynn on Monday in an exhibition game at The Burrow before opening up the 2012-13 season Sunday at No. 11 North Carolina.
Originally published on
11/5/2012
by
Marcus Nelson
BOCA RATON – Florida Atlantic outplayed Division II Lynn in a 87-80 exhibition victory on Monday.
The Owls' opener might be a bigger challenge.
To get ready for its game at No. 11 North Carolina on Sunday, FAU pounded the ball into junior center Dragan Sekelja, who scored 21 points and had 12 rebounds vs. the Knights.
“To be honest I had a little bit of jitters before the game when I was driving to the game and when I got to the gym I was changing,” said Sekelja, who practiced with the Owls last season, but transferred from Baylor and had to sit out due to NCAA transfer rules. "As soon as we started warming up, they were all gone, basically.”
More may be needed from Sekelja vs. the Tar Heels.
“Dragan had 21, he probably should have had 31,” said FAU coach Mike Jarvis. “I'll be interested to see how he does on Sunday. If he has a decent game, that bodes well for our team.”
Although facing North Carolina, won't be easy, Jarvis expects his team to be competitive with the five-time NCAA Tournament champions.
“We'll be big underdogs on Sunday, no doubt,” Jarvis said. “But we aren't going there for the paycheck. All I want my guys to go there and play there as hard as they can, as long as they can. If we do that, we'll win no matter what the score is.”
Freshman point guard Stefan Moody had 16 points and three assists.
“He's really special,” Jarvis said. “There's things he's going to get better at and learn.”
Six players scored in double-figures for the Owls.