When May came to UF that summer for a clinic, Golden got the sense that May really, really liked his FAU team, which really, really concerned Golden because Florida and FAU were scheduled to play in Gainesville on Nov. 14, his third game on the Gators sideline.
“I could just say, ‘This guy’s got a good team, I know he’s got a good team, and he’s excited about his team,'” Golden recalled. “And we were fortunate to get them in our third game that first year.”
One of the reasons—actually, two of the reasons—May was so high on his team was because he had a pair of young fourth-year guards, Alijah Martin and Johnell Davis, and ready for bigger seasons. Indeed, FAU came to Exactech Arena/O’Connell Center a few months later, erased a double-digit lead and upset the Gators 76-74, with Davis scoring 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Martin scoring all 11 of his own ( with a 3-pointer) in the second half.
It was the first of what became 20 straight wins for the Owls en route to a stunning, historic Cinderella run to a Conference USA regular-season championship, the C-USA tournament title and — with NCAA tournament wins over Memphis, Fairleigh Dickinson, Tennessee. and Kansas State – spot in the Final Four.
Martin, now a 6-foot-2, 210-pound guard and a guard for the Gators, took a moment this week to reflect on that season and his kinship with Davis, who together became one of the most lethal duos in college. basketball for several seasons.
“Facts,” Martin said. “We had some highs and even some lows together, but what I’m most proud of is the brotherhood that we created by accident and through Coach May with all those guys. We’ll always be brothers.”
He stopped.
“That’s why it’s going to be weird, to be honest with you.”
The awkwardness seems to extend to the handshake before the opening tip on Saturday afternoon. Once the ball is dropped, Martin and Davis, forever brothers of their FAU fame, will be mortal enemies for the next two hours as the Gators no. 6 (14-1, 1-1) in the battle against Davis and his new team. , Arkansas Razorbacks (11-4, 0-2) at sold-out Bud Walton Arena. When May left Boca Raton for Michigan last spring, the Owls fanned out across the country, with Golden and his staff immediately jumping to make Martin their top transfer portal priority, while Davis also entertained a bevy of suitors. majors before choosing coach John Calipari and the Hogs.
Here they are.
[Read senior writer Chris Harry‘s “Pregame Stuff” setup here]
Their seasons, right now, seem to be trending in different directions, with the Gators going undefeated through the non-league season and four days ago crushing top-ranked Tennessee, 73-43, with Martin leading all scorers with 18 points. The Razorbacks have had a mostly middling campaign thus far, with back-to-back losses to start SEC play; by 24 at Tennessee last week, then 73-66 against No. 24 Ole Miss at home on Wednesday.
For Florida, this road trip is about not repeating last week’s 10th– ranked Kentucky, where the Gators allowed 59 percent shooting and 14 3-pointers in a 106-100 loss to start the SEC season. The performance was fascinating, given the way UF had defended its first 13 games and, in hindsight, even more so after what the Gators did in destroying the No. 1-ranked Volunteers. 1, who shot just 21.4 percent and went 4-for-29 from deep in that history-making upset.
Call to Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin
◾️ Both were disgruntled HS recruits
◾️ Led FAU to its best season ever
◾️ Davis became the first player in March Madness history to throw a 25-10-5-5 game
◾️ Martin is on pace to become FAU’s all-time leading scorerFAU made HISTORY pic.twitter.com/nO50N1D9hG
– B/R Hoops (@brhoops) April 2, 2023
DRAFTING THE GATORS: The Tale of the Tape
| Alijah Martin at FAU / Florida | Statistics | Johnell Davis at FAU / Arkansas |
| 124 (86) / 15 (15) | Games (starts) | 128 (53) / 13 (11) |
| 11.9 / 16.1 | Points per game | 11.0 / 8.9 |
| 43.8 / 45.9 | Percentage of FG | 47.7 / 44.1 |
| 36.9 / 34.0 | 3-pt percentage | 36.6 / 36.7 |
| 5.0 / 5.7 | Rebounds per game | 4.7 / 3.6 |
| 1.4 / 2.8 | Assists per game | 1.7 / 1.6 |
| 1.3 / 1.9 | Stealing for the game | 1.2 / 0.7 |
To a man, from the coaches to the bench, the Gators credit Martin as a big part of a strong defensive mindset that has catapulted a program that finished 94th in defensive efficiency last season to No. 16 currently this season. After helping FAU to 60 wins and two NCAA Tournaments the past two seasons, Martin needed no introduction when he showed up for his portal visit last spring.
“Oh, we definitely knew he was,” the sophomore said Thomas Haugh said.
Martin spent additional time with UF’s senior/prominent leaders Walter Clayton Jr. AND Will Richard during his stay and quickly learned their aligned agendas.
“We just wanted to win,” Clayton said. “That’s all we really talked about.”
The martini was sold. When he arrived in town, his work ethic and no-nonsense leadership skills were on display every day during the offseason and preseason.
“We all knew he was going to bring us something different, then during the summer, during conditioning, he led us and we followed. Everyone gravitated towards him,” Haugh said. “And when he talks on the court, he doesn’t yell at you or get mad at you. He just talks to you, like, ‘Hey bro. Let’s do this, let’s do that. You have to be better.” It’s not a demanding tone, but a respectful tone, a kind of strength.”
Since the start of the regular season, the results have been anything but subtle. Not for the Gators and not for Martin.
The blowout to Tennessee (the worst loss by a No. 1 team in 57 years) has turned the national spotlight on Florida’s program.
Martin, meanwhile, is second on the team in scoring at 16.1 points per game, third in rebounds at 5.7 and second in steals at 1.7. To start SEC play, Martin is shooting 57.1 from 2-point range and 41.2 from distance in the two games.
Those are great offensive numbers, yes, but Martin’s defense and its sharpshooting have had the biggest impact on turning the Gators — approaching the midpoint of the 2024-25 season — into one of the most complete teams in basketball. the college.
“It was nice,” the sophomore and freshman defensive back Rueben Chinyelu said.
Now that defense has to travel, something it didn’t do last weekend.
“I think we’re going to learn from Kentucky,” Martin said. “With how hard it is to play on the road and how hard it is to play every game in the SEC, you don’t know what to expect. But one thing we know is we can’t lack effort. This has to be at the top of the game plan;
This would be the mission regardless of the opponent. However, this time it happens that his “brother” is on the other side. On the road.
The boys passing by A-Mart and Nelly’s took two different paths, but for one day they will reunite at the same destination with the intention (this time) of taking down the other.
“College basketball, man, it’s become a business. It just is what it is,” Martin said. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen it and I’m excited to see it, but . . .”
Another pause.
“Yeah, it’s going to be weird.”
Email the senior writer Chris Harry at @chrish@gators.ufl.edu
