Jan. 17, 2003

BOCA RATON, FL - For the first time since December 3, the Florida Atlantic University men's basketball team will play a home game as the Owls host Jacksonville University on Saturday, January 18. The game begins at 7:00pm at FAU Gymnasium and will be broadcast live on www.fausports.com.

FAU is coming off of a stretch of eight straight games on the road that began on December 5 at Virginia Commonwealth. In all, the Owls have played 13 of their first 15 games on the road. FAU will be seeking to snap an eight-game losing streak that began with the VCU game.

The Owls are 4-11 overall and 0-3 in the Atlantic Sun Conference South Division. Junior Earnest Crumbley continues to lead the team with 17.4 points per game. Jeff Cowans is second with 14.3 per game. Cowans is coming off a 12-point performance at Mercer on January 16 that pushed him over the 1,000-point plateau for his career. Crumbley needs 25 points against JU to become the fourth Owl to reach the milestone.

JU enters the game 6-9 overall and 1-2 in the A-Sun South. The team starts five seniors, including leading scorer Kevin Sheppard who averages 16.8 points per game. Calvin Warner is second on the team with 16.1 points per game and leads JU with 7.8 rebounds.

FAU trails the all-time series 8-4, but has won three of the past five meetings. FAU went 2-1 last year against JU, including a quarterfinal victory at the A-Sun Tournament.

The game is the first of two in three days for the Owls at home. FAU will host Stetson January 20 at 7:00pm.