2011 FAU men's basketball team dedicates March Madness run to former teammate
While there's so much focus on how many Owls fans, how many Florida Atlantic family and friends are packing Madison Square Garden to watch FAU in the Elite 8, there's also a team, the 2011 Men's Basketball team that wants you to remember one name that can't be in the building in presence, but he's definitely felt in spirit. It was, it's definitely tough, right? You know, seeing the success of the team and not being able to share it with all of us. Picking out clothes to watch your school play in its first ever Sweet 16 at Madison Square Garden is a tough call for many, but not for Alex Tucker. He would be the loudest, most proudest Owl in the arena. Tucker sported this number one jersey of Chavar Richardson, his teammate from the 2011 Owls that won the Sun Bill. And you could hear him stand out and I just felt like even though he couldn't be here with us physically, just having his jersey, his name, his presence, his aura around all of us, it's just something I just felt like we had to do. October 18th of 2021.
It definitely came out of nowhere. Richardson passed at 32 years old. It's just a lot of emotions, a lot of sadness. It shocked his brothers, who he was close with, but never told of his illness like Brett Royster. Well, we felt like Chavar was there with us last night. He just, he's as New York as New York gets, you know, that's who he is like to his core. It's why it feels poetic.
The Owls historic 34 and three run to the elite eight came through Madison Square Garden, where Tucker, who was also Chavar's roommate, says Chavar would have been cutting up. He would have been loudest in the gym, starting the defensive chance, you know, cheering, fist pumping, towel waving. And if Chavar was here to give a message to the team ahead of Saturday's date with Kansas State, he would just tell him to do it, get it done. Like he, like he said, he wasn't a big talker, but when it came time to it, he's very forceful in what he was saying and he's very like direct. So it's going to be a 609 tip off Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. FAU looking to take down Kansas State for a spot in the final four. I know Chavar Richardson will be watching from above.
And of course, all of the Owls fans packing Madison Square Garden rooting on FAU. And let's not call it a Cinderella run. Let's just call it destiny from Manhattan. Theo Dorsey for ESPN 1063.
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