Good morning. It may be Friday the 13th but there are no superstitions when it comes to Florida Atlantic football putting together back-to-back wins this weekend. The Owls are up to the task of facing South Florida, particularly on defense. Run it back with highlights from last week’s first-ever AAC win.

⏮ ICYMI: Check out head coach Tom Herman’s presser on the big game.

What else can you find mixed into today’s Brew?

🏀 Christmas in Vegas
🏈 A look at tomorrow’s game and the Owls’ defense
🦉 And much, much more

📈 STOCK UP

Stock Up is brought to you by Go Solar Power, providing a full suite of solar panels, EV chargers, air conditioning, hot water systems, and more designed specifically for quality and savings.

🔼 Santa Gets It Right. Basketball fans are in for an early Christmas present as two powerhouse college basketball teams—Arizona and FAU—face off in a highly anticipated marquee neutral site game two days before Christmas Day. The Desert Classic will take place Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at noon PT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be broadcast live on FOX, ensuring fans across the nation can view the showdown

"I'm excited to play Coach [Dusty] May and Florida Atlantic coming off of their great run to the Final Four last year,” Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd said. “They return almost all of their top guys from a season ago so we are looking forward to the challenges they will present. And to be able to play them in a nationally televised game right before Christmas in Las Vegas is a great opportunity for us and our fans.”

Fresh off their Final Four run in 2022, the Owls return their entire starting line-up, including 14 of 15 players from last year's team. With a roster filled with rising stars, they are poised to make another deep run this year.

Mark your calendars! Tickets for this highly anticipated game will be available for purchase beginning next Friday, Oct. 20 at 10 a.m. PT on AXS.com. AXS customers will receive access to a pre-sale running Thursday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. PT to 10 p.m. PT. Fans are encouraged to secure their seats early as demand will be high. For more information about the game, including ticketing details and updates, please visit TMobileArena.com. Stay tuned for further announcements regarding this exciting matchup.

🏀 New era, new drip for men’s basketball.

💥 Relive that Winning in Paradise feeling.

⛳️ With a final round 65, Clemence Cadeac takes the individual title and the Owls win the team title at the Jupiter Women's Invite!

🔼 Shiver Me Timbers. Before FAU cross country competes in their first AAC Championships on Oct. 28, the women's team will travel to the host site at East Carolina University to compete in the Pirate Invitational tomorrow. The Owls will race a 6K in a highly competitive field that includes NC State, the No. 1 ranked cross-country team in the nation.

The Owls put forth a strong showing at the FSU XC Invite on Sep. 29, with only a 12.8-second spread between the top five runners on the women's team and the men's team concluding their regular season by putting forth one of their best historical finishes at the yearly Tallahassee meet.
 
For complete coverage of FAU cross country and track & field, follow us on social media at @FAUXCTF.

🔼 Sunshine Showdown. FAU football is coming off a huge week, having nabbed their first conference win against Tulsa last week. Going into tomorrow’s game is certainly no time to get overconfident—as USF’s high-powered offense averages over 400 yards and 31 points a game.

The Owls are up to the task, though, with a defense that’s held three of their four opponents to 20 points or less. Defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni will surely be looking to take full advantage of star players like Jayden Williams, who leads the AAC in fumbles recovered, and the team’s leading tackler, Jackson Ambush. Creating turnovers will be the key to the Owls’ win.

🤝 HERE TO HELP

From the first moment you contact our friends at Shiner Law Group, you’re treated like family. But don’t take our word for it—see what their clients are saying about their experience in Shiner Law Group’s Google Review Profile.

When you contact Shiner Law Group to help you after an accident, you’ll get a team of top-rated injury lawyers and professionals ready to fight on your behalf and give you the individualized attention you deserve to maximize your recovery.

No matter what type of accident case you may have Shiner Law Group will always be available to help—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

🤔 PARADISE TRIVIA

Near, far, wherever you are. With FAU playing USF this weekend, we thought a geography trivia question would be appropriate.

USF is (obviously) the closest AAC team in terms of proximity to FAU.

But do you know the AAC team that is the furthest away?

If you think you know the answer, scroll down to the bottom to find out.

☀️ SOLAR POWERED

Your time to shine. We’ve still got a little summer left in the year and that means you’ve still got plenty of time to flash your gorgeous smile—and our friends over at Sage Dental have the perfect recommendation to boosting your sparkling whites.

Teeth whitening not only increases self-assurance and provides you with a more youthful appearance, it also improves your professional image with rapid (and non-invasive!) results.

Don't let discolored teeth keep you from enjoying life! Find a Sage Dental location near you to brighten your smile and get ready to shine…

🦉 ONE BIG THING

Rates of reported mental health concerns among NCAA student-athletes continue to rise, year after year. With increased attention to the mental health of student-athletes, the NCAA, athletic conferences, and institutions have emphasized the importance of creating environments that promote mental wellness and help-seeking.

Recognizing that need, Florida Atlantic University athletics—through a generous gift by The Schmidt Family Foundation—prioritized its student-athletes' needs by hiring a Director of Athlete Mental Health and Performance (AMHP).

In the first year alone, approximately 40% of our student-athletes utilized individual mental health and mental performance services. Additionally, the AMHP facilitated over 40 team sessions/workshops on various topics such as mindfulness, managing pre-performance anxiety, confidence, body image, leadership development, and communication.

📬 FORWARDED BY A FRIEND

Did someone send you the Paradise Brew? Well, the first thing you should do is thank them. The next thing you should do is subscribe here and get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning just in time for your first cup of coffee!

The Week Ahead is brought to you by our friends at Sage Dental, who are creating a modern, family-friendly approach to dentistry with one thing in mind—you. From pediatric dentistry and orthodontics to teeth cleanings and oral surgery, they work to provide you and your family the best dental care all in one place.

Friday 10/13

🎾 Women’s Tennis @ ITF Tournament

🎾 Men’s Tennis @ ITA Regionals

🌊 Swimming & Diving @ Florida Gulf Coast University @ 1:00pm ET

🏐 Volleyball at Rice @ 7:00pm ET | Live Stats

Saturday 10/14

🎾 Women’s Tennis @ ITF Tournament

🎾 Men’s Tennis @ ITA Regionals

👟 Women’s Cross Country Track & Field @ East Carolina Invitational @ 9:00am ET

🏈 Football at USF @ 3:30pm ET on ESPN2 | Listen Live: Fox Sports South Florida

⚽️ Men’s Soccer at SMU @ 8:00pm ET

Sunday 10/15

🎾 Women’s Tennis @ ITF Tournament

🎾 Men’s Tennis @ ITA Regionals

🏌🏽‍♂️ Men’s Golf @ Quail Valley Collegiate

⚽️ Women’s Soccer vs. North Texas @ 1:00pm ET | Live Stats

🦉 Click here to view the entire FAU Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Tulsa!

Tulsa is just over 1,400 miles of driving away from Boca Raton, narrowly beating out UTSA (in San Antonio, Texas) which is just over 1,340 miles away.

🦉 Have a great Friday, y’all.