Kanaan Carlyle scored 21 points to lead Florida Atlantic to an 82-59 win over Pacific in the Sunshine Slam on Thursday. 

Carlyle shot 7-of-12 from the floor with a pair of three-point baskets and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Isaiah Elhoin scored 13 points including 3-of-5 from the arc and Devin Vanterpool added 12 points for the Owls. 

“I was able to take advantage of the defense early,” Carlyle said. 

The Tigers were led by Elias Ralph’s 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, followed by TJ Wainwright’s 12 and Isaac Jack’s 11.

A three-pointer from Wainwright gave Pacific an early 7-5 lead three minutes into the game. The Owls quickly responded with a layup by Vanterpool, which started a 15-3 run capped by a three-pointer by Elohim to give FAU a 20-10 lead after 7:30 minutes of play. 

The Owls stretched their double digit lead to a 15-point margin, the largest in the first half, after a Niccolo Moretti layup highlighted an 11-5 run with 1:22 left until halftime. 

Elohim drained a pair of free throws to end the first half with the Owls leading 40-28. FAU shot a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line in the first half and finished the game with a 13-of-16 clip from the charity stripe. 

Elohim and Carlyle drained three shots from the three-point line as the Owls went on a 10-2 run to stretch their lead to 20 points at 68-48 with 5:57 left in the game. 

FAU’s last bucket of the game came from a three-pointer by Max Langenfeld, his only basket of the game. The Owls shot 11-of-26 from the three-point line but more important to head coach John Jakus is holding the Tigers to a 2-of-11 clip from outside.

“The 2-11 from three is something I’m really proud of,” Jakus said. “Their three point shooters, one had zero, one had one, as far as the guys that we really focus on. So for us to learn to handle that better, and to scout is significantly better.”

The Owls improve to 4-1 on the season. They rebounded from falling to Liberty for their first loss of the year with a 92-63 home win over Coastal Georgia on Monday. Vanterpool led the way for that game with 30 points on 12-of-21 shooting.

The Owls will continue the Sunshine Slam on Monday when they face Loyola Marymount at Daytona Beach at 8:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. They will end the tournament with a matchup against George Mason or Ohio.

The Owls will return home on Sunday, Nov. 30 to host St. Bonaventure.