Vladislav Goldin gives Florida Atlantic basketball a post presence: 3 things to know

The Florida Atlantic basketball team is known for fearlessly throwing up 3-pointers, but there’s got to be some balance to explain the Owls’ surprise March Madness run.

That’s where Vladislav Goldin comes in.

The 7-foot-1 sophomore center has been cleaning up on the glass all season for FAU, leading the team with 238 rebounds heading into their Elite 8 showdown against Kansas State. He provides an anchor in the high-powered offense of coach Dusty May, as well as its defense: He’s got 45 blocks this season.

He can put points on the board, too: Goldin is the No. 3 scorer on the team at 10.2 points per game, trailing only guards Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin. His 63% shooting percentage leads the main FAU players.

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Here’s three things you need to know about Goldin.

Vlad Goldin played on the Russia U-18 and U-19 national team

Goldin was born in Nalchik in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountain in Southern Russia. He played for three seasons with the CSKA Moscow Junior Team and played in the U-18 Euro Championship and the U-19 World Cup for Russia.

Vlad Goldin played with UConn’s Hassan Diarra in high school

When Goldin came to the United States, he played for Putnam Science Academy in Northeast Connecticut. He was ranked second in the state in the recruiting Class of 2020.

Also on that team was Hassan Diarra, a guard on the UConn team that will also play for a spot in the Final Four.

Vlad Goldin transferred from Texas Tech

Goldin signed with Texas Tech and played 10 games off the bench his freshman season. He averaged 1.9 points per game and 1 rebound per game in the 2020-21 season.

After that season, Goldin came to FAU, where he played all 34 games of his sophomore season.

“We couldn’t be more excited to round out our incoming class with the addition of Vlad,” coach Dusty May said in 2021. “He is an aggressive, skilled big who fits our playing style. Vlad has extensive international experience and will bring a physical presence to our team.”

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Vlad Goldin: 3 things to know about FAU basketball big man