Hoops history is being made in South Florida.

For the first time, two local schools have made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament at the same time. The Owls of Florida Atlantic University have made it to the second weekend of the tournament for the first time, and the University of Miami Hurricanes are back in the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year.

The Canes swamped the Indiana Hoosiers in Albany, New York on Sunday night and returned home to Coral Gables Monday afternoon. About a hundred fans greeted the team’s bus with cheers as it arrived on campus.

“It is very exciting, I’ve always done the brackets with my family so now being at a school that’s in the brackets is really fun,” said Jessie Greer, a UM student.

“It’s really exciting, I’ve been a basketball fan my whole life so seeing us be really good at basketball makes me really hype,” added UM student Cole Calcagni.

The support was noticed by the players.

“It’s great, having the support from faculty, peers, you name it, just all rally behind us,” said shooting guard Jordan Miller, who is savoring the moment but not ready to call the season a success.

“I don’t think anyone ever goes into the tournament with the dream to just get to the sweet 16, obviously we want to win a national championship,” Miller said.

At the All Canes store adjacent to campus, they’re playing the Hurricanes' victory over Indiana on a continuous loop. More wins equal more merchandise sales.

“You know, we love winners here at Miami, we’re used to it in football, not in basketball, coach Larranaga’s brought a winning team to this program, the last two years have been amazing,” said the store’s general manager, Harry Rothwell.

They’re going hoops crazy in Boca Raton, too. FAU joining the Sweet 16 puts the program, and the school, on the national map. Alumnus Javier Carpio flew to the games in Columbus, Ohio, to see his Owls make history.

“It feels great, there was a lot of bracket busters this year but the fact that FAU, from 64 teams down to the 16 is pretty epic, it’s surreal,” Carpio said.

Like Carpio, Scott Ferris traveled to see his alma mater, watching the Canes win twice in Albany, New York. I asked him if he considered the University of Miami to now be a “basketball school.”

“You know it’s funny, because I was here in the 80’s when it was a football school only, and I hardly go to any football games and I go to every single basketball game, I’m like completely hooked,” Ferris said.

The Hurricane women have a chance to advance to the Sweet 16 as well. They just have to beat the same school the men beat: the Indiana Hoosiers.