Florida State Seminoles
Atlantic Coast Conference (20-12, 7-9)
Seed: #2
North Region
Big Wins:
12/3 Florida (70-66), 1/30 Maryland (96-79), 2/4 at Duke (68-67)
Bad Losses:
1/3 Clemson (66-68), 2/13 Georgia Tech (57-63), 2/17 at Virginia (70-73)
Coach:
Leonard Hamilton
Probable
Starters:
Isaiah Swann,
Junior, Guard, 9.4 ppg, 3.1 apg
Toney Douglas,
Sophomore, Guard, 12.8 ppg, 2.8 apg
Jason Rich,
Junior, Guard, 10.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg
Uche Echefu,
Sophomore, Forward, 7.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg
Al Thornton,
Senior, Forward, 20.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.1 bpg
Key
Roleplayers:
Jerel Allen,
Senior, Guard, 5.1 ppg, 1.2 apg
Ralph Mims,
Junior, Guard, 5.2 ppg, 2.2 apg
Casaan Breeden,
Sophomore, Forward, 2.8 ppg, 0.9 rpg
Ryan Reid,
Freshman, Forward, 2.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Why They Can
Surprise:
Senior forward
Al Thornton has scored in double-digits every game this season and has
reached the 20-point plateau 17 times. With such a consistent scoring
threat, the Seminoles have developed into an efficient offense when they
remember to play through Thornton. Perhaps the greatest thing Thornton
brings to the table is his free-throws. He will get to the line twice as
much anybody else on Florida State and knock down a team high 81.6%.
The great
free-throw shooting does not end with Thornton. Of the nine players that see
quality minutes, seven of them shoot over 75% from the charity strip. The
team shoots 76.8% overall, which ranks fifth in the nation. As long as FSU
can stay close, they can win some big games on free-throw shooting.
Why They Can
Disappoint:
Florida State
will score 70 or 80 points, but they’ll give up that many as well. The
Seminoles ranked second to last in field-goal percentage defense in the ACC
during the regular season and give up nearly 70 points per game. One reason
that FSU gives up so many points is easy baskets off of turnovers. With a
team that gives up nearly 15 turnovers per game and their fair share of
second chance points from offensive rebounds, the opposition can find
themselves scoring in spurts.
Who To
Watch:
Thornton may be
the star, but the backcourt of Toney Douglas, Jason Rich and Isaiah Swann
need to have big games for FSU to make a run. If the outside shot is not
falling, Thornton will find it much tougher to be effective. Douglas, a
transfer from Auburn, is the most dynamic scorer of the bunch and, while he
does not take a lot of three’s, is the most consistent long range shooter on
the squad.
By the
Numbers:
Scoring
Offense: 74.1 (76th in nation, 6th in conference)
Scoring
Defense: 68.8 (176, 6)
Field-Goal
Percentage: 47.2 (41, 6)
Field-Goal
Defense: 45.5 (239, 10)
Free-Throw
Percentage: 76.8 (4, 1)
Rebound Margin:
0.2 (179, 9)
Assists Per
Game: 12.3 (238, 12)
Turnovers Per
Game: 14.4 (152, 6)
Joel’s
Bracket Says: Second Round loss to Michigan
▪
NIT
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