Florida State Seminoles
ACC (25-8, 12-6)
After four straight misses, Florida State is finally back in the NCAA Tournament. After some success in the NIT, the Seminoles will hope to make a big impact on their return to the NCAAs. FSU started strong with a 16-1 record. That included wins over Minnesota, Florida, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Duke. Those tough road games in the ACC did cause some problems, but Coach Leonard Hamilton always had his team ready to rebound from those losses.
Big Wins: 1/10 Duke (88-72), 1/18 Notre Dame (83-80), 1/21 Louisville (73-68)
Bad Losses: 11/24 vs Temple (86-89), 1/25 at Georgia Tech (56-78), 1/28 at Syracuse (72-82)
Coach: Leonard Hamilton
Why They Can Surprise:
This Florida State offense has gone to another level during the 2016-2017 campaign. An amazing amount of depth has certainly helped the offense remain fresh and competitive all season long. Dwayne Bacon is the team’s top scorer and averages 16.9 points per game, but the backcourt also boasts Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Terance Mann, CJ Walker, Braian Angola-Rodas and Trent Forest. Rathan-Mayes averages double figures as well and also is responsible for setting up the rest of the team. Mann has been inconsistent at times in the scoring department, but he is a very good rebounding guard who can also pass the ball effectively. Walker, Forrest and Angola-Rodas are all capable of providing a nice spark off the bench.
Why They Can Disappoint:
The depth continues in the frontcourt, but this group is a little disappointing on the glass. Jonathan Isaac is a very good rebounder, scorer and shot blocker, but he does not get too much help on the glass. Michael Ojo and Jarquez Smith will block some shots and play solid defense, but they are not all that effective when it comes to rebounding. The other potential issue is Florida State’s outside shooting. This is a team that is efficient when attacking the basket, but they often struggle to stretch the defense. Bacon, Isaac and Rathan-Mayes are capable three-point shooters, but the team as a whole ranks towards the bottom of the ACC in three-point field goal attempts and percentage. The Seminoles are smart enough not to force outside shots, but at some point in the NCAA Tournament it would be very helpful to be able to stretch the defense and open gaps for the slashers to get to the basket.
Probable Starters:
Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Junior, Guard, 10.4 ppg, 4.8 apg
Dwayne Bacon, Sophomore, Guard, 16.9 ppg, 1.7 apg, 4.0 rpg
Terance Mann, Sophomore, Guard, 8.5 ppg, 1.7 apg, 4.7 rpg
Jonathan Isaac, Freshman, Forward, 11.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.5 bpg
Michael Ojo, Senior, Center4.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg
Key Role Players:
Jarquez Smith, Senior, Forward, 4.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg
Phil Cofer, Junior, Forward, 3.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg
CJ Walker, Freshman, Guard, 5.1 ppg, 1.4 apg
Trent Forrest, Freshman, Guard, 5.1 ppg, 1.6 apg
Braian Angola-Rodas, Junior, Guard, 4.7 ppg, 1.2 apg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 83.0 (17th in nation, 2nd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 71.2 (147, 9)
Field-Goal Percentage: 48.5 (18, 2)
Field-Goal Defense: 41.1 (46, 5)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.1 (206, 12)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 36.1 (130, 12)
Free-Throw Percentage: 68.9 (216, 12)
Rebound Margin: 2.7 (98, 7)
Assists Per Game: 14.9 (84, 7)
Turnovers Per Game: 11.7 (56, 6)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
2016 NIT First Round win over Davidson
2016 NIT Second Round loss to Valparaiso
2014 NIT First Round win over Florida Gulf Coast
2014 NIT Second Round win over Georgetown
2014 NIT Regional Semifinal win over Louisiana Tech
2014 NIT National Semifinal loss to Minnesota
2013 NIT First Round loss to Louisiana Tech
2012 NCAA Round of 64 win over St. Bonaventure
2012 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Cincinnati
2011 NCAA Round of 64 win over Texas A&M
2011 NCAA Round of 32 win over Notre Dame
2011 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to VCU
2010 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Gonzaga
2009 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Wisconsin
2008 NIT First Round loss to Akron
2007 NIT First Round win over Toledo
2007 NIT Second Round win over Michigan
2007 NIT Quarterfinal loss to Mississippi State
*all team stats through 3/5
