FSU 46 Clemson 72 The Ugly, The Really Ugly, and the The Ugliest
The Ugly
FSU's record overall falls to, 15-10, 6-8 ACC. Coming into the game, Clemson had won 5 straight over the Seminoles and 8 of the last 10 contests between the two teams. Make that 6 in a row and 9 of 11. If you are interested (and you likely are not after today's debacle), the last FSU win over the Tigers was on Jan 23rd, 2021, 80-61. With today's win, Clemson clinches only its third ACC winning record on the road in school history.
This was a disaster from the start with FSU making mistakes galore and missing shots even more. The game was over long before the final buzzer sounded. Frankly, this looked like a team that had not practiced in a week. Maybe two. It was that bad. Obviously Clemson is the ultimate bad matchup for FSU because we know that team is not this bad. Not Miami bad (who lost again today BTW). Interestingly, Leonard Hamilton said after the game that they had "great practices this week" and that the team felt so confident after those practices that the usual player's meeting lasted only two minutes. Seems like maybe that meeting should have been a few minutes longer.
At least Justin Thomas' three from the right corner right before the buzzer brought Florida State to less than 20 points at intermission, 36-19. That 17 point margin would be the closest FSU would get the rest of the game.
Apparently the refs decided to start blowing the whistle in the second half on Clemson whose physical play dares the officials to call the foul. Just 1:26 into the second period, the Tigers were whistled for four fouls. With 13 minutes left, FSU was already in the bonus. A glimmer of hope existed you might have thought with the 'Noles a team that can draw fouls. That did not exactly happen and even if it did, just like every other aspect in this game, the Seminoles were a horrible 8-19 at the stripe.
You have a legendary coach sounding extremely disappointed (as he should be after a game like that) still talking about how players have not bought into the system yet. 25 games into the season and the staff is still having that kind of issue.
The Really Ugly
After FSU committed turnover number four and missed its sixth layup in a row, Hamilton had to call a timeout down 16-7 and only 7:02 into the game. He eventually had to call another later in the first half, something a coach is loath to do, burning timeouts early.
Defense. What defense? Absolutely no one was getting in front of anybody with the ball as Clemson player after Clemson player easily drove the ball to the basket.
But they shoot well in practice will be the mantra of this team who missed shot after shot after shot after shot after ..... well, you get the picture. Many, many, many were point blank. It was amazing to watch. The highlight miss was the one that spun around the entire rim twice and then fell off.
Jamir Watkins FTs. Just 1-5. You never see that from him.
Malique Ewin's highlight play? Being called for a flagrant one foul as he pushed Chase Hunter to the floor as another Tiger was attempting a FT. Man, that silliness has to stop. He is possibly getting a rep as THAT kind of player and that just hurts the team. Obvious frustration on that play with 2:04 left and the game long since decided. And Chase played it up big time. Ewin is going to have to to control it.
The Ugliest
FSU had ten turnovers by halftime. They cleaned that up in the second half, but by then the damage had been done and there was no way FSU was coming back like they did against WF. The "best" of the bunch? AJ Swinton apparently still not understanding inbound plays as he tossed the ball lazily to a teammate who was double teamed. And that was coming out of that early timeout. You make that kind of play coming out of a timeout. That is smh material right there.
Up for second place on the turnover hit parade was yet another inbound play when Ian Schieffelin stole the ball from Taylor Bol Bowen ..... from behind ..... where was a teammate yelling at Taylor warning him ..... that resulted in a Dillion Hunter three; the same Dillion Hunter who had just nailed a three on the previous possession. Now FSU found itself down 32-14 and Hamilton had to call his second timeout.
7:25 ..... as in zero points over the span of 7:25. It was 26-14 at the 8:22 mark after Watkins' jump shot. With :57 left in the half Watkins made a lay up. Unfortunately, FSU trailed by 18 by then, 34-16.
During that lengthy scoring drought, FSU made 1 out of 12 shots. Shots that were just rushed. No rhythm to them at all. No easily stepping into the shot. An offense that was anything but.
The highlight of ineptitude at putting the ball in the basket occurred in the second half where not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE shots in one possession FSU players had at the basket only to see each shot just roll off the rim. Four were right under the basket. Dequan Davis' three was the only one that was not a point blank shot.
45 points. Do I have to say that's a season low? I am sure you knew that already. The last time FSU scored 45 points or less was a 58-44 loss on March 12th, 2015 to Virginia in the ACCT. The last regular season game with that few points was a 51-41 loss also to UVa on February 22nd, 2015.
Second chance points I believe were well in favor of Clemson. By my count, 21-4 despite FSU having 13 offensive boards to Clemson's 11.
Swinton with the steal finds Christian Nitu all alone under the Clemson basket. I think you can guess what happened next. If you said a slam dunk basket, you must have been watching some other game having probably switched channels to another one long before that missed FG.
5 ........ as in just 5 assists on 18 FGs for the Seminoles led by Davis with two. Hardly what Hamilton is looking for from his team.
2-15 (13%) from the arc. That two I believe is a season low for made threes. If not, it obviously is second worst. But they shoot well in practice.
How you knew this was an absolute train wreck for Florida State? Brad Brownell cleared his bench with 3:21 to play. You rarely see a team's bench warmers come into a game with that much time. But when you are up by 27 as Clemson was at that point, you as a coach have little worries.
The good news ........... that will likely be the last time we see Clemson this season.
Up Next
Miami. In Tallahassee. Wednesday night. 9 PM tip (this should be interesting to see what kind of attendance there will be). OMG, if FSU loses to the 'Canes who are the absolute dregs of the ACC at 6-19, 2-12, that will be the low point of the season. The Hurricanes are on a kind of winning trend playing .500 ball having won, then lost, then won again, and then lost today to Pitt, 74-65. The game will be broadcast on the ACCN.
The Ugly
FSU's record overall falls to, 15-10, 6-8 ACC. Coming into the game, Clemson had won 5 straight over the Seminoles and 8 of the last 10 contests between the two teams. Make that 6 in a row and 9 of 11. If you are interested (and you likely are not after today's debacle), the last FSU win over the Tigers was on Jan 23rd, 2021, 80-61. With today's win, Clemson clinches only its third ACC winning record on the road in school history.
This was a disaster from the start with FSU making mistakes galore and missing shots even more. The game was over long before the final buzzer sounded. Frankly, this looked like a team that had not practiced in a week. Maybe two. It was that bad. Obviously Clemson is the ultimate bad matchup for FSU because we know that team is not this bad. Not Miami bad (who lost again today BTW). Interestingly, Leonard Hamilton said after the game that they had "great practices this week" and that the team felt so confident after those practices that the usual player's meeting lasted only two minutes. Seems like maybe that meeting should have been a few minutes longer.
At least Justin Thomas' three from the right corner right before the buzzer brought Florida State to less than 20 points at intermission, 36-19. That 17 point margin would be the closest FSU would get the rest of the game.
Apparently the refs decided to start blowing the whistle in the second half on Clemson whose physical play dares the officials to call the foul. Just 1:26 into the second period, the Tigers were whistled for four fouls. With 13 minutes left, FSU was already in the bonus. A glimmer of hope existed you might have thought with the 'Noles a team that can draw fouls. That did not exactly happen and even if it did, just like every other aspect in this game, the Seminoles were a horrible 8-19 at the stripe.
You have a legendary coach sounding extremely disappointed (as he should be after a game like that) still talking about how players have not bought into the system yet. 25 games into the season and the staff is still having that kind of issue.
The Really Ugly
After FSU committed turnover number four and missed its sixth layup in a row, Hamilton had to call a timeout down 16-7 and only 7:02 into the game. He eventually had to call another later in the first half, something a coach is loath to do, burning timeouts early.
Defense. What defense? Absolutely no one was getting in front of anybody with the ball as Clemson player after Clemson player easily drove the ball to the basket.
But they shoot well in practice will be the mantra of this team who missed shot after shot after shot after shot after ..... well, you get the picture. Many, many, many were point blank. It was amazing to watch. The highlight miss was the one that spun around the entire rim twice and then fell off.
Jamir Watkins FTs. Just 1-5. You never see that from him.
Malique Ewin's highlight play? Being called for a flagrant one foul as he pushed Chase Hunter to the floor as another Tiger was attempting a FT. Man, that silliness has to stop. He is possibly getting a rep as THAT kind of player and that just hurts the team. Obvious frustration on that play with 2:04 left and the game long since decided. And Chase played it up big time. Ewin is going to have to to control it.
The Ugliest
FSU had ten turnovers by halftime. They cleaned that up in the second half, but by then the damage had been done and there was no way FSU was coming back like they did against WF. The "best" of the bunch? AJ Swinton apparently still not understanding inbound plays as he tossed the ball lazily to a teammate who was double teamed. And that was coming out of that early timeout. You make that kind of play coming out of a timeout. That is smh material right there.
Up for second place on the turnover hit parade was yet another inbound play when Ian Schieffelin stole the ball from Taylor Bol Bowen ..... from behind ..... where was a teammate yelling at Taylor warning him ..... that resulted in a Dillion Hunter three; the same Dillion Hunter who had just nailed a three on the previous possession. Now FSU found itself down 32-14 and Hamilton had to call his second timeout.
7:25 ..... as in zero points over the span of 7:25. It was 26-14 at the 8:22 mark after Watkins' jump shot. With :57 left in the half Watkins made a lay up. Unfortunately, FSU trailed by 18 by then, 34-16.
During that lengthy scoring drought, FSU made 1 out of 12 shots. Shots that were just rushed. No rhythm to them at all. No easily stepping into the shot. An offense that was anything but.
The highlight of ineptitude at putting the ball in the basket occurred in the second half where not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE shots in one possession FSU players had at the basket only to see each shot just roll off the rim. Four were right under the basket. Dequan Davis' three was the only one that was not a point blank shot.
45 points. Do I have to say that's a season low? I am sure you knew that already. The last time FSU scored 45 points or less was a 58-44 loss on March 12th, 2015 to Virginia in the ACCT. The last regular season game with that few points was a 51-41 loss also to UVa on February 22nd, 2015.
Second chance points I believe were well in favor of Clemson. By my count, 21-4 despite FSU having 13 offensive boards to Clemson's 11.
Swinton with the steal finds Christian Nitu all alone under the Clemson basket. I think you can guess what happened next. If you said a slam dunk basket, you must have been watching some other game having probably switched channels to another one long before that missed FG.
5 ........ as in just 5 assists on 18 FGs for the Seminoles led by Davis with two. Hardly what Hamilton is looking for from his team.
2-15 (13%) from the arc. That two I believe is a season low for made threes. If not, it obviously is second worst. But they shoot well in practice.
How you knew this was an absolute train wreck for Florida State? Brad Brownell cleared his bench with 3:21 to play. You rarely see a team's bench warmers come into a game with that much time. But when you are up by 27 as Clemson was at that point, you as a coach have little worries.
The good news ........... that will likely be the last time we see Clemson this season.
Up Next
Miami. In Tallahassee. Wednesday night. 9 PM tip (this should be interesting to see what kind of attendance there will be). OMG, if FSU loses to the 'Canes who are the absolute dregs of the ACC at 6-19, 2-12, that will be the low point of the season. The Hurricanes are on a kind of winning trend playing .500 ball having won, then lost, then won again, and then lost today to Pitt, 74-65. The game will be broadcast on the ACCN.
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