FSU 63 BC 62 The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good
The now 13-9, 7-4 Seminoles end a two game losing streak and picks up a big road win against a team that is not easy to beat. It also marks the first win at Conte Forum since January, 2016. The Eagles (not to be confused with The Eagles) trailed by 15 points, 19-4, just over six minutes into the game. But Boston College has experience this season dealing with double digit deficits coming back to win five times when trailing by ten or more. But it was not to be this day. Or night actually in this case. Oh, and coming into the game, BC was 1-7 when trailing with less than five minutes to play. Make that 1-8 as FSU led 59-54 with 4:58 to play.
Just your typical ACC blowout victory as Leonard Hamilton would say.
In games decided by six points or less, FSU is 6-2.
FSU never trailed in the game. BC made a game of it though and tied it at 52 on a Quintin Post three pointer. The Seminoles built a 61-56 lead and then held off the Eagles at the end. Trailing 63-62, BC had 10.1 seconds to work with. FSU had a foul to give leaving just over 5 seconds on the game clock. The FSU defense rose to the occasion once again with Jamir Watkins and Cameron Corhen applying the pressure on the BC player who never got the shot off. Despite making some poor decisions in the final minutes as Hamilton commented post game, the mental focus and effort was far better than the game against Louisville.
And speaking of defense, FSU forced BC into 15 turnovers that included 13 steals, far above the 'Noles' average per game. From that, the Seminoles scored 19 points, everyone one of the needed. Additionally the defense did not allow BC to score its first basket of the game until the 16:21 mark.
The Bench. Outscored the Eagles 30-23, everyone of them needed. And out of that bench bunch Taylor Bol Bowen had his best game as an FSU player. In his 16 minutes on the floor, he contributed in every category you can scoring a season high 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 1 monster blocked shot. Oh, and I have to give him credit for hitting his one three point attempt. As we know, he does not make them very often. His three from the right wing gave FSU that 19-4 lead. And right after that, he stole the BC inbound pass and immediately headed for the basket and the lay up.
Plays of the game: Clearly THE play of the game (other than the defensive stop mentioned earlier) Jalen Warley driving the lane and laying the ball in under Post's attempted block of the shot. It turned out to be the winning basket. Primo Spears with the knock away picked up by Bol Bowen who dribbles the length of the floor under the BC basket kicking the ball out to Josh Nickelberry for the three, 14-2. Warley with the spinning floater, 44-39. Warley again this time taking the defensive rebound coast to coast, 46-39. Nickelberry with the jumper from the FT line before the shot clock sounds, 48-41. What looked like a sure basket by Jaeden Zackery was emphatically swatted away by Bol Bowen who hustled back to make the play. Bol Bowen again with the steal getting the ball to Corhen, 54-52. Darin Green with the important three pointer to start the pull away from BC, 57-54. Spears on the break driving to the rim finding Watkins coming down the lane for the slam dunk, 59-54.
Sam Cassell for stepping in at the start of the second half for an interview with Jeff Culhane. It was great hearing Sam recollect the days when the Tobacco Road teams trashed the Seminoles entrance into ACC basketball picking FSU to finish last.
The Bad
The start to the second half when FSU had numerous shots in and around the basket that would not go down. Meanwhile BC was making its shots.
Yeah Mr. Referee, that was just an accidental slap to De'Ante Green's face by Post. Clearly Post didn't mean it. Riiiiiiiight.
OK, we know the guy is a good player. But the defense of De'Ante Green, Baba Miller, and Bol Bowen failed in holding down Post who had 21 points and 12 rebounds. FSU has a problem with defense around the rim and has to find a way to stop that.
The Ugly
The play of Spears. Aside from the 3 assists, it was dreadful tonight. He finished with zero points on 0-6 shooting and his decision making was questionable at best. For example, he got the ball in the right corner and then tried to do too much resulting in a turnover. On that possession he was unable to keep a big man (Post) from driving past him for the lay up. There was also the decision to kick the ball over to Warley in the right corner to take the three. Not exactly the guy you want taking the three. Apparently the play was supposed to go to the other side where the FSU shooters were, but Spears did not see that instruction from the bench or ignored it.
It is always ugly when you see a pass sail out of bounds with nary a teammate nearby as was the case with Darin Green's pass to the near sideline. That's OK though. BC's Devin McGlockton had his own "who was that pass to?" moment earlier in the game. So I guess they offset.
There are 10.1 seconds left in the game. Your team is up by one point. You have a player at the FT line. Three outcomes are possible. 1. You make both freebies (the best option). 2. You make the front end of the 1 and 1 (not the best outcome, but acceptable). 3. You miss the front end and get no points or offensive rebound and your opponent has one last chance to win the game (the worst of all the options). If you picked option #3 as the outcome of the play that actually occurred ... YOU "WIN". Darin Green I hope gave a big "thanks" after the final buzzer sounded to Corhen and Watkins. Talk about devastating losses had BC gotten a shot off that found the bottom of the net.
Up Next
With the games left on the schedule, FSU has been ranked with the 30th most difficult schedule remaining. That starts next Saturday night at 8 PM against Virginia (18-5, 9-3) who is currently second in the ACC standings. When we last saw UVa, the Cavaliers were busy making mincemeat last night out of the Miami offense destroying the Hurricanes 60-38, a program low in points scored. It was the Cavs 7th consecutive victory. The Seminoles are 3-1 this decade vs Virginia. The game with be aired on the CW Network.
The Good
The now 13-9, 7-4 Seminoles end a two game losing streak and picks up a big road win against a team that is not easy to beat. It also marks the first win at Conte Forum since January, 2016. The Eagles (not to be confused with The Eagles) trailed by 15 points, 19-4, just over six minutes into the game. But Boston College has experience this season dealing with double digit deficits coming back to win five times when trailing by ten or more. But it was not to be this day. Or night actually in this case. Oh, and coming into the game, BC was 1-7 when trailing with less than five minutes to play. Make that 1-8 as FSU led 59-54 with 4:58 to play.
Just your typical ACC blowout victory as Leonard Hamilton would say.
In games decided by six points or less, FSU is 6-2.
FSU never trailed in the game. BC made a game of it though and tied it at 52 on a Quintin Post three pointer. The Seminoles built a 61-56 lead and then held off the Eagles at the end. Trailing 63-62, BC had 10.1 seconds to work with. FSU had a foul to give leaving just over 5 seconds on the game clock. The FSU defense rose to the occasion once again with Jamir Watkins and Cameron Corhen applying the pressure on the BC player who never got the shot off. Despite making some poor decisions in the final minutes as Hamilton commented post game, the mental focus and effort was far better than the game against Louisville.
And speaking of defense, FSU forced BC into 15 turnovers that included 13 steals, far above the 'Noles' average per game. From that, the Seminoles scored 19 points, everyone one of the needed. Additionally the defense did not allow BC to score its first basket of the game until the 16:21 mark.
The Bench. Outscored the Eagles 30-23, everyone of them needed. And out of that bench bunch Taylor Bol Bowen had his best game as an FSU player. In his 16 minutes on the floor, he contributed in every category you can scoring a season high 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 1 monster blocked shot. Oh, and I have to give him credit for hitting his one three point attempt. As we know, he does not make them very often. His three from the right wing gave FSU that 19-4 lead. And right after that, he stole the BC inbound pass and immediately headed for the basket and the lay up.
Plays of the game: Clearly THE play of the game (other than the defensive stop mentioned earlier) Jalen Warley driving the lane and laying the ball in under Post's attempted block of the shot. It turned out to be the winning basket. Primo Spears with the knock away picked up by Bol Bowen who dribbles the length of the floor under the BC basket kicking the ball out to Josh Nickelberry for the three, 14-2. Warley with the spinning floater, 44-39. Warley again this time taking the defensive rebound coast to coast, 46-39. Nickelberry with the jumper from the FT line before the shot clock sounds, 48-41. What looked like a sure basket by Jaeden Zackery was emphatically swatted away by Bol Bowen who hustled back to make the play. Bol Bowen again with the steal getting the ball to Corhen, 54-52. Darin Green with the important three pointer to start the pull away from BC, 57-54. Spears on the break driving to the rim finding Watkins coming down the lane for the slam dunk, 59-54.
Sam Cassell for stepping in at the start of the second half for an interview with Jeff Culhane. It was great hearing Sam recollect the days when the Tobacco Road teams trashed the Seminoles entrance into ACC basketball picking FSU to finish last.
The Bad
The start to the second half when FSU had numerous shots in and around the basket that would not go down. Meanwhile BC was making its shots.
Yeah Mr. Referee, that was just an accidental slap to De'Ante Green's face by Post. Clearly Post didn't mean it. Riiiiiiiight.
OK, we know the guy is a good player. But the defense of De'Ante Green, Baba Miller, and Bol Bowen failed in holding down Post who had 21 points and 12 rebounds. FSU has a problem with defense around the rim and has to find a way to stop that.
The Ugly
The play of Spears. Aside from the 3 assists, it was dreadful tonight. He finished with zero points on 0-6 shooting and his decision making was questionable at best. For example, he got the ball in the right corner and then tried to do too much resulting in a turnover. On that possession he was unable to keep a big man (Post) from driving past him for the lay up. There was also the decision to kick the ball over to Warley in the right corner to take the three. Not exactly the guy you want taking the three. Apparently the play was supposed to go to the other side where the FSU shooters were, but Spears did not see that instruction from the bench or ignored it.
It is always ugly when you see a pass sail out of bounds with nary a teammate nearby as was the case with Darin Green's pass to the near sideline. That's OK though. BC's Devin McGlockton had his own "who was that pass to?" moment earlier in the game. So I guess they offset.
There are 10.1 seconds left in the game. Your team is up by one point. You have a player at the FT line. Three outcomes are possible. 1. You make both freebies (the best option). 2. You make the front end of the 1 and 1 (not the best outcome, but acceptable). 3. You miss the front end and get no points or offensive rebound and your opponent has one last chance to win the game (the worst of all the options). If you picked option #3 as the outcome of the play that actually occurred ... YOU "WIN". Darin Green I hope gave a big "thanks" after the final buzzer sounded to Corhen and Watkins. Talk about devastating losses had BC gotten a shot off that found the bottom of the net.
Up Next
With the games left on the schedule, FSU has been ranked with the 30th most difficult schedule remaining. That starts next Saturday night at 8 PM against Virginia (18-5, 9-3) who is currently second in the ACC standings. When we last saw UVa, the Cavaliers were busy making mincemeat last night out of the Miami offense destroying the Hurricanes 60-38, a program low in points scored. It was the Cavs 7th consecutive victory. The Seminoles are 3-1 this decade vs Virginia. The game with be aired on the CW Network.
