FSU 67 UNC 92 The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good
FSU finishes the season with a winning record at 17-16. Compared to last season's 9-23 disaster, this was a big improvement.
Ten steals. FSU was number one in the ACC in that category all season long. They continued their dominance in that stat in today's game.
Jamir Watkins with his 19th consecutive game scoring in double figures with 12 points. Watkins had to work for it however shooting 3-11 but was again sharp at the line, 6-7.
Primo Spears with his 16th game this season in double digits scoring a team high 17 on 8 of 14 shooting.
Jalen Warley with 10 points recording his third straight game in double figures. It was the first time in his career with that many consecutive games with ten or more points.
Overall FSU shot well from the charity stripe, 13-18 (72%).
The Bad
FSU's season ends as there is no chance to play in any kind of post season tournament (you can forget about the CBI as FSU will never play in that thing).
UNC obviously wanted to take Florida State out of the game early. For the first 12 minutes, the 'Noles were hanging with the Tar Heels trailing by just two, 20-18. The final eight minutes of the half were a disaster. UNC outplayed and outhustled the Seminoles owning all the major stats in the game. The Heels simply played better. A lot better coming at the Seminoles hard all game long. FSU was unable to adjust and handle the pressure from UNC.
UNC coming into the game was 21-0 in the quarterfinals when ranked as the number one seed. Make that 22-0. UNC makes its 54th appearance in the semis of the ACCT. By contrast FSU has made it to the semis 7 times.
Part of FSU's game plan was to minimize UNC's rebounding and get to the FT line. Neither really happened.
FSU's defense was blistered once again with UNC shooting 52% from the floor and 42% from behind the arc. Those have been consistent problems all season long.
At the 8 minute mark of the first half, the score was 20-18. Four minutes later UNC was up 32-23. Four minutes later aka halftime, the Heels led 46-30. And it would have been worse had Spears not made a three at the buzzer. The beat down just kept getting more and more progressive (not to be confused with a certain insurance company).
When you knew it was over was with 14:41 remaining in the game and the 'Noles down 62-41. You knew there was no chance of a comeback from that. That FSU was able to score more than 60 was accomplishment.
Hey, let's talk about something that never gets talked about. Officiating. OMG!!! These guy were turrible (to quote a certain retired NBA forward) in the first half. Case in point Armando Bacot was clearly holding Taylor Bol Bowen and even dragging him to the floor. But Bol Bowen was called for the foul? It was not the only instance where he was holding but not called for the foul. I counted at least three times. All that did was allow Bacot to do whatever he wanted because he knew he was not going to get the whistle. For all his physicality in this game, he picked up just one foul. Yeah, right.
Or Baba Miller dribbling the ball at the time line when Elliot Cadeau made a play on the ball. Cadeau clearly initiated contact and yet somehow Miller was whistled for the foul. Go figure.
Jaylen Gainey whose injury a couple of years ago just never allowed him to regain his form he had at Brown.
The Ugly
Rebounding. Recall the game earlier this season when FSU was beaten on the boards by 22? Hamilton even commented he had never seen anything like it. Today FSU set a new standard for ugly on the backboards as UNC collected 48 rebounds to FSU's 22. Yup, North Carolina had 26 more rebounds than the Seminoles. I do not care how much better the talent might be, there is no reason to have that kind of disparity in going after the ball. On one possession in the game, UNC kept missing shots but seemingly getting perpetual second chances because the 'Noles could not grab the ball. UNC on that one possession collected five, yes count 'em, five offensive rebounds.
Need I mention three point shooting again? Ok, If you really want to know. 4-16. 25%.
The matador defense where numerous times the North Carolina ball carrier just dribbled at blazing speed into the lane untouched and laid the ball in. Oddly enough it was the UNC player always going to his left. But at any rate, the shots were completely uncontested. Of course when you have refs that possibly were going to whistle you up for breathing on the ball carrier, that could explain the extraordinarily porous defense.
Up Next
For FSU, the offseason. From the Sweet 16 in 2021 to the 'Noles sitting at home again for the third straight year. Hamilton will turn 76 in August. He says he is as energized as ever and will be back for next season. He has one year left on his contract though that I am guessing recruits are aware of. He likely will have to hit the portal again to bring in players to replace the ones who will be moving on. I am not even going guess how many what with players coming and going off every roster in the country. Hamilton mentioned on one of his his talk shows that he was told the number of players in the portal in April could be as many as 4,000. Hamilton had a sizeable turnover after last season. It could be again.
The Good
FSU finishes the season with a winning record at 17-16. Compared to last season's 9-23 disaster, this was a big improvement.
Ten steals. FSU was number one in the ACC in that category all season long. They continued their dominance in that stat in today's game.
Jamir Watkins with his 19th consecutive game scoring in double figures with 12 points. Watkins had to work for it however shooting 3-11 but was again sharp at the line, 6-7.
Primo Spears with his 16th game this season in double digits scoring a team high 17 on 8 of 14 shooting.
Jalen Warley with 10 points recording his third straight game in double figures. It was the first time in his career with that many consecutive games with ten or more points.
Overall FSU shot well from the charity stripe, 13-18 (72%).
The Bad
FSU's season ends as there is no chance to play in any kind of post season tournament (you can forget about the CBI as FSU will never play in that thing).
UNC obviously wanted to take Florida State out of the game early. For the first 12 minutes, the 'Noles were hanging with the Tar Heels trailing by just two, 20-18. The final eight minutes of the half were a disaster. UNC outplayed and outhustled the Seminoles owning all the major stats in the game. The Heels simply played better. A lot better coming at the Seminoles hard all game long. FSU was unable to adjust and handle the pressure from UNC.
UNC coming into the game was 21-0 in the quarterfinals when ranked as the number one seed. Make that 22-0. UNC makes its 54th appearance in the semis of the ACCT. By contrast FSU has made it to the semis 7 times.
Part of FSU's game plan was to minimize UNC's rebounding and get to the FT line. Neither really happened.
FSU's defense was blistered once again with UNC shooting 52% from the floor and 42% from behind the arc. Those have been consistent problems all season long.
At the 8 minute mark of the first half, the score was 20-18. Four minutes later UNC was up 32-23. Four minutes later aka halftime, the Heels led 46-30. And it would have been worse had Spears not made a three at the buzzer. The beat down just kept getting more and more progressive (not to be confused with a certain insurance company).
When you knew it was over was with 14:41 remaining in the game and the 'Noles down 62-41. You knew there was no chance of a comeback from that. That FSU was able to score more than 60 was accomplishment.
Hey, let's talk about something that never gets talked about. Officiating. OMG!!! These guy were turrible (to quote a certain retired NBA forward) in the first half. Case in point Armando Bacot was clearly holding Taylor Bol Bowen and even dragging him to the floor. But Bol Bowen was called for the foul? It was not the only instance where he was holding but not called for the foul. I counted at least three times. All that did was allow Bacot to do whatever he wanted because he knew he was not going to get the whistle. For all his physicality in this game, he picked up just one foul. Yeah, right.
Or Baba Miller dribbling the ball at the time line when Elliot Cadeau made a play on the ball. Cadeau clearly initiated contact and yet somehow Miller was whistled for the foul. Go figure.
Jaylen Gainey whose injury a couple of years ago just never allowed him to regain his form he had at Brown.
The Ugly
Rebounding. Recall the game earlier this season when FSU was beaten on the boards by 22? Hamilton even commented he had never seen anything like it. Today FSU set a new standard for ugly on the backboards as UNC collected 48 rebounds to FSU's 22. Yup, North Carolina had 26 more rebounds than the Seminoles. I do not care how much better the talent might be, there is no reason to have that kind of disparity in going after the ball. On one possession in the game, UNC kept missing shots but seemingly getting perpetual second chances because the 'Noles could not grab the ball. UNC on that one possession collected five, yes count 'em, five offensive rebounds.
Need I mention three point shooting again? Ok, If you really want to know. 4-16. 25%.
The matador defense where numerous times the North Carolina ball carrier just dribbled at blazing speed into the lane untouched and laid the ball in. Oddly enough it was the UNC player always going to his left. But at any rate, the shots were completely uncontested. Of course when you have refs that possibly were going to whistle you up for breathing on the ball carrier, that could explain the extraordinarily porous defense.
Up Next
For FSU, the offseason. From the Sweet 16 in 2021 to the 'Noles sitting at home again for the third straight year. Hamilton will turn 76 in August. He says he is as energized as ever and will be back for next season. He has one year left on his contract though that I am guessing recruits are aware of. He likely will have to hit the portal again to bring in players to replace the ones who will be moving on. I am not even going guess how many what with players coming and going off every roster in the country. Hamilton mentioned on one of his his talk shows that he was told the number of players in the portal in April could be as many as 4,000. Hamilton had a sizeable turnover after last season. It could be again.
