FSU 74 gatros 87 The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good
What looked like it was going to be a big blow out with the 20th ranked gatros leading by as many as 18 points midway through the first half, turned into a close contest with just 2:23 left. A 6-0 FSU run closed the gap to just four points, 77-73. Unfortunately the shots would not fall in those last two minutes. Meanwhile the gatros went on a 10-0 run making ridiculous shots such as the banked three by Sam Alexis right before the shot clock sounded. It was a common theme for the Seminoles this season so far where they struggled in the first half trailing 44-31 and then turned up their game in the second period. FSU came out of the locker room with a little more cohesiveness closing the gap to 8 and 9 points multiple times before making it just a four point deficit.
Pressure defense forced the veteran guards of that other team into 19 turnovers resulting in 16 points, most of which were scored in the second half. That other team in its first three games had been taking care of the ball very well. On the flip side, FSU took care of the ball committing just 8 miscues.
Jamir Watkins. After a very rough start offensively, Watkins ended up with 19 points and 7 rebounds. And that was with major foul trouble in the second half. Credit him for managing to stay in the game after picking up his fourth foul with just under eight minutes left.
Three point shooting. Coming into the game, FSU was averaging a miserable 21% from the arc. Tonight the 'Noles were 7-20 (35%). Perimeter defense is a short coming of the gatros and FSU took advantage of it.
FSU's defense holding the gatros under their season scoring average of 88.3 ppg. (Yes, that was sarcasm.)
Plays of the game: Watkins with the assist to Malique Ewin who worked his way completely clear of any defender for the slam, 8-5. Taylor Bol Bowen grabs the defensive rebound, finds no one caring to guard him, and goes the length of the floor for the turnaround floater, 10-9. Bol Bowen left totally unguarded (and for good reason) as he pulls up at the arc and cans the three, 17-23. Ewin's dribble drive to the left of the lane for the lay up, 25-39. Again Bol Bowen intercepting the pass immediately after a Seminole turnover and gets the pass off to a teammate as he is falling to the floor. Chandler Jackson finding Dequan Davis on the fast break for the lay up plus the foul, 57-69;. Watkins gets the pass to Davis for the lay up, 73-77.
The Bad
FSU falls to 3-1 on the season. Coming into the game FSU had lost three straight with two of the three losses by double digits. Make that 4 straight and three of four losses on the high side of ten. FSU's last lead was early in the game at 10-9.
Coming into the game that other team was averaging just 26% from the arc. By the half, the gatros were 7-15 (47%) from the arc finishing the game 10-28 (35%). Apparently perimeter defense is an issue for FSU as well.
In his pre game interview, Leonard Hamilton's keys to the game were cutting down on turnovers, pass more, and raise their FT %. Cut turnovers, check. Pass more , 185 when the staff is looking for 225, no check. And do better at the line, just 62% (13-21), no check. Apparently this squad is not familiar with Meatloaf.
Hamilton is still looking for the team's offense to be more in sync. Making a few more of those numerous missed shots in the paint tonight would improve that.
Ewin with four turnovers, two very early in the game. He needs to get off to better starts to the games. He did finish with 10 points and 4 boards.
Question for Bostyn Holt. How do you not know coming out of a timeout that time is short and you better launch the shot like right now and not be holding the ball as the shot clock sounds?
The second unit had their struggles when they came into the game at the first official timeout. The gatros offense ripped them to shreds.
The Ugly
Hamilton said it best after the game. FSU cannot continue to get outrebounded this badly and expect to win games. Tonight the 'Noles were beaten on the boards, 47-29. Indicative on how bad it was, the gatros in the second half had three offensive boards on one possession. After the fourth shot, did FSU get the rebound? Nooooooo, they picked up a loose ball foul.
Watkins and FT shooting. Last season he was somewhere in the mid 80% from the stripe. He is far worse than that this season with tonight being the low point in four games. He was a miserable 5-11.
Attendance was announced as 9,700 plus. Sure did not look like it. Or were they all stuffed into the upper deck?
Whoever wrote in one of the scouting reports I read that this game was the 24th meeting between the two teams. Yeah .............. in this century!!!!!!
Up Next
Hofstra comes to Tallahassee on Tuesday. A 7 PM tip, the game will be aired on the ACCNX. Hofstra appears to be a pretty good team currently sitting at 3-0 having beaten Iona and Seton Hall. And oh yes, Old Westbury (as opposed to New Westbury). They have three players averaging double figures with Jean Aranguren leading the team with 18-7 ppg.
The Good
What looked like it was going to be a big blow out with the 20th ranked gatros leading by as many as 18 points midway through the first half, turned into a close contest with just 2:23 left. A 6-0 FSU run closed the gap to just four points, 77-73. Unfortunately the shots would not fall in those last two minutes. Meanwhile the gatros went on a 10-0 run making ridiculous shots such as the banked three by Sam Alexis right before the shot clock sounded. It was a common theme for the Seminoles this season so far where they struggled in the first half trailing 44-31 and then turned up their game in the second period. FSU came out of the locker room with a little more cohesiveness closing the gap to 8 and 9 points multiple times before making it just a four point deficit.
Pressure defense forced the veteran guards of that other team into 19 turnovers resulting in 16 points, most of which were scored in the second half. That other team in its first three games had been taking care of the ball very well. On the flip side, FSU took care of the ball committing just 8 miscues.
Jamir Watkins. After a very rough start offensively, Watkins ended up with 19 points and 7 rebounds. And that was with major foul trouble in the second half. Credit him for managing to stay in the game after picking up his fourth foul with just under eight minutes left.
Three point shooting. Coming into the game, FSU was averaging a miserable 21% from the arc. Tonight the 'Noles were 7-20 (35%). Perimeter defense is a short coming of the gatros and FSU took advantage of it.
FSU's defense holding the gatros under their season scoring average of 88.3 ppg. (Yes, that was sarcasm.)
Plays of the game: Watkins with the assist to Malique Ewin who worked his way completely clear of any defender for the slam, 8-5. Taylor Bol Bowen grabs the defensive rebound, finds no one caring to guard him, and goes the length of the floor for the turnaround floater, 10-9. Bol Bowen left totally unguarded (and for good reason) as he pulls up at the arc and cans the three, 17-23. Ewin's dribble drive to the left of the lane for the lay up, 25-39. Again Bol Bowen intercepting the pass immediately after a Seminole turnover and gets the pass off to a teammate as he is falling to the floor. Chandler Jackson finding Dequan Davis on the fast break for the lay up plus the foul, 57-69;. Watkins gets the pass to Davis for the lay up, 73-77.
The Bad
FSU falls to 3-1 on the season. Coming into the game FSU had lost three straight with two of the three losses by double digits. Make that 4 straight and three of four losses on the high side of ten. FSU's last lead was early in the game at 10-9.
Coming into the game that other team was averaging just 26% from the arc. By the half, the gatros were 7-15 (47%) from the arc finishing the game 10-28 (35%). Apparently perimeter defense is an issue for FSU as well.
In his pre game interview, Leonard Hamilton's keys to the game were cutting down on turnovers, pass more, and raise their FT %. Cut turnovers, check. Pass more , 185 when the staff is looking for 225, no check. And do better at the line, just 62% (13-21), no check. Apparently this squad is not familiar with Meatloaf.
Hamilton is still looking for the team's offense to be more in sync. Making a few more of those numerous missed shots in the paint tonight would improve that.
Ewin with four turnovers, two very early in the game. He needs to get off to better starts to the games. He did finish with 10 points and 4 boards.
Question for Bostyn Holt. How do you not know coming out of a timeout that time is short and you better launch the shot like right now and not be holding the ball as the shot clock sounds?
The second unit had their struggles when they came into the game at the first official timeout. The gatros offense ripped them to shreds.
The Ugly
Hamilton said it best after the game. FSU cannot continue to get outrebounded this badly and expect to win games. Tonight the 'Noles were beaten on the boards, 47-29. Indicative on how bad it was, the gatros in the second half had three offensive boards on one possession. After the fourth shot, did FSU get the rebound? Nooooooo, they picked up a loose ball foul.
Watkins and FT shooting. Last season he was somewhere in the mid 80% from the stripe. He is far worse than that this season with tonight being the low point in four games. He was a miserable 5-11.
Attendance was announced as 9,700 plus. Sure did not look like it. Or were they all stuffed into the upper deck?
Whoever wrote in one of the scouting reports I read that this game was the 24th meeting between the two teams. Yeah .............. in this century!!!!!!
Up Next
Hofstra comes to Tallahassee on Tuesday. A 7 PM tip, the game will be aired on the ACCNX. Hofstra appears to be a pretty good team currently sitting at 3-0 having beaten Iona and Seton Hall. And oh yes, Old Westbury (as opposed to New Westbury). They have three players averaging double figures with Jean Aranguren leading the team with 18-7 ppg.
