FSU 76 UVa 80 The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good
An entertaining game to be sure even if the outcome was disappointing. This was not your usual slog fest that a Virginia game can often turn into.
A season high for Jamir Watkins with 21 points. A career high for Chandler Jackson with 17 points. I guess he was amped up after sitting the last two games.
How often do you see anybody shoot 51% like FSU did tonight against a UVa defense?
By my count, Florida State scored 32 points in the paint. Against a team that uses the Pack Line defense designed to keep the opponent out of the lane.
And by attacking the rim, FSU drew fouls because the Cavaliers don't mind contact on defense. They are downright annoying with their physical play. But FSU handled it pretty well and connected on 26 of 32 (78%) from the line. Amazingly, UVa fouled Tom House taking a three point with :04 left and trailing 79-75. House made the first but missed the second forcing him to intentionally miss the third attempt. FSU was unable to get the rebound and essentially ended the game save for one more Cavalier FT.
Just 9 turnovers for the Seminoles. Unfortunately just 8 assists.
When it looked like the game might be getting away from the 'Noles, FSU closed it to 54-52 at the 8:24 mark and 77-75 with 11 seconds left giving the Seminoles a chance at the W. Credit UVa for answering those charges by the 'Noles. It was not as if FSU played poor defense. UVa plays a patient offense and executed their offense very well by moving the ball around waiting for the defense to make a mistake. UVa is very good at running their offense.
Notable plays of the game: De'Ante Green with the out of nowhere block from behind of Reece Beekman's point blank lay up. The bounce pass by UVa to the right block caught by ......... by NO ONE!!! Love those plays. When it is the other team. Leonard Hamilton going to a zone on UVa's last possession of the half. It threw their offense offense so much that ball ended up in the hands of an 18% three point shooter. He of course missed. Miller's blocked shot that forced the shot clock violation. Jackson's gaining control of the ball off Miller's blocked shot, taking it coast to coast for the lay up to finish a 9-0 FSU run, 54-52.
The Bad
FSU falls to 13-10, 7-5 and misses another opportunity to put a quality win on its resume. UVa takes a 29-28 lead in the series (10-17 in Tallahassee) and Tony Bennett's record vs the 'Noles improves to 12-11 . Coming into the game, Virginia was 17-0 when leading at halftime. Make that 18-0 as the Cavs led 34-30 at the break. More disappointing is FSU's 7-6 record at home this season. The days of the 'Noles owning the home court have disappeared.
The Seminoles have no room for error now. My prediction weeks ago was FSU needed 15 ACC wins to reach 21 wins for the season in order to be considered for the NCAA tournament. With just eight games left in the regular season, the 'Noles cannot afford another loss. The schedule is not exactly conducive for running the table.
Blackman with the steal and coast to coast lay up that saw a less than energetic hustle back to defend on the play, 32-26.
After pulling to within two, 54-52, Virginia went off on a 15-5 run to lead 69-57 and make the Seminoles start all over again trying to catch up.
Watkins and his bullet pass to the lane. You could tell it was a bullet pass as it whizzed by his teammate's head at light speed. Better I suppose than the lazy pass by Tom House that was picked off and taken the other way for two points.
The Ugly
The arc. UVa 10-18 (56%) FSU 2-16 (13%) And therein lies the difference in the game. More specifically, Isaac McKneely who blistered the Seminoles for a career high 27 points (he averages 11.6 ppg) with 15 of those points coming from behind the arc. And when we say behind the arc, we mean BEHIND the arc as McKneely made most if not all those from miles in back of the line. It was his DEEP three from the left wing with :56 left that put FSU down 75-68 making it a difficult task to pull off the comeback. Meanwhile, that supposedly great shooting team according to Hamilton, was once again anything but. In their last three games, FSU has shot 10-54 from the arc. That's 18% for those keeping score at home. Darin Green was particularly horrid in this latest outing going 0-6 from distance. That ends a 14 game streak in which he scored multiple three pointers.
As soon as I saw Jamie Luckie was part of the officiating crew, I knew it was going to be "interesting". And it was and neither coach was pleased. I have no clue what he was seeing when he whistled Jalen Warley for the foul against Beekman. If anything it was Beekman's foreman pushing out (a foul not called btw) into Warley's chest. Then right after that, Warley gets bumped not once but twice on his lay up and no call. Same goes for Watkins with the body contact he took on a basket as well as Baba Miller also twice on a lay up, 54-43.
Invisible Man Award goes to Primo Spears. Believe it or not, he played 17 minutes but contributed very little tonight. Just 2 rebounds and 1 assist. His most memorable play of the game was Spears with the ball on a break and instead of driving to the rim, he pulled up at the left elbow and took the jumper that of course missed.
Up Next
FSU goes back on the road to Virginia Tech (13-10, 5-7). Earlier in the day, the Hokies lost to last place Notre Dame, 74-66. It's a late tip off scheduled at 9 PM on Tuesday and to be broadcast on The U. VT will be looking for payback after losing previously this season to FSU, 77-74, in which the 'Noles had to hang on to get the victory.
The Good
An entertaining game to be sure even if the outcome was disappointing. This was not your usual slog fest that a Virginia game can often turn into.
A season high for Jamir Watkins with 21 points. A career high for Chandler Jackson with 17 points. I guess he was amped up after sitting the last two games.
How often do you see anybody shoot 51% like FSU did tonight against a UVa defense?
By my count, Florida State scored 32 points in the paint. Against a team that uses the Pack Line defense designed to keep the opponent out of the lane.
And by attacking the rim, FSU drew fouls because the Cavaliers don't mind contact on defense. They are downright annoying with their physical play. But FSU handled it pretty well and connected on 26 of 32 (78%) from the line. Amazingly, UVa fouled Tom House taking a three point with :04 left and trailing 79-75. House made the first but missed the second forcing him to intentionally miss the third attempt. FSU was unable to get the rebound and essentially ended the game save for one more Cavalier FT.
Just 9 turnovers for the Seminoles. Unfortunately just 8 assists.
When it looked like the game might be getting away from the 'Noles, FSU closed it to 54-52 at the 8:24 mark and 77-75 with 11 seconds left giving the Seminoles a chance at the W. Credit UVa for answering those charges by the 'Noles. It was not as if FSU played poor defense. UVa plays a patient offense and executed their offense very well by moving the ball around waiting for the defense to make a mistake. UVa is very good at running their offense.
Notable plays of the game: De'Ante Green with the out of nowhere block from behind of Reece Beekman's point blank lay up. The bounce pass by UVa to the right block caught by ......... by NO ONE!!! Love those plays. When it is the other team. Leonard Hamilton going to a zone on UVa's last possession of the half. It threw their offense offense so much that ball ended up in the hands of an 18% three point shooter. He of course missed. Miller's blocked shot that forced the shot clock violation. Jackson's gaining control of the ball off Miller's blocked shot, taking it coast to coast for the lay up to finish a 9-0 FSU run, 54-52.
The Bad
FSU falls to 13-10, 7-5 and misses another opportunity to put a quality win on its resume. UVa takes a 29-28 lead in the series (10-17 in Tallahassee) and Tony Bennett's record vs the 'Noles improves to 12-11 . Coming into the game, Virginia was 17-0 when leading at halftime. Make that 18-0 as the Cavs led 34-30 at the break. More disappointing is FSU's 7-6 record at home this season. The days of the 'Noles owning the home court have disappeared.
The Seminoles have no room for error now. My prediction weeks ago was FSU needed 15 ACC wins to reach 21 wins for the season in order to be considered for the NCAA tournament. With just eight games left in the regular season, the 'Noles cannot afford another loss. The schedule is not exactly conducive for running the table.
Blackman with the steal and coast to coast lay up that saw a less than energetic hustle back to defend on the play, 32-26.
After pulling to within two, 54-52, Virginia went off on a 15-5 run to lead 69-57 and make the Seminoles start all over again trying to catch up.
Watkins and his bullet pass to the lane. You could tell it was a bullet pass as it whizzed by his teammate's head at light speed. Better I suppose than the lazy pass by Tom House that was picked off and taken the other way for two points.
The Ugly
The arc. UVa 10-18 (56%) FSU 2-16 (13%) And therein lies the difference in the game. More specifically, Isaac McKneely who blistered the Seminoles for a career high 27 points (he averages 11.6 ppg) with 15 of those points coming from behind the arc. And when we say behind the arc, we mean BEHIND the arc as McKneely made most if not all those from miles in back of the line. It was his DEEP three from the left wing with :56 left that put FSU down 75-68 making it a difficult task to pull off the comeback. Meanwhile, that supposedly great shooting team according to Hamilton, was once again anything but. In their last three games, FSU has shot 10-54 from the arc. That's 18% for those keeping score at home. Darin Green was particularly horrid in this latest outing going 0-6 from distance. That ends a 14 game streak in which he scored multiple three pointers.
As soon as I saw Jamie Luckie was part of the officiating crew, I knew it was going to be "interesting". And it was and neither coach was pleased. I have no clue what he was seeing when he whistled Jalen Warley for the foul against Beekman. If anything it was Beekman's foreman pushing out (a foul not called btw) into Warley's chest. Then right after that, Warley gets bumped not once but twice on his lay up and no call. Same goes for Watkins with the body contact he took on a basket as well as Baba Miller also twice on a lay up, 54-43.
Invisible Man Award goes to Primo Spears. Believe it or not, he played 17 minutes but contributed very little tonight. Just 2 rebounds and 1 assist. His most memorable play of the game was Spears with the ball on a break and instead of driving to the rim, he pulled up at the left elbow and took the jumper that of course missed.
Up Next
FSU goes back on the road to Virginia Tech (13-10, 5-7). Earlier in the day, the Hokies lost to last place Notre Dame, 74-66. It's a late tip off scheduled at 9 PM on Tuesday and to be broadcast on The U. VT will be looking for payback after losing previously this season to FSU, 77-74, in which the 'Noles had to hang on to get the victory.
