FSU 77 VT 74 The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good
With the come from behind and hold them off at the end win, FSU improves to 8-6 overall, 2-1 ACC. Virginia Tech came into the game losing 11 of its last 12 games in Tallahassee. Make that 12 of their last 13. But it wasn't easy. FSU trailed by as much as nine, 41-32, with 15:53 to play. A 14-0 run by the Seminoles erased that lead with the 'Noles eventually stretching out the margin to ten, 73-63. It was hold on for dear life after that. With FSU leading by seven and 1:30 left to play, VT ate into the lead while the 'Noles had multiple chances to close out the win from the FT line. Instead FSU was 1-4 at the stripe with Primo Spears missing both FTs and just 13 seconds remaining. FSU led 74-72 at that point. On the ensuing possession Baba Miller picked up his fifth foul against a driving Sean Padulla who was probably trying for the lay up plus the foul. Fortunately he did not make the basket. But Padulla sank both to tie the game with 5.6 seconds on the clock. VT, forced to foul, put the 'Noles at the line. FSU made 3 or 4 with Taylor Bol Bowen purposely missing his second FT in order to run off the final 1.2 seconds.
Faced with the adversity of possibly blowing its third lead of the season (UGA and UNC being the two this season), Leonard Hamilton commented in the post game that he saw confidence in his players. Even though there were mistakes made late in the game on the defensive end, he felt there was no panic in his squad despite the late push by VT.
Tech coming into the game was 5-0 when connecting on 10 or more three point shots. Tonight the Hokies made 11 from the arc. Make that 5-1 on the season.
Better offensive continuity. In the first half the 'Noles on offense looked like they were pressing and trying to do too much. That was reflected in just two assists in the first 20 minutes. That changed in the second period as the 'Noles were playing their pace but doing so more controlled and fluid with their passes often to cutters to the basket. The result was nearly 50 points in the paint and the Seminoles logging 13 assists in that period.
Not to overlook the defense. OK, VT was blistering the nets from inside and out. The Hokies shot 49% from the floor and 11-23 (47%) from the arc. Padulla and Hunter Cattoor combined for 45 points. You expect that from them. They are good shooters. Maybe not that many points as both were well over their season averages. But clearly a big part of the defensive game plan was to stop their leading scorer C Lynn Kidd (16 ppg, 68% avg). Mission accomplished. The trade off saw the Seminole defense shut down passing lanes to the post limiting Kidd to just 1-5 and two points. Key in that was Baba Miller. Although he fouled out late in the game, Miller grabbed 10 boards, dished out 3 assists, scored 8 points, and nabbed 3 steals while doing the bulk of work in the post.
FSU leads ACC in steals at 9.23 per game. The defense was excellent once again in that area logging eight thefts.
The bench coming thru once again with 39 points to just 14 for VT. Reserves Spears, Cameron Corhen, and Justin Gainey each with 11. Starter Darin Green added 10 points.
Plays of the game: Darin Green with multiple threes from the 22 foot plus range. Jalen Warley with the one handed put back tomahawk slam dunk, 27-30. The half court defense on the last VT possession before intermission forcing an off balance low percentage jumper. Trailing 41-32, the 7-0 run punctuated by Corhen's fast break slam dunk. Kidd's back to back turnovers. Miller's missed FT resulting in several ORBs eventually leading to Warley swooping into the lane and the lay up followed by Watkins' slam dunk off a Miller assist giving FSU its first lead since the first half, 50-48. Miller's twisting while falling away from the basket floater during a 14-0 Seminole run. A falling Spears hoists the shot high off the glass plus the foul for a 71-63 lead. Watkins and his coast to coast dribble drive lay up for FSU's largest lead, 73-63.
The Bad
If you have watched ACC basketball for any length of time, you know the name Jamie Luckie. FSU had the misfortune of having him referee in tonight's game. And he did not disappoint. Perhaps the most egregious of his calls was on Warley, his 4th. Padulla twists his ankle and falls to the court. Meanwhile Warley takes a swipe at the ball. Replay showed it was a clean swipe. Oh contraire said Mr. Luckie. Foul on Warley. Or maybe it was Watkins' reverse pivot that our man Luck called carrying the ball. It came at a crucial moment in the final seconds of the game. Fortunately it did not cost FSU in the end.
Memo to Jalen Warley: Please stop fouling three point shooters. Second game in a row you've done that now.
The 10-0 VT run giving the Hokies a 25-17 lead.
The Ugly
From 14:06 to the 8:41 mark of the first with no FGs by the 'Noles.
Padulla lighting up the Seminoles for 26 points. When he went to the bench well into the second period, that prompted radio color analyst Adrian Crawford to comment, "Thank God". That rather summed up how badly the sharp shooter was ripping the Seminole defense.
At one point midway thru the first half, both teams combined for a stellar 0 of 11 from the floor.
FSU three point shooting. In the first half the 'Noles shot an abysmal 1 of 8. It did improve in the second half ......... to 2 of 7. Thankfully FSU shot 54% from inside the arc.
Well, at least there were more fans in the seats than the previous two games. Moving in the right direction I suppose.
Up Next
Florida State finishes its seven game home stand hosting Wake Forest on Tuesday with tip off at 7 PM. The Demon Deacons, 11-3, 3-0, earlier today beat the Miami Hurricanes in overtime, 86-82. Head coach Steve Forbes has pieced together another quality team that boasts four double digit scorers led by Hunter (what is it with all these Hunters ... was there a fire sale on that name 20 some odd years ago?) Solis is tied for fifth in scoring in the ACC at 18.38 ppg. The game will be shown on the ACCN.
The Good
With the come from behind and hold them off at the end win, FSU improves to 8-6 overall, 2-1 ACC. Virginia Tech came into the game losing 11 of its last 12 games in Tallahassee. Make that 12 of their last 13. But it wasn't easy. FSU trailed by as much as nine, 41-32, with 15:53 to play. A 14-0 run by the Seminoles erased that lead with the 'Noles eventually stretching out the margin to ten, 73-63. It was hold on for dear life after that. With FSU leading by seven and 1:30 left to play, VT ate into the lead while the 'Noles had multiple chances to close out the win from the FT line. Instead FSU was 1-4 at the stripe with Primo Spears missing both FTs and just 13 seconds remaining. FSU led 74-72 at that point. On the ensuing possession Baba Miller picked up his fifth foul against a driving Sean Padulla who was probably trying for the lay up plus the foul. Fortunately he did not make the basket. But Padulla sank both to tie the game with 5.6 seconds on the clock. VT, forced to foul, put the 'Noles at the line. FSU made 3 or 4 with Taylor Bol Bowen purposely missing his second FT in order to run off the final 1.2 seconds.
Faced with the adversity of possibly blowing its third lead of the season (UGA and UNC being the two this season), Leonard Hamilton commented in the post game that he saw confidence in his players. Even though there were mistakes made late in the game on the defensive end, he felt there was no panic in his squad despite the late push by VT.
Tech coming into the game was 5-0 when connecting on 10 or more three point shots. Tonight the Hokies made 11 from the arc. Make that 5-1 on the season.
Better offensive continuity. In the first half the 'Noles on offense looked like they were pressing and trying to do too much. That was reflected in just two assists in the first 20 minutes. That changed in the second period as the 'Noles were playing their pace but doing so more controlled and fluid with their passes often to cutters to the basket. The result was nearly 50 points in the paint and the Seminoles logging 13 assists in that period.
Not to overlook the defense. OK, VT was blistering the nets from inside and out. The Hokies shot 49% from the floor and 11-23 (47%) from the arc. Padulla and Hunter Cattoor combined for 45 points. You expect that from them. They are good shooters. Maybe not that many points as both were well over their season averages. But clearly a big part of the defensive game plan was to stop their leading scorer C Lynn Kidd (16 ppg, 68% avg). Mission accomplished. The trade off saw the Seminole defense shut down passing lanes to the post limiting Kidd to just 1-5 and two points. Key in that was Baba Miller. Although he fouled out late in the game, Miller grabbed 10 boards, dished out 3 assists, scored 8 points, and nabbed 3 steals while doing the bulk of work in the post.
FSU leads ACC in steals at 9.23 per game. The defense was excellent once again in that area logging eight thefts.
The bench coming thru once again with 39 points to just 14 for VT. Reserves Spears, Cameron Corhen, and Justin Gainey each with 11. Starter Darin Green added 10 points.
Plays of the game: Darin Green with multiple threes from the 22 foot plus range. Jalen Warley with the one handed put back tomahawk slam dunk, 27-30. The half court defense on the last VT possession before intermission forcing an off balance low percentage jumper. Trailing 41-32, the 7-0 run punctuated by Corhen's fast break slam dunk. Kidd's back to back turnovers. Miller's missed FT resulting in several ORBs eventually leading to Warley swooping into the lane and the lay up followed by Watkins' slam dunk off a Miller assist giving FSU its first lead since the first half, 50-48. Miller's twisting while falling away from the basket floater during a 14-0 Seminole run. A falling Spears hoists the shot high off the glass plus the foul for a 71-63 lead. Watkins and his coast to coast dribble drive lay up for FSU's largest lead, 73-63.
The Bad
If you have watched ACC basketball for any length of time, you know the name Jamie Luckie. FSU had the misfortune of having him referee in tonight's game. And he did not disappoint. Perhaps the most egregious of his calls was on Warley, his 4th. Padulla twists his ankle and falls to the court. Meanwhile Warley takes a swipe at the ball. Replay showed it was a clean swipe. Oh contraire said Mr. Luckie. Foul on Warley. Or maybe it was Watkins' reverse pivot that our man Luck called carrying the ball. It came at a crucial moment in the final seconds of the game. Fortunately it did not cost FSU in the end.
Memo to Jalen Warley: Please stop fouling three point shooters. Second game in a row you've done that now.
The 10-0 VT run giving the Hokies a 25-17 lead.
The Ugly
From 14:06 to the 8:41 mark of the first with no FGs by the 'Noles.
Padulla lighting up the Seminoles for 26 points. When he went to the bench well into the second period, that prompted radio color analyst Adrian Crawford to comment, "Thank God". That rather summed up how badly the sharp shooter was ripping the Seminole defense.
At one point midway thru the first half, both teams combined for a stellar 0 of 11 from the floor.
FSU three point shooting. In the first half the 'Noles shot an abysmal 1 of 8. It did improve in the second half ......... to 2 of 7. Thankfully FSU shot 54% from inside the arc.
Well, at least there were more fans in the seats than the previous two games. Moving in the right direction I suppose.
Up Next
Florida State finishes its seven game home stand hosting Wake Forest on Tuesday with tip off at 7 PM. The Demon Deacons, 11-3, 3-0, earlier today beat the Miami Hurricanes in overtime, 86-82. Head coach Steve Forbes has pieced together another quality team that boasts four double digit scorers led by Hunter (what is it with all these Hunters ... was there a fire sale on that name 20 some odd years ago?) Solis is tied for fifth in scoring in the ACC at 18.38 ppg. The game will be shown on the ACCN.
