FSU 87 WF 82 The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good
The last time Wake Forest lost a game this season was on November 16th, 2023. A string of 9 straight wins followed, the 5th longest streak in the country. Make that January 9th, 2024 as their last loss as Florida State ends the Demon Deacons winning streak and hands them their first conference loss. The Seminoles improve their overall record to 9-6. The 3-1 conference record is currently good for 2nd place. Turning defense into offense, FSU's calling card, was in full display as the 'Noles forced the Deacs into a season high 20 turnovers. The Seminoles converted those miscues into 22 points. With 14:01 to play, FSU had its largest lead of the game, 56-43. The Deacs were not about to go away chipping away at that lead eventually leading 69-67 with just over six minutes to play. One minute later FSU took the lead back, 72-69, and held a four to eight point lead down to 32 seconds left in the game. A Kevin (or Boopsie as he is called) Miller's jumper closed it a three point game, 83-80. The Seminoles held them off via the FT line connecting on all four attempts. In fact FTs were key from the 6:04 mark as FSU shot 13-15 from the stripe. For the game, the 'Noles were 24-30 (80%). It was a game where both teams made runs throughout the game, but FSU had the run that counted the most, the last one of the game.
A win by committee as Leonard Hamilton called it after the game. Everyone that played found a way to contribute something.
Jamir Watkins leading the team with 19 points that included 11-11 from the charity stripe. Darin Green add 17 and Baba Miller with 14.
Career highs: Miller's 14 points adding 3 blocked shots. A career high in steals (5) for Darin Green who moved into 14th place in the FSU record books for three pointers made passing Theron Mayes. In the last three games, Green has recorded 10 steals. A career high in assists for Jalen Warley with 9.
The bench with 26 points to 13 for WF's bench which consisted of just Parker Friedrichsen who was the only reserve Deacon to score any points.
Hunter Sallis with only 10 points, 8 points below his average. The Seminole defense once again focused on preventing the opponent's leading scorer as many touches as they could. Did the same with Andrew Carr with just 4 points, nine. below his average. Miller's 21 and Cameron Hildrith's 25 were just not enough to offset the defensive performance of the Seminoles.
Plays of the game: Darin Green's first three in the game from the right wing putting him in 14th place all time at FSU, 7-5. The 10-0 FSU run highlighted by Watkins' blocked shot on Sallis as he tried to go coast to coast for the lay up. Miller's banked three pointer from above the key, 15-10. The inbound pass from Warley to Watkins under the basket for the slam dunk, 25-15. It was followed immediately by Darin Green's run out lay up, 27-15 to end a 7-0 FSU run. Darin Green deflects a pass to the WF backcourt and taps it farther down the floor to Miller who pulls up for the three, 40-38 FSU. Warley passes to the left wing to Miller who passes back to Warley. The Wake defense gets caught watching the ball as Miller circles down to under the basket and sinks the FG with his back to the basket. Plus the foul, 51-43 FSU. The 14-0 run to give FSU the 56-43 lead. Justin Gainey with the blocked shot from behind on the point blank lay up by Boopsie Miller. Darin Green's steal blazing coast to coast for the slam dunk, 82-72 FSU.
Radio color analyst Adrian Crawford's assessment of the officiating after Warley was whistled for a very questionable foul. "These refs are calling fouls on plays they could not do when they played."
The Bad
Warley absolutely hammered under the basket and no call prompting Crawford to comment "these guys are awful". Been watching them longer than you Adrian. You are not telling me or many of us something we did not already know.
The 17-5 WF run to tie the game in the first half at 32 all erasing a 12 point FSU lead.
The defensive lapse at the end of the half when Hildreth went unchallenged coast to coast and his turnaround jumper pulling the Deacs to within one, 42-41.
The 9-0 WF run that gave the Deacs that 69-67 late lead. FSU went more than three minutes without a FG. It was one of the few stretches where FSU did not execute, something Hamilton said post game needs to be cleaned up although he was generally pleased with his team's performance.
The Ugly
More humorous than ugly, Jeff Culhane's comment at the start of the game, "Its a late arriving crowd". Very late that was announced at just over 5,000.OK, there was a storm earlier in the day and school was closed.
In the 1st 4:09 of the game WF shot 22% from the floor and 0-4 from the arc. Come to think of it, that's a good thing. But if you are a WF fan, it was ugly.
After yet another illegal screen called on FSU, to say Hamilton was animated on the sideline during the timeout would be an understatement.
The TV graphic showing time remaining and the score that went haywire. The clock decided to get stuck on 1:56 remaining as play was continuing. It was "fixed" with less thana minute to play. However the score now read 0-0. Must have been a result of the storm.
Up Next
FSU will take to the road after its seven game homestand traveling to balmy South Bend where they are expecting a foot of snow on Saturday. Tip off is at 2:15 with the game to be aired on the CW network (where I understand the announcing is not exactly stellar). Currently Notre Dame, 6-9, 1-3, is going to overtime at GT. ND is attempting to win its first road game since February of 2022. The Irish are clearly struggling, but they did put a 76-54 pasting on UVa earlier this season.
The Good
The last time Wake Forest lost a game this season was on November 16th, 2023. A string of 9 straight wins followed, the 5th longest streak in the country. Make that January 9th, 2024 as their last loss as Florida State ends the Demon Deacons winning streak and hands them their first conference loss. The Seminoles improve their overall record to 9-6. The 3-1 conference record is currently good for 2nd place. Turning defense into offense, FSU's calling card, was in full display as the 'Noles forced the Deacs into a season high 20 turnovers. The Seminoles converted those miscues into 22 points. With 14:01 to play, FSU had its largest lead of the game, 56-43. The Deacs were not about to go away chipping away at that lead eventually leading 69-67 with just over six minutes to play. One minute later FSU took the lead back, 72-69, and held a four to eight point lead down to 32 seconds left in the game. A Kevin (or Boopsie as he is called) Miller's jumper closed it a three point game, 83-80. The Seminoles held them off via the FT line connecting on all four attempts. In fact FTs were key from the 6:04 mark as FSU shot 13-15 from the stripe. For the game, the 'Noles were 24-30 (80%). It was a game where both teams made runs throughout the game, but FSU had the run that counted the most, the last one of the game.
A win by committee as Leonard Hamilton called it after the game. Everyone that played found a way to contribute something.
Jamir Watkins leading the team with 19 points that included 11-11 from the charity stripe. Darin Green add 17 and Baba Miller with 14.
Career highs: Miller's 14 points adding 3 blocked shots. A career high in steals (5) for Darin Green who moved into 14th place in the FSU record books for three pointers made passing Theron Mayes. In the last three games, Green has recorded 10 steals. A career high in assists for Jalen Warley with 9.
The bench with 26 points to 13 for WF's bench which consisted of just Parker Friedrichsen who was the only reserve Deacon to score any points.
Hunter Sallis with only 10 points, 8 points below his average. The Seminole defense once again focused on preventing the opponent's leading scorer as many touches as they could. Did the same with Andrew Carr with just 4 points, nine. below his average. Miller's 21 and Cameron Hildrith's 25 were just not enough to offset the defensive performance of the Seminoles.
Plays of the game: Darin Green's first three in the game from the right wing putting him in 14th place all time at FSU, 7-5. The 10-0 FSU run highlighted by Watkins' blocked shot on Sallis as he tried to go coast to coast for the lay up. Miller's banked three pointer from above the key, 15-10. The inbound pass from Warley to Watkins under the basket for the slam dunk, 25-15. It was followed immediately by Darin Green's run out lay up, 27-15 to end a 7-0 FSU run. Darin Green deflects a pass to the WF backcourt and taps it farther down the floor to Miller who pulls up for the three, 40-38 FSU. Warley passes to the left wing to Miller who passes back to Warley. The Wake defense gets caught watching the ball as Miller circles down to under the basket and sinks the FG with his back to the basket. Plus the foul, 51-43 FSU. The 14-0 run to give FSU the 56-43 lead. Justin Gainey with the blocked shot from behind on the point blank lay up by Boopsie Miller. Darin Green's steal blazing coast to coast for the slam dunk, 82-72 FSU.
Radio color analyst Adrian Crawford's assessment of the officiating after Warley was whistled for a very questionable foul. "These refs are calling fouls on plays they could not do when they played."
The Bad
Warley absolutely hammered under the basket and no call prompting Crawford to comment "these guys are awful". Been watching them longer than you Adrian. You are not telling me or many of us something we did not already know.
The 17-5 WF run to tie the game in the first half at 32 all erasing a 12 point FSU lead.
The defensive lapse at the end of the half when Hildreth went unchallenged coast to coast and his turnaround jumper pulling the Deacs to within one, 42-41.
The 9-0 WF run that gave the Deacs that 69-67 late lead. FSU went more than three minutes without a FG. It was one of the few stretches where FSU did not execute, something Hamilton said post game needs to be cleaned up although he was generally pleased with his team's performance.
The Ugly
More humorous than ugly, Jeff Culhane's comment at the start of the game, "Its a late arriving crowd". Very late that was announced at just over 5,000.OK, there was a storm earlier in the day and school was closed.
In the 1st 4:09 of the game WF shot 22% from the floor and 0-4 from the arc. Come to think of it, that's a good thing. But if you are a WF fan, it was ugly.
After yet another illegal screen called on FSU, to say Hamilton was animated on the sideline during the timeout would be an understatement.
The TV graphic showing time remaining and the score that went haywire. The clock decided to get stuck on 1:56 remaining as play was continuing. It was "fixed" with less thana minute to play. However the score now read 0-0. Must have been a result of the storm.
Up Next
FSU will take to the road after its seven game homestand traveling to balmy South Bend where they are expecting a foot of snow on Saturday. Tip off is at 2:15 with the game to be aired on the CW network (where I understand the announcing is not exactly stellar). Currently Notre Dame, 6-9, 1-3, is going to overtime at GT. ND is attempting to win its first road game since February of 2022. The Irish are clearly struggling, but they did put a 76-54 pasting on UVa earlier this season.
