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TrueCubbie

Apr 30, 2008 Mar 11, 2012 196 4363

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Yes, Ryan Reid has made it to the big time. He was drafted in the second round of the 2010 NBA draft and has an article about him in the WSJ.

This is a very nice read about Ryan and OKC's opinion of him. A must read for any Seminole's fan (not just Seminole's hoops fans)

almost 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 12 comments

Ryan Reid was drafted with the #57 pick in the NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers and then promptly traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The folks over at Welcome to Loud City, the SBNation OKC Thunder blog, contacted us to learn about Ryan. Take a look at what we had to say.

almost 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 3 comments

Seriously? Ryan Reid has his best season yet, but to only be picked seven picks after seriously hyped Solomon Alabi.

Congrats to both of these guys and to Ryan for finishing his career at FSU.

I do wonder what information was told to Solomon and what was passed along to teams that he would drop that far, especially given the fact that so many other big men were taken before him.

Thoughts?

almost 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 17 comments

Solomon Alabi recently worked out with the Washington Wizards and 'Truth About It' put together a really nice feature piece about him that includes videos and interviews from the work out.

As today is Draft Day, it's a really nice read.

Where do you see Solomon going tonight? Draft coverage begins at 7pm EST.

almost 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 20 comments

We were recently approached by the folks at 'Welcome to Loud City,' SBNation's OKC Thunder Blog, to answer some questions about Solomon Alabi. Click on the title to see what we had to say.

What's your take on Alabi heading into the draft? Will he be available at #21 for the Oklahoma City Thunder?

about 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 6 comments

Congrats to Nolzfan06 on winning the second annual TNation Tournament Bracket Challenge. He had 5 of the Elite 8 correct, 2 of the Final Four correct and went with Duke to win it all.

TC finished 13th and Bud finished 82nd.

In other news, TC won the College Basketball Bloggers Bracket Sponsored by Ballinisahabit.net, in case you were wondering or cared.

Thanks to everyone for participating. (TC has consumed with work and life in general, apologies for the absence.)

about 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 8 comments

Tomahawk Nation Preview and Game Thread: Florida State Seminoles vs Gonzaga Bulldogs, 7:10pm EST

What a start to the tournament? Georgetown and Marquette fall. Multiple overtime games an nail biters galore. Tonight, the Florida State Seminoles take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs and hope to continue the madness. After a 22-9 season, a third place finish in the ACC with an early departure in the ACC tournament, the Seminoles earned a 9-seed in the NCAA Tournament and the opportunity to play the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Tonight, the Seminoles look to avoid another early tournament departure as they take on the 18th ranked Bulldogs.

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Game Time: 7:10pm EST

Opponent's Site: The Slipper Still Fits

Television: CBS

Live Stats: scacchoops.com

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930 comments  | 

Tomahawk Nation The Conversation: TNation Chats with The Slipper Still Fits about Friday's NCAA Tournament Game

As a part of this week's preview for Florida State's NCAA Tournament game, we had the opportunity to run some questions by the guys at 'The Slipper Still Fits,' SBNations Gonzaga blog. They do really great work at their site, so take a few minutes to check out their work. Our answers to their questions will be posted on their site. Gonzaga is a team that most of the country east of the Mississippi River is not very familiar with. This is a great discussion about what Florida State can expect on Friday.

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30 comments  | 

Are you up to the challenge? How far will you have the Seminoles go in the tournament? Sign up. It's free.

If you win, you'll be crowned the TNation March Madness Bracket Challenge Winner.

Make your SBNation ID your bracket name.

The password is: seminoles

about 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 22 comments

and head to Buffalo to take on the #8 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Duke, Maryland, Clemson, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech all join the Seminoles in the NCAA Tournament. Virginia Tech, who finished 4th in the ACC was left out.

about 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 119 comments

Tomahawk Nation Preview and Game Thread: NC State Wolfpack vs Florida State Seminoles, 9pm EST


Editor's Note: Sorry for the short preview, work has been consuming and this is all I have time for. Sorry it's up so late as well.

Mirroring the ACC regular season, the ACC tournament has already featured a number of upsets: NC State over Clemson, Miami getting two wins and Virginia snapping its losing streak. Tonight, the Seminoles have the opportunity to make up for a serious black mark on their conference schedule. NC State is 4-1 in their last five games including wins over Wake and Clemson. They are playing much better than they had in the middle of conference play. They are happy to play a down temp style of game and play great defense. Like the Seminoles, the Wolfpack's defense is their strength.

Four Factors:

 

NCAA Basketball

 

Stats (From Satsheet.com):



PPGFG%FT%3P%RPGORPGDRPGAPGTPGSPGBPGFPG
NCSU 68.0 44.1 68.7 33.6 35.2 11.6 23.6 13.8 13.2 6.4 4.6 17.9
FSU 69.0 45.7 64.9 34.2 37.9 12.5 25.4 14.1 16.7 8.4 6.3 17.8
NCSU Opponents 65.1 42.1 66.2 31.9 35.3 12.7 22.6 11.5 13.0 7.2 3.7 18.4
FSU Opponents 60.2 37.2 66.9 32.5 32.7 12.4 20.3 9.6 16.1 8.0 2.4 18.7

 



POSPPGPPPFLR%EffeFG%TS%FTR2P%FTP%3P%OR%DR%A%A/TT%S%B%
North-carolina-state NCSU 2117.0 66.2 1.03 52.6 102.8 49.0 52.5 37.1 55.5 20.6 23.9 34.0 65.0 56.8 1.04 20.0 9.7 8.1
Florida-state FSU 2043.0 68.1 1.01 52.7 101.4 51.2 53.9 39.0 54.6 19.8 25.6 38.2 67.1 57.0 0.85 24.5 12.3 11.3
North-carolina-state NCSU Opponents 2117.0 66.2 0.98 52.5 98.4 46.3 49.6 34.4 58.3 19.7 22.0 35.0 66.0 48.6 0.88 19.7 10.9 6.8
Florida-state FSU Opponents 2043.0 68.1 0.88 46.2 88.4 43.0 46.8 33.5 47.3 20.7 32.0 32.9 61.8 46.6 0.6 23.6 11.7 4.4

 

Lineups (From Seminoles.com)

NC State

F #15 Scott Wood (7.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg; 31 pts and 7 rebs vs. Florida State, Jan. 12, 2010)
F #23 Tracy Smith (17.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg; 7 pts and 8 rebs vs. Florida State, Jan. 12, 2010)
F #31 Dennis Horner (11.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg; 8 pts and 1 ast vs. Florida State, Jan. 12, 2010)
G #10 Javier Gonzalez (10.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg; 5 pts and 3 asts vs. Florida State, Jan. 12, 2010)
G #12 Farnold Degand (5.7 ppg, 2.5 apg; 13 pts and 2 asts vs. Florida State, Jan. 12, 2010)

Florida State

F #31 Chris Singleton (10.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg; Averaged 9.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg in 2009 ACC Tourn)
F #42 Ryan Reid (6.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg; Averaged 4.0 pts and 2.7 rpg in the 2009 ACC Tourn)
C #32 Solomon Alabi (11.6 ppg, 2.3 bpg; Averaged 11.6 ppg and 5.3 rpg in 2009 ACC Tourn)
G #21 Michael Snaer (8.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg; First career ACC Tournament)
G #22 Derwin Kitchen (8.3 ppg, 3.9 apg; Averaged 6.3 ppg and 6.0 rpg in the 2009 ACC Tourn)

Keys to the Game:

1. Get out to a good start. Duke came out slow. VTech came out slow. Do not give NC State any confidence.

2. Work the shot clock to get good shots early. Get good looks and make them count. This is going to be possession basketball. Do not waste any opportunities. Wear NC State down; they played late last night, take advantage of fresh legs.

3. No surprises. Don't let Scott Wood put up 31 points on you. No surprise heroes on the night.

4. Play to their weakness. The don't rebound well on the defensive glass. They allow a lot of steals. Hopefully the Noles will turn those steals into easy points in transition.

5. Great guard play. NC State is one of the bigger teams in the conference. Snaer, Dulkys, Kitchen and Loucks need to have a good game. Javier Gonzalez, NC State's point guard, is only 5'11. Don't make silly mistakes. NC State does not generate a lot of turnovers, so don't give them any advantage.

6. Do what you do well. If NC State doesn't shoot the ball well, they're in trouble. Florida State is one of the best teams in the country at defending shots, particularly in the paint. Focus on your strengths and play your game plan, not theirs.

 

Prediction: Seminoles 67 NC State 60

Game Time: 9pm EST

Television: ESPN2

Random Fact From Seminoles.com:

2009-10 FLORIDA STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL HONORS
Solomon Alabi All-ACC Third Team
ACC All-Defensive Team (ACSMA)
ACC All-Defensive team (Coaches / ACC Handbook)
Chris Singleton ACC Defensive Player of the Year
All-ACC Third Team
ACC All-Defensive Team (Coaches / ACC Handbook)
MVP Old Spice Classic (Florida State won team championship)
Michael Snaer ACC All-Rookie Team
ACC Rookie of the Week (Feb. 15)

 

Go NOLES!!!

366 comments  | 

Tomahawk Nation SBNation's Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Preview

The great thing about sports is that any team can win on any night. It doesn't matter if you're David or Goliath heading into the contest, you still have the opportunity to prove the experts right or wrong. The ACC proved many people wrong this year. The defending national champion sits at 5-11 in conference play, a seriously hyped Georgia Tech team finished in the middle of the pack, and the Maryland Terrapins are staring Duke in the face at the top of the standings. Many will consider this a down year for the ACC as the basketball elites are not sitting at the top of the standings together. If Duke and UNC aren't battling for the title, then it must be a bad year in the ACC. That may be the perception of the casual observer. However, the parity in the ACC this year may not be a reflection of its weakness, but highlighting the depth of the conference. Did anyone guess that Virginia would be hovering at the top of the standings as late as the beginning of February? That was the kind of the year that the ACC experienced.

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26 comments  |  2 recs | 

Tomahawk Nation Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Preview

The great thing about sports is that any team can win on any night. It doesn't matter if you're David or Goliath heading into the contest, you still have the opportunity to prove the experts right or wrong. The ACC proved many people wrong this year. The defending national champion sits at 5-11 in conference play, a seriously hyped Georgia Tech team finished in the middle of the pack, and the Maryland Terrapins are staring Duke in the face at the top of the standings. Many will consider this a down year for the ACC as the basketball elites are not sitting at the top of the standings together. If Duke and UNC aren't battling for the title, then it must be a bad year in the ACC. That may be the perception of the casual observer. However, the parity in the ACC this year may not be a reflection of its weakness, but highlighting the depth of the conference. Did anyone guess that Virginia would be hovering at the top of the standings as late as the beginning of February? That was the kind of the year that the ACC experienced. 

With all of the surprises that happened during conference play, anything could happen in this tournament. The fact that the seedings couldn't be decided until Sunday evening after the very last game in conference play should demonstrate what kind of tournament fans should expect. Outside of Duke and Maryland at the top, the middle of the ACC is a competitive pack of very physical teams that can win on any given night. It may not be the typical ACC basketball to which you are accustomed, but you'll see some hard fought games and likely a few upsets.

The Stakes

As of right now, it seems that Duke, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Florida State and Clemson are locks for the NCAA tournament. Though, a first game disaster for Virginia Tech, Florida State or Clemson could spell trouble, particularly in a year in which the ACC hasn't been viewed favorably. Highly unlikely that a first round exit will affect any of those teams. However, now that Clemson is the 6th seed in the tournament, they have work to do and will face Florida State in the second round if Clemson can take down NC State.

The teams that need to make a major run through the ACC tournament to get into the big dance are Wake Forest and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech finished their last ten games of conference play with a 4-6 record, including back to back losses to end the year. Tech started conference play with a bang upsetting Duke, but it seems that they got derailed as the season went on. Wake Forest finished the year with a 5-5 record, which included a four game losing streak in which the Demon Deacons lost to UNC at home. Both of these teams will need to make a serious run to make their case for the big dance.

Twelve Names You Likely Know

These twelve players represent the 12 household names in ACC basketball. You may not be familiar with some of these players if you don't follow ACC basketball regularly. This is simply a sampling of the quality of players that you will see in this tournament.

Jon Scheyer, Duke -- Senior, 6'5 190lbs Guard Jon Scheyer, the senior leader of the Duke Blue Devils is in discussions for both ACC player of the year and National Player of the Year. He boasts the 6th best offensive rating in the nation and has a ridiculous Assist/TO Ratio of 3.0. Scheyer can flat out shoot from anywhere on the court and watch out if he gets hot early. Once he starts drawing the double teams, it opens up a lot of options for the Blue Devils.

Greivis Vasquez, Maryland -- Senior, 6'6 190lbs Guard Vasquez has become one of the most polarizing figures in college basketball. However, he can back it up and has become one of the dominant players in the ACC and is certainly in discussion for ACC POY. He rarely comes of the court; he is a big physical guard that can score from anywhere on the floor. However, he knows his role and is able to distribute the ball well with an assist rate of 36.1%, not bad for a guy averaging 19.6 points per game.

Chris Singleton, Florida State --Sophomore, 6'9 227lbs Small Forward  Who would have thought that a 6'9 Small Forward would be leading the conference in steals? Singleton has earned his way into discussion for ACC Defensive Player of the Year as he is in the top ten for both steals and blocks. He's an athletic wing player that has the ability to put up big points. However, he is third in the conference in turnovers. He's happy toss up a three point shot from anywhere and is very athletic around the rim.

Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech -- Junior, 6'3 170lbs Guard Delaney is averaging 20.9 points per game, accounting for 27% of his team's total points on the year, scoring almost 200 points more than his teammate Dorenzo Hudson. Like Vasquez, Delaney can distribute the ball, averaging over four assists per game with an assist rate of 26.5%. He's more than happy to shoot the three or take it strong to the rim. He'll force you into mistakes and get the easy foul. He's averaging 7.1 fouls drawn per 40 minutes of game play.

Trevor Booker, Clemson -- Senior, 6'7 240lbs Forward Booker is an excellent all around player who is the key to Clemson's success. He has an offensive rating of 112.3, an eFG% of 53% and pulls down rebounds. He's averaging 15.3 points per game and is pulling down 8.3 rebounds. He is going to wear you down in the paint and is the emotional leader of the Tigers. Many considered him the pre-season favorite for the ACC Defensive player of the year.

Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest -- Sophomore, 6'9 215lbs Forward AFA didn't enter the NBA draft and is having a wonderful sophomore campaign for the Demon Deacons. He's averaging a double-double, scoring 15.9 points and pulling down 10.8 rebounds. In fact, he is one of the best offensive rebounders in the country with an OReb% of 14.6%. He's an outstanding defender and is the cornerstone of Wake's game plan.

Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech -- Junior, 6'9 234lbs Forward Lawal controls the pain on both ends of the court. He has a wonderful turn around jumper and is highly skilled at pulling down rebounds. Like most of the big men in the conference, he can get up and down the court and looks to score in transition. Georgia Tech likes to get him isolated on the post in transition off an opponent's miss. If he and Derrick Favors can dominate like they can, Georgia Tech could win a game or too and earn themselves a spot in the big dance.

Reggie Jackson, Boston College -- Sophomore, 6'3 200lbs Guard 12 points. 5.6 rebounds. 4.5 Assists. Not a bad stat line to have night in and night out in the ACC. Jackson runs the show in Chestnut Hill and is have a great sophomore season. Though, it seems that both his stats and minutes have been decreasing of late. Look for Joe Trapani, who could have easily been in this spot, to try and shoot the Eagles' way into the second round.

Deon Thompson, North Carolina -- Senior, 6'9 245lbs Forward Since Ed Davis' injury, Deon Thompson has taken over the paint for the Tarheels. He has been working the glass and trying to will this team to any victory possible. He's averaging 13.7 points per game and pulling down 6.2 rebounds per game. He is going to make your work inside and try to wear you down, forcing mistakes on the defensive end and allowing him to get to the line.

Tracy Smith, North Carolina State -- Junior, 6'8 247lbs Tracy Smith is a complete basketball player. 17 points per game. 7.7 rebounds. He has accounted for 24% of the Wolfpack's total offense and is without a doubt their leading rebounder. While there hasn't been a lot to cheer for at NC State this year, he is certainly a player to watch in the match up with Clemson.

Sylven Landesberg, Virginia -- Sophomore, 6'6 207lbs Guard Landesberg was last year's ACC Rookie of the Year. He is an outstanding guard who really is fun to watch. He is a gifted athlete and a prolific scorer. Though, it seems that the lack of depth

Dwayne Collins, Miami -- Senior, 6'8 238lbs Forward Collins sat out the season finale against Florida State, but is likely to return against Wake Forest. The Hurricanes need Collins. He was averaging 12 points per game and 7.8 rebounds. His eFG% is an out of this world 61.4%, meaning he earns his keep cleaning everything up around the basket. He is one the best offensive rebounders in the country, ranking 20th in the nation in OReb%.


Twelve Names You Likely Don't Know (But You Should)

These players may be familiar to you, hopefully many of them won't. These are some of the lesser known players who could have a significant impact on their teams' success in post-season play. Some are the number two player on the team, some are the second player off the bench, but you might be hearing their name a lot in the next few days.

Brian Zoubek, Duke -- Senior, 7'1 260lbs In tournament play, teams have to play possession basketball and not waste any opportunities. Zoubek is the best offensive rebounder in the country with an OReb% of 22.2%. His game play has picked up significantly in the past few games and will help the Blue Devils immensely. He only plays about 17 minutes a game, but he pulls down 7.3 rebounds per game.

Jordan Williams, Maryland -- 6'9 245lbs Freshman Williams has become a key inside presence for the Terrapins. Maryland is a relatively tall team, but have a great group of hybrid players. Williams has brought size and toughness to the paint. He has an O/DReb% of 12.9 and 22.5% respectively, playing him in the top 100 in the country for both stats. Plus, he doesn't turn the ball over and generates a lot of blocks. In a conference that has a lot of good front court players, Williams will be key to the Terps success.

Michael Snaer, Florida State -- 6'5 200lbs Freshman Florida State's highly regarded recruit is finally developing into the type of player that Florida State fans expected. He is one of the best off the ball defenders that Florida State has and has shown significant improvement as the season has gone on. He is a big guard that is happy to attack the rim. Many are saying he could develop into a Toney Douglas like player, but only bigger.

Jeff Allen, Virginia Tech -- Junior, 6'7 230lbs Forward Allen is Virginia Tech's workhorse in the middle. He's averaging 12.1 points per game while pulling down 7.3 boards per game and is particularly efficient on the defensive glass. Like Delaney, he'll get you in foul trouble early and is more than happy to steal the ball. He has a steal% of 4.0, which is excellent for a big man.

Devin Booker, Clemson -- Freshman, 6'8 235lbs Forward This is not a typo. Devin is Trevor's taller, younger brother, who quietly made major strides at the end of the year. He has an offensive rating of 101.2 and has an OReb/DReb% of 10.2 and 18.1. He only averages 11.5 minutes per game. But if big brother Trevor is in foul trouble, Devin needs to have a big game for the Tigers to move on in the tournament.

Ishmael (Ish) Smith, Wake Forest --Senior, 6'0 175lbs Guard Ish doubled his production from last year. He's averaging 13.3 points per game with six assists. He is one of the best distributors in the country and is having a great senior season for Wake. He has been consistent night in and night out for Wake and will need to continue his double digit point performances for to prevent Wake from being one and done.

Mfon Udofia, Georgia Tech -- Freshman, 6'2 187lbs Guard You already know about Derrick Favors, so why not learn about the Yellow Jackets' speedy freshman guard. Udofia surprised a lot of 'experts' with his early season success. Udofia started 25 games this year, but his minutes have significantly decreased of late, likely due to Iman Shumpert re-emergence. Shumpert is another name with which you should be familiar.

Corey Raji, Boston College -- Junior, 6'6 218lbs Forward Imagine BJ Raji but smaller. Yes, this is the BC's football star's younger brother. Corey is extremely efficient on the offensive end with an ORating of 117.1. His eFG% is an outstanding 53.8% and he's getting a lot of work done on the offensive glass, which is likely contributing to his high eFG%. He's the Eagles third leading scorer.

Larry Drew, North Carolina -- Sophomore, 6'2 180lbs Guard One of the biggest criticisms of the Tarheels this year has been their lack of leadership and depth at the guard position. Larry Drew must have a good game and stay out of foul trouble for the Tarheels to have any success. Dexter Strickland isn't ready quite yet and Marcus Ginyard is not a true point guard. Drew can be effective and is a very quick guard. Without him, the Tarheels struggle.

Javier Gonzalez, North Carolina State -- Junior, 5'11 175lbs Guard Gonzalez is an undersized guard that isn't afraid to mix it up with the big guys in the paint. He's scoring 10 points per game and averages 3.8 assists. He's most effective when he can penetrate the paint and dish the ball to Scott Wood, who is the Wolfpacks' best three point shooter.

Mike Scott, Virginia -- Junior, 6'8 239lbs Forward Scott is the second leader scorer for the Cavaliers. He is also their leading rebounder. Outside of Landesberg and Scott, the scoring is few and far between for Virginia. Scott gets all of his work done inside the paint.

James Dews, Miami -- Senior, 6'4 209lbs Guard Dews has attempted as many three point shots as he has two point shots. He is averaging 11.7 points per game and is shooting 39% from deep. Look for Dews or Adrian Thomas to try and shoot the long ball against Wake. unfortunately for the Hurricanes, the Demon Deacons are one of the best teams in the country at defending the three.

 

Tournament Outlook

Duke has the opportunity to add another ACC Championship to its storied history. However, Maryland has showed that they are the real deal. A final match up between the two schools could be a great close to conference tournament season on Sunday. Any team in the 3 to 7 range could end up in the finals. It will all depend on if any of these teams can score on a reliable basis. The ACC boasts some of the best defenses in the nation, so the could certainly be any number of upsets. It may not make for the most exciting basketball but it will keep interesting.

The Bracket (Adapted from theacc.com)

Game Matchup Time (EST)
TV Coverage
Opening Round: Thursday, March 11
#8 BC vs. #9 UVA Noon RAYCOM  
#5 Wake Forest vs. #12 Miami 2 p.m. RAYCOM  
#7 GTech vs. #10 UNC 7 p.m. ESPN2  
#6 Clemson vs. #11 NC State
9 p.m. RAYCOM  
Quarterfinals: Friday, March 12
#1 Duke vs. BC/UVA Winner Noon ESPN2  
#4 VTech vs. Wake/Miami Winner 2 p.m. ESPN2  
#2 MD vs. GTech/UNC Winner 7 p.m. ESPN2  
#3 FSU vs. Clemson/NC State Winner 9 p.m. ESPN2  
Semifinals: Saturday, March 13
Semifinal 1 1:30 p.m. ESPN  
Semifinal 2 3:30 p.m. ESPN  
Championship Game: Sunday, March 14
Championship Game 1 p.m. ESPN  


TrueCubbie blogs about the Florida State Seminoles at Tomahawk Nation

0 comments  | 

We were invited to write a piece arguing why Florida State should be in the NCAA tournament. The data is pretty clear and it shouldn't be a question at this point.

Scroll down the page to see the story

about 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 7 comments

Tournament play starts Friday for the Noles. FSU will take on the winner of the Clemson vs. NC State game.

about 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 27 comments

Tomahawk Nation Preview and Game Thread: Florida State Seminoles vs Miami Hurricanes, 12pm EST

And then there was one. In the regular season finale, the Seminoles head to Miami to take on the Hurricanes and continue their winning ways. While it wasn't pretty against the Demon Deacons, the Seminoles took care of business and kept pace in the ACC standings. With a win today and a Clemson loss on Sunday, Florida State will finish third in the ACC.


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Game Time: 12:00pm EST

Opponent's Site: Seventh Floor Blog

Television: ESPN2

Live Stats: scacchoops.com

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717 comments  | 

Tomahawk Nation Preview and Game Thread: Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Florida State Seminoles, 7pm EST

Despite a missed opportunity against Clemson, the Florida State Seminoles have the best defense in the nation according to Ken Pomeroy. Outstanding defense from the Seminoles is a given. The ability of the Seminoles to capitalize on that defense is the question that Seminoles fans have. Can the Seminoles keep pace with their opponents at a national level? Tonight, the Seminoles will be faced with the challenge of keeping pace with Al-Faroq Aminu and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. At the time of writing this (Tuesday evening), multiple teams have the potential to earn a bye in the ACC tournament. With a win, Florida State will stay in that conversation.


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Game Time: 7:00pm EST

Opponent's Site: Blogger So Dear

Television: ESPN2

Live Stats: scacchoops.com

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567 comments  | 

Tomahawk Nation Missed Opportunity: Florida State Seminoles Lose to Clemson Tigers 53-50

What if? It's easy as a sports fan to put on the retroscope and look at any game and ask 'what if?' Unfortunately for the Seminoles, this will be a game that not only receives a lot of 'what ifs' tonight and tomorrow but also from here until the end of their season. This was a missed opportunity for the Seminoles to take sole possession of third place in the conference and put themselves in a good position to be guaranteed a bye in the ACC tournament. Now, they have work to do.

Clemson did not score for the first seven minutes of the game. That should have been game, set, match with Florida State cruising to victory. If that wasn't enough, the Tigers had another four minute scoring drought in the first half. Game over, right? The Seminoles only had a 19-6 lead with just over four minutes to go in the first half. One would think that would have been the time to put the game out of reach. Instead, Clemson went on a 13-2 run to finish the first half only down by two points.

Clemson started the second half with an 8-0 run. They out scored the Seminoles 21-2 over a seven minute thirty eight second stretch that bridged halftime. Florida State worked its way back into the game only to see Clemson move ahead again. This occurred twice before Florida State appeared to take control of the game with about ten minutes to go. In a game that really felt that the first one to 50 would win, the Seminoles opened up a six point lead. One would think that in a game that neither team could score, that would be enough to get the job done.

It wasn't. With 2:35 to go, Tanner Smith hit a three point shot from the corner. Smith was shooting 28.4% from deep on the season. From that point forward, Seminoles fans had a sinking feeling in their stomach and a sense of deja vu: missed free throws and turnovers. Chris Singleton missed two free throws with 1:24 to go. Solomon Alabi went 1-2 from the line with fourteen seconds to go. Michael Snaer had a turnover on an inbound pass that led to an Andre Young three pointer on the next possession. It was one thing after another.

All of that led to the Seminoles having the ball with seven seconds to go and down by three points. Dulkys ended up with the ball in the corner in front of the Seminoles bench. Trevor Booker recognized the play and left the post to defend Dulkys. It resulted in a block. There was not shot fake. Dulkys went right up with the shot only to see Booker come down with it. Six seconds were left on the clock. Booker gets fouled, makes two free throws. Game over.

It was a terrible game for both teams. Florida State had an eFG% of 38%. Clemson had an eFG% of 33%. Clemson had an offensive efficiency of 80. Florida State had an offensive efficiency of 79.9. The big difference in the game was the free throw shooting and turnovers. Florida State shot 58% from the strip compared to 78.9% for the Tigers. And to cap it all off, Florida State turned the ball over on 31.9% of their possessions.

It's time to move on. Wake Forest rolls into the Tucker Center on Wednesday night. In order for Florida State to go 10-6 in conference play, they must win that game. Florida State can still finish in third place in the conference, but they will need some help. At this point, aiming for a first round bye is reasonable, but they need to win both of the remaining games.

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Tomahawk Nation Preview and Game Thread: Clemson Tigers vs Florida State Seminoles, 5:30pm EST

The Seminoles have a busy week. Tonight is the first of three games that Florida State will play in three weeks. Where Florida State ends up in the conference standings is entirely in their control. Win two of the next three games and Florida State will finish with a 10-6 record and is guaranteed to be no less than 5th seed in the ACC. With wins over Clemson and Wake Forest, Florida State will finish third in the conference. A win over Clemson is important for a variety of reasons: split the season series, keep Clemson out of the running for third, it looks good on the tournament resume. Florida State look to defend home court tonight against the Clemson Tigers and move to 9-5 in the ACC. 

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Game Time: 5:30pm EST

Opponent's Site: Shaking the Southland

Television: FSN

Live Stats: scacchoops.com

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Tomahawk Nation Seminoles Hand Struggling Tarheels Tenth ACC Loss 77-67

For the first time since 2000, Florida State took down the Tarheels in Chapel Hill. While it seems like a major accomplishment for the Seminoles, it would have been a disappointment if the Seminoles hadn't won. The Tarheels have been struggling of late and wins have been few and far between. Knowing the importance of this game, specifically that it is a conference road game,  Florida State took control from the start and didn't look back. Chris Singleton put together his most complete game of the season. Deividas Dulkys hit a number of shots from beyond the arc. The defense frustrated the Tarheels, forcing mistake after mistake.

Looking at the numbers doesn't tell the complete story of this game. Unfortunately, casual fans or casual committee members will see that Florida State only won by ten. The final score makes the game appear closer than it actually was. The Seminoles held UNC to 42% from the floor, forced 14 turnovers, generated 11 steals and won the rebounding battle. The defense showed numerous looks, including a 2-3 zone that featured Chris Singleton in the middle of the back row with Solomon Alabi on the wing. Florida State was committed to defense on every possession, playing outstanding off the ball defense.

The defense played at the level at which Florida State fans expect it to. However, the offense put together one of it's best nights on conference play. The team finished with an offensive efficiency of 113.2 with an eFG% of 57%. The team hit 11 three point shots. Three from Chris Singleton and five from Dulkys. Dulkys needed a game like this to get his confidence back. If Dulkys can shoot like that down the stretch this could be a very difficult team to beat. One of the reasons that Florida State was able to control of the game so early was that Chris Singleton hit from deep early and often. The Noles went on a 20-8 run in the middle of the second half.

That run resulted from hustle on both ends of the court. It was clear that Florida State wasn't going to let a lack of effort be the reason for losing the game. Guys were getting on the floor, diving after loose balls and running the court. For example, midway through the second half Xavier Gibson had an easy dunk over Larry Drew simply because he got out in transition.

Florida State led by as many as 23 points in the second half. The Tarheels were able to cut into that lead as the Seminoles slowed the pace a bit in the final minutes of the game, eating up the shot clock with each possession. Plus, UNC went into a trapping defense that did result in some late Florida State turnovers.

The Seminoles had four players in double digits for the night: Singleton (19), Dulkys (17), Kitchen (13) and Snaer (11). Solomon Alabi was limited in his minutes due to early foul trouble. But, he went 2-2 from the floor with three rebounds and two blocks. Singleton had an outstanding evening, scoring 29 points, pulling in eight rebounds with two steals and three blocks. He really showed his athleticisim tonight. He went 3-6 from beyond the arc as well. Dulkys finally found his shot. Granted, he took a lot of them to find it, but it looks as if his stroke and confidence are back. He went 5-11 from beyond the arc.

The stat line didn't stop there. Ryan Reid had a very effective game pulling in ten rebounds. What no one expected was that he had six assists on the night, equaling Derwin Kitchen. Snaer had four assists, including a beautiful alley-oop to Chris Singleton in the second half that started with an outlet pass from Terrance Shannon. Shannon only played five minutes, but he got a lot done in that time, scoring two points, pulling in one rebounds and stealing the ball three times. He will have a lot to offer to this team as he develops.

The Tarheels had two players in double digits: Graves (21) and Henson (12). Marcus Ginyard, who is 6'5, was their leading rebounder with 10 on the night. Deon Thompson looked frustrated all night and only finished with seven points and four rebounds, not the type of night UNC needed out of their leader. The Seminoles defense really exposed the Tarheels lack of depth at the point guard position. Larry Drew had a nice game with six points and eight assists with only three turnovers. It was clear however that the Tarheels are lacking the leadership at the guard position. They don't have anyone that can effectively run the offense consistently for maximum utilization of their talent.

Seminoles fans should be happy with this win. It was an important road victory in the ACC and has guaranteed the Seminoles at least an 8-8 season in the ACC and earned the Noles their 20th win on the year. But, this is not your typical Carolina team. They looked down, tired and frustrated. Florida State needs to move on and prepare for a Clemson team that is looking to recover from a nine point loss at Maryland. Florida State is currently in a three way tie for third place in the conference with Wake Forest and Virginia Tech. They cannot allow Clemson into that conversation with a win on Sunday night. The next two games are crucial if Florida State wants to be in the top tier of the ACC. There has been significant progress in this team over the last three games and tonight was the closest they have come to putting together a complete game. With only three regular season games left, this should be very encouraging for Seminoles' fans.

 

NCAA Basketball

 

College Basketball

 

NCAA Basketball

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Tomahawk Nation Preview and Game Thread: Florida State Seminoles vs North Carolina Tarheels, 7pm EST

Upset alert? Depends on your perspective. Given the disappointment that has been the in conference schedule for the North Carolina Tarheels, Florida State should expect to win this game. But, nothing is guaranteed in Chapel Hill, no matter how good or bad a season North Carolina may be having. Winning this game is important for a number of reasons. It's an road win. It's North Carolina. Everyone else has taken care of business against the Tarheels.

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Game Time: 7:00pm EST

Opponent's Site: Carolina March

Television: ESPN

Live Stats: scacchoops.com

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Tomahawk Nation What If The Season Ended Today?: TNation Revisits the ACC Basketball Standings

About a month ago, the ACC Basketball standings were a complete surprise. Virginia was the number one team in the conference, followed by Duke, Clemson and Maryland. In the last month, Virginia has fallen hard in the standings. Clemson has regressed to the mean while Duke and Maryland continue to charge ahead. In the midst of all the shuffling, Virginia Tech decided to sneak up on everyone.

Last month, we broke down the standings and tried to figure out what would happen if the majority of the ACC finished with an 8-8 record. In that scenario, Florida State was predicted to finish third using the game outcomes predicted by Ken Pomeroy.

It seems that Duke and Maryland have separated themselves from the pack, especially with Maryland's buzzer beater over Georgia Tech on Saturday. But, how does the dust settle for those looking up at Maryland and Duke? With only four or five games left for most teams in the ACC, nothing is guaranteed.

Take a look inside as TNation breaks down the currents standings and tries to explain the what ifs. At least we give it the best shot we can. 

Remember to check out TNation member HarlemNoles' regular feature updating the results and remaining schedule.

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Tomahawk Nation Next: Florida State Takes Care of Virginia 69 - 50

While it wasn't a 'must-win' game for the Seminoles, a road win in the ACC is always welcomed. The Seminoles put together a great team effort to hand Virginia it's fourth loss in a row. After a great start to the conference schedule, the Cavaliers have plummeted to the bottom half of the ACC standings. The Seminoles now have a week to prepare for the Tarheels.

Florida State's defense was once again very impressive in this win. But, it was the offense that was really impressive. The Seminoles had an offensive efficiency of 109.9 and had an eFG% of 56.3%. That is outstanding, particularly for a team that has not been shooting well of late. Florida State also shot 50% from beyond the arc with Dulkys hitting two of his four shots from deep. The Seminoles also knew that playing efficient possession basketball would be key to winning this game.

As a team, the Seminoles only had 10 turnovers on the night, with no player having more than three. That equates to a minuscule TO% of 15.9%. Virginia, a team that typically protects the ball well, had a TO% of 20%. Of late, the turnovers have significantly decreased for the Seminoles, which will serve them well in the remaining games this season. 

As always, the defense played very well, holding the Cavaliers to an eFG% of 42.7%. Chris Singleton had three of the teams' seven steals. Xavier Gibson led the team with two blocks. Kitchen, Alabi and Singleton each had one block. As you can already see, this was a collective effort.

In his fourth straight start, Michael Snaer, the ACC's rookie of the week, played 24 minutes and scored four points. His lack of offensive efficiency did not hind the Noles tonight as four players scored in double digits: Reid, Singleton, Gibson and Loucks. Sylven Landesberg, Virginia's top scorer, was held to four points. Read that again: four points.

The Seminoles now head to Chapel Hill to take on the Tarheels on February 24th. It was important for the Noles to get at least one win on this two game road trip. Going two for two would be outstanding for the Seminoles tournament resume. Time for the Seminoles to catch their breath, get their legs back and get ready for the final sprint.

College Basketball

*Editor's Note: Sorry for the limited recap, was only able to see the last few minutes of the game, but love what I see in the numbers*

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Tomahawk Nation Preview and Game Thread: Florida State Seminoles vs Virginia Cavaliers, 7pm EST

In our last game preview, we mentioned this would be a big week in the ACC. Tonight will continue to clear up the muddled picture that is ACC basketball. Florida State travels to Charlottesville to take on University of Virginia squad that is on a three game losing streak. The Noles hope to continue  Cavalier's losing steak and move up the rankings in the ACC.

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Game Time: 7:00pm EST

Television: ESPNU

Live Stats: scacchoops.com

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Tomahawk Nation The Conversation: Tomahawk Nation Interviews ESPN's Anchor and Host Kenny Mayne

Tomahawk Nation had the amazing opportunity to chat with ESPN's Kenny Mayne about the new series of his show 'Mayne Street' and a few other issues in sports. It was a great conversation and we hope you learn as much from Kenny as we did.

For those of you who are not familiar with 'Mayne Street', each new episode debuts Tuesday mornings at 9AM EST on espn.com. On Mayne Street, Mayne stars as himself in a fictionalized version of life at a sports television network. His reoccurring foils revolve largely around his fictional production crew, as well as other ESPN personalities.

Kenny Mayne

Image from here.

Take a look inside for Tomahawk Nation's conversation with Kenny Mayne...

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Tomahawk Nation Preview and Game Thread: Boston College Eagles vs Florida State Seminoles, 7:30pm EST

After a tough shooting night at Clemson, the Seminoles return to the Tucker Center to take on the Boston College Eagles before packing their bags for two games on the road: Virginia and North Carolina. This is an important game for the Seminoles to keep pace with Clemson and Georgia Tech and to start reeling in Virginia and Virginia Tech. These teams met two weeks ago in a game that the Seminoles recovered from a poor first half shooting effort to edge out a 61-57 win. Since their last meeting, the Eagles have lost to Duke and Wake Forest and would love to end their three game losing streak with an upset in Tallahassee.

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Game Time: 7:30pm EST

Opponent's Site: BC Interruption

Television: FSN

Live Stats: scacchoops.com

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Tomahawk Nation Tough Shooting Night For Florida State in 77-67 Loss To Clemson Tigers

In their third game in six days, the Seminoles traveled to Clemson, South Carolina last night to play a tough Clemson team. In the early goings, it was a battle of the defenses, with neither team shooting well. Unfortunately, the shooting woes continued for the Seminoles who only shot 38% from the floor as a team. While this would have been a great game for the Seminoles to win, it wasn't a must win. In fact, many penciled this in as a loss before the season started.

Clemson went on a 9-0 run to start the game as the Seminoles struggled to get their shots to fall. It wasn't as if the Seminoles were getting bad looks at the basket either. Shot after shot rattled around the rim only to fall into the hands of the Tigers who were quick to move the ball up court. The Seminoles then went on their own 8-1 run to get back into the game half way through the first half. When the Seminoles showed signs of life on the offensive end, the threes started to fall for the Tigers and then it was a matter of playing catch up for the rest of the game.

The four factors chart and game flow tell the story of this game:

 

College Basketball

 

NCAA Basketball

 

The Seminoles could and should have won this game had it not been for a poor shooting night. The inflated free throw rate for the Tigers is a result of persistent fouling in the last minutes of the game by the Seminoles.

Luke Loucks, coming off the bench, led the Seminoles with 15 points and six assists. Solomon Alabi scored 14 points and went eight for nine from the free throw line. However, the big man fouled out of the game. In fact, in the first half of the game, there were more fouls called than baskets made. Seminoles fans should be happy with the way the Noles broke the press for most of the game and the 20% TO% against a team that normally forces opponents into a turnover on 25% of their possessions.

Michael Snaer made his second straight start and scored 10 points in 25 minutes of game play. Snaer could have easily had more points, but he could not get anything to fall early in the game. There was also a very interesting moment in which Snaer missed a tough lay up in transition and was immediately yanked from the game and chastised by Leonard Hamilton, much to the confusion of Seminoles fans. Give Snaer the credit for hustling down the court and being in position to score. Snaer was playing well defensively and it is still perplexing as to why he was pulled.

Clemson had four players in double digits and shot 40% from beyond the arc and 76% from the free throw line, both very uncharacteristic stats. Potter and Young went a combined 7 for 12 from beyond the arc and helped the Tigers pull away from the Seminoles.

Now, the Seminoles get a few days rest as they return home to play Boston College on Sunday. Here are the current ACC standings from Ken Pomeroy. Keep in mind the Seminoles hold the edge over Georgia Tech and must now win their second game against Clemson.

Team Overall Conf Proj Pomeroy AdjO AdjD AdjT Next Game
Duke 20-4 8-2 13-3 .9794 2 122.7 1 87.7 15 67.6 180 Sat, vs 10 Maryland (W, 79-70, 81%)
Maryland 16-6 6-2 11-5 .9548 10 115.5 16 88.6 23 71.1 35 Sat, at 2 Duke (L, 79-70, 19%)
Wake Forest 17-5 7-3 10-6 .9081 36 107.5 81 88.1 18 71.0 39 Sat, vs 25 Georgia Tech (W, 71-69, 62%)
Virginia Tech 19-4 6-3 10-6 .9203 24 105.9 106 85.6 4 67.9 165 Sat, vs 51 Virginia (W, 64-58, 76%)
Virginia 14-7 5-3 8-8 .8768 51 111.2 42 93.8 71 62.9 319 Sat, at 24 Virginia Tech (L, 64-58, 24%)
Clemson 17-7 5-5 8-8 .9270 19 107.2 84 86.0 5 70.0 74 Sat, vs 57 Miami FL (W, 71-63, 80%)
Georgia Tech 17-7 5-5 8-8 .9202 25 108.5 71 87.7 14 70.7 52 Sat, at 36 Wake Forest (L, 71-69, 38%)
Florida St. 17-7 5-5 9-7 .9183 26 106.4 95 86.2 6 68.7 128 Sun, vs 68 Boston College (W, 71-62, 81%)
Miami FL 17-7 3-7 6-10 .8600 57 110.1 54 94.0 76 66.9 214 Sat, at 19 Clemson (L, 71-63, 20%)
Boston College 12-12 3-7 5-11 .8366 68 111.9 38 97.1 107 65.8 254 Sun, at 26 Florida St. (L, 71-62, 19%)
North Carolina 13-11 2-7 5-11 .8460 62 108.5 70 93.6 66 73.2 13 Sat, vs 81 North Carolina St. (W, 77-71, 73%)
North Carolina St. 14-11 2-8 4-12 .7964 81 108.6 69 96.4 101 66.5 229 Sat, at 62 North Carolina (L, 77-71, 27%)

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Tomahawk Nation Clemson Overflow Thread



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Tomahawk Nation Preview and Game Thread: Florida State Seminoles vs Clemson Tigers, 7pm EST

There is little room for error in the ACC anymore. Outside of Duke, who currently sits at 7-2 in conference play, the race to the top or the bottom of the ACC is still up for grabs. Maryland sits in second place at 6-2, but still has to face Duke twice, Virginia twice and welcome both Clemson and Georgia Tech to College Park. That 6-2 record could end up an 8-8 if Maryland isn't careful. While that is unlikely to happen, it just goes to show that the conference standings are far from being final.

The Seminoles head into Littlejohn Stadium tonight to face an under performing Clemson. Clemson currently sits one game behind the Noles in the standings, meaning that stealing a game on the road tonight could pay huge dividends at the end of the year. Take a look inside for the rest of the preview and a conversation with Will B. from Shaking the Southland, SBnation's Clemson blog.


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Game Time: 7pm EST

Opponent's Site: Shakin The Southland

SBNation Coverage: Seminoles vs Tigers coverage

Television: ESPN2

Live Stats: scacchoops.com

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SBnation's current bracket prediction has Florida State as a ten seed playing Cornell in Milwaukee.

TC would be a big fan of FSU playing in Milwaukee, not because it would be good for the Seminoles, but good for TC.

over 2 years ago Img_4552_tiny TrueCubbie 23 comments