FSU Rumors + 2012 Recruits + News + Blog: Seminoles Football / Basketball

2011-02-06T13:06:00.001-08:00

Post Game Blog: Wake Forest

2010-03-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

Observations from Florida State’s 51-47 victory over Wake Forest

by Chris Malagon

Devidas Dulkys had a crucial steal off an inbound pass that led to a score to put the Seminoles up three with 4:33 left to play. Defense continues to be the way this team wins basketball games. If the Seminoles are going to win in the tournament, they must continue to force turnovers and score in transition.

Michael Snaer hit all six of his free throws, including the last two points to seal the victory. The Seminoles got to the free throw line 24 times tonight. Getting to the line and converting has been something this team has struggled with. Finding some consistency in this area could makes things a lot easier for this team.

Al Farouq-Aminu continued to slump as the Seminoles held him scoreless with only 4 rebounds and forced him to foul out with the deciding minutes of the game still to be played. The Seminoles were able to render Farouq-Aminu a non-factor and suffocated Wake Forest, limiting the Demon Deacons to only 47 points. That is over 15 points below their average.

Michael Snaer led Florida State in scoring with 14. This freshman continues to improve. He is showing the ability to create his own shot from the shooting guard position which is something this team has been lacking all year. He needs to limit his turnovers however those are to be expected with youth. It will be interesting to see if Snaer can elevate his game during this post season.

Derwin Kitchen filled out the stat sheet nicely with 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals. He was only 1-3 from the field for 2 points, but he was very much a factor with his all-around game. If Derwin can keep up his recent level of play, the Seminoles are going to be in very good shape in the ACC tournament.

Xavier Gibson hit both of his first half 3 point attempts. Gibson needs more minutes. His offensive game is more versatile than that of Alabi, and he has much better hands around the basket. I am not saying I think he is better than Alabi, Gibson definitely has some room for improvement defensively but he is arguably the most talented scorer on the roster.

Florida State moves 9-6 in the ACC (21-8 overall), barring any major meltdowns this team is going to be in the tournament.

*Shameless Blog Teaser Alert*
Check back soon for a comprehensive FSU Spring Football Preview. It will include quotes from the entire new coaching staff and provide some outlook for the upcoming season.

Seminole Hoops Preview

2010-02-21T12:09:00.000-08:00

by Chris Malagon

As the regular season draws to a close, the Florida State Seminoles men’s basketball team finds themselves two games above five hundred in conference play with four games remaining. On Wednesday, the Seminoles will travel to Chapel Hill to face North Carolina. Winning this game is crucial for Florida State as the schedule does not get any easier following with Clemson, Wake Forest and then a trip to battle against rival Miami.

Although North Carolina has faltered this season to a 3-8 record in conference, it is still going to be a tough environment for the Seminoles (4-5 on the road), who average 16.7 turnovers per game. While Florida State has proven to be a very strong defensive team with opponents shooting only 36.9 percent from the field (2nd in the Nation), they have not proved to be consistent on offense.

In order for Florida State to continue to improve and get better, they are going to have to find a way to score easy baskets. Having 7’1” Solomon Alabi should be simple enough, but he has shown to be inconsistent with his shot and he has trouble catching the basketball while establishing position in the post. It does not help Alabi much that the Seminoles are among the NCAA’s worst three point shooting teams in the nation at 32 percent. Without the threat of someone who can stretch the floor, North Carolina can load up the paint against Alabi and continue to make it difficult for him.

If the Seminoles are going to come away with a victory in Chapel Hill, Chris Singleton must continue to emerge as the leader of this basketball team. He is starting to show that he take us his length and athleticism to take over games on both ends of the court. With his speed at 6’9” he is a difficult cover for anybody, and Wednesday should prove more of the same. Singleton needs to take advantage of the space Alabi takes up in the lane and attack the basket often.

Should Singleton be successful in driving to the hoop, it will open up more opportunities for players like Michael Snaer, Luke Loucks and Devidad Dulkys to make open shots and gain confidence. Both Loucks and Snaer have shown that they have the ability to score in bunches and Dulkys has been showing signs of breaking through his recent slump. It really is an anomaly as to how inconsistent the guard play has been this season, but it seems the maturation process has sped up.

On the defensive end, Florida State needs to keep the Tar Heels three point shooters Will Graves and Larry Drew II in check and make sure each shot gets contested. If there is one weakness on the Seminole defense it is on the perimeter. While North Carolina has the size on paper to match up with Florida State, I believe the paint will be controlled by the Seminoles and will prove to be more athletic than the North Carolina front line.

Overall, if Florida State can limit their turnovers, close out on the three point shot and control the paint they should be leaving Chapel Hill with a victory on Wednesday night and move to three games above five hundred in conference play. That would leave Florida State with one more game to win before they guarantee a five hundred winning percentage in conference which should be good enough for a second consecutive invite to the NCAA tournament.