Preview: FSU Hosts Kennesaw State in Afternoon Matinee

Florida State will look to remain perfect on the eve of Thanksgiving with an afternoon tilt against Kennesaw State. The Seminoles are coming off a successful Jamaica trip in which they recorded victories over Fordham and Colorado State. FSU will look to begin the year 4-0 for a second straight season.

Kennesaw State is coming off of an 82-68 road loss to Tennessee Tech on Saturday. The Owls have had a tough start to the season and will look to pick up its first road win. Wednesday’s contest will be the first between the schools.

The Match-Up

Who: Kennesaw State Owls (1-3) at Florida State Seminoles (3-0)
When: Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. EST (ACC Network Extra)
Where: Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Florida

Key Players

For Kennesaw State: Sophomore guard James Scott leads the Owls, averaging 16 points per game, but on just 35 percent shooting. Nick Masterson, a senior forward, is the only other player averaging in double-figures with 10 points per contest on a more efficient 48 shooting from the field and a team-best three assists per game. Senior forward Jordan Jones plays 31 minutes per game and averages seven points to go with a team-high 7.8 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game.

For Florida State: Junior slasher Terance Mann leads FSU in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 17 points and 7.3 rebounds on an uber-efficient 74 percent from the field. Redshirt freshman forward Mfiondu Kabengele has been the most pleasant surprise for the Seminoles. The nephew of Dikembe Mutombo has scored in double-figures every game and is averaging 12.3 points and five rebounds while shooting 67 percent from the floor. Freshman guard M.J. Walker is scoring 11.3 points on 55 percent from the field and has been an outstanding 8-for-14 from deep.

What to Watch For

Quality Shots: Florida State shouldn’t have much trouble getting good looks on Wednesday against the Owls. As a team, FSU is shooting better than 52 percent while Kennesaw State is averaging just two blocks per game. The Owls don’t have a player taller than 6-foot-8 and five of the Seminoles’ top six scorers are shooting at least 50 percent from the field. Kennesaw State on the other hand, is shooting less than 40 percent as a team from the field.

Free Throws: Neither Florida State nor Kennesaw State is maximizing opportunities from the charity stripe this season. The Owls are shooting less than 60 percent as a team from the foul line while FSU ranks just 14th in the ACC at 57 percent. After attempting just four free throws in the opener against George Washington, the Seminoles have gotten to the line 52 times over the last two games. Kennesaw State has done a good job getting to the line as it averages nearly 20 free throws per game. Krista Jankovic has been the best Kennesaw State player in that department with 11 makes on a team-high 13 attempts.

The Battle Inside: If there was ever a contest where FSU should dominate on the glass and in the paint, it’s against Kennesaw State. The Owls have a lack of size and shot-blocking ability and that should mean a field day for 7-4 Chris Koumadje and 7-1 Ike Obiagu. The Seminoles are the third tallest team in the country and rank in the top 25 nationally in blocked shots. FSU should be able to score at the rim, get plenty of second chances and force the Owls to score from the perimeter.

Terance Mann: With Florida State losing its top three scorers from a season ago, it’s not a surprise that the team’s leading returning scorer and rebounder is leading the team in those two statistical categories, but how efficient Terance Mann has been through three games is unreal. Mann’s 74.2 percent field goal mark ranks 22nd nationally. For the season, Mann is 23-for-31 from the floor and an ungodly 22-for-26 from inside the arc. In other words, Mann is shooting 85 percent from the field on 2-point attempts.

Number to Pay Attention To

20.3: That’s the average margin of victory for Florida State in its first three games this season. Kennesaw State in its three losses, is being outscored by an average of 17.3 points per game. The Owls are probably the worst team that FSU will have faced on the young season. The Seminoles will probably be the best that Kennesaw State has seen thus far. It could be a long afternoon for Kennesaw State, who will come in as a big underdog.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson