Florida State won’t have to wait long to get the first taste of defeat for the season out of its mouth. The Seminoles will be back in action on Monday against Charleston Southern in what will be its next-to-last game of the non-conference. FSU was defeated by Oklahoma State on Saturday in heartbreaking fashion at the Orange Bowl Classic, 71-70.
Charleston Southern is 4-5 for the season, but comes in as losers of three straight. The Buccaneers were defeated by Eastern Kentucky most recently on Friday night, 70-65. The Seminoles are 10-0 all-time against Charleston Southern and have defeated it in four straight seasons and five of the last six. FSU won last season 88-67 in the opener behind 23 points from Dwayne Bacon.
The Match-Up
Who: Charleston Southern Buccaneers (4-5) at No. 19 Florida State Seminoles (9-1)
When: Monday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. EST (ESPNU)
Where: Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Florida
Key Players
For Charleston Southern: Sophomore guard Christian Keeling is averaging nearly 18 points per game to lead Charleston Southern while adding 5.2 rebounds per contest. Junior forward Travis McConico is averaging better than 13 points per game to go with a team-high average of six rebounds. Senior guard Cortez Mitchell averages 7.5 points per game.
For Florida State: Junior slasher Terance Mann averages 16 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting 64 percent from the field to lead FSU in all categories. Phil Cofer is coming off a career-high scoring effort and averages 13.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Braian Angola, a senior guard, averages 12 points and 3.5 assists per contest for the Seminoles.
What to Watch For
Christian Keeling: Charleston Southern may have lost three straight, but Christian Keeling isn’t the reason why. Over his last three games, the sophomore has scored at least 20 points each time and is averaging 23 points over that stretch while shooting 55 percent from the field and 50 percent from distance. In last season’s loss to FSU, Keeling paced the Buccaneers with 16 points on an efficient 7-for-12 from the field. If Charleston Southern is to keep this one competitive, Keeling will likely be a big reason why.
Rebounding: One area where Florida State had a decided advantage last season was on the glass as it outrebounded the Buccaneers, 42-30. So far this season, both FSU and Charleston Southern are grabbing more than five rebounds per game more than their opponents. Abdul Sarki is the only player taller than 6-foot-8 for the Buccaneers and he has missed the team’s last four games. Although 7-4 Christ Koumadje has been injured, the Seminoles are the third tallest team in the country.
FSU seniors: The two biggest surprises for Florida State so far this season may be its two scholarship seniors. Forward Phil Cofer is coming off a career-high 22 points against Oklahoma State while Braian Angola, a guard, is in the midst of a breakout season. The two rank second and third on the team in scoring respectively while Cofer is the team’s second leading rebounder and Angola is the squad’s second leading assist man. The two combined for just nine points and two rebounds in last season’s win over Charleston Southern.
M.J. Walker: Highly-touted freshman guard M.J. Walker got off to a hot start for Florida State, but he has struggled mightily of late. Over his last six games, Walker is averaging just 5.4 points and has scored in double-figures just once. Walker is shooting less than 28 percent from the field over that stretch. For FSU to be at its best, it needs Walker to come around. Against an overmatched opponent, Monday should be the perfect opportunity.
Number to Pay Attention To
25: That’s the number of consecutive home games that Florida State has won. A win on Monday would run that number to 26 and make Charleston Southern just the second team to have two losses in Tallahassee during the streak. The other is Notre Dame.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
Perrone Ford/FSU athletics
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