The team that Florida State’s 7-game ACC winning streak began against will try to make it come to an end on Tuesday night as Clemson plays host to the 16th-ranked Seminoles. FSU’s streak has come after a 1-4 start to ACC play while Clemson had won four straight after a 1-5 ACC start before consecutive 1-point losses at Miami and Louisville.
FSU has won consecutive games over Wake Forest and Georgia Tech by 22 points. FSU topped Clemson 77-68 in Tallahassee when the teams met last month. The Tigers pulled away late from the Seminoles last season at Littlejohn Coliseum, 76-63.
The Match-Up
Who: No. 16 Florida State Seminoles (20-5, 8-4 ACC) at Clemson Tigers (15-10, 5-7 ACC)
When: Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 9 p.m. EST (ESPNU)
Where: Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, South Carolina
Key Players
For FSU
Mfiondu Kabengele, F (So.): 13.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 52% FG
Terance Mann, G (Sr.): 11.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 53% FG
Trent Forrest, G (Jr.): 8.9 PPG, 3.9 APG, 2 SPG
For Clemson
Marcquise Reed, G (Sr.): 18.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2 SPG
Elijah Thomas, F (Sr.): 13.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 65% FG
Shelton Mitchell, G (Sr.): 11.8 PPG, 2.9 APG, 1 SPG
What to Watch For
Marcquise Reed: How Clemson has fared against Florida State over the last two seasons has largely depended on the play of senior guard Marcquise Reed. The ACC’s fourth-leading scorer, Reed managed 13 points against FSU in last month’s 77-68 loss on 4-for-11 shooting with three turnovers and just two assists. In last season’s win over the Seminoles at home, Reed finished with 22 points on an efficient 7-for-11 shooting with seven rebounds and five assists. He scored 23 points in last season’s 81-79 overtime loss in Tallahassee, but shot just 8-for-23 and turned the ball over five times.
Christ Koumadje: Entering last week, FSU 7-foot-4 senior center Christ Koumadje had never recorded a double-double. Over the last two games, Koumadje now has two. In wins over Wake Forest and Georgia Tech last week, Koumadje averaged 15 points, 12 rebounds and 2.5 blocks while shooting 15-for-19 from the field or 79 percent. Koumadje finished with six points and two rebounds in the 77-68 win over Clemson on Jan. 22. FSU was outrebounded in that contest, but David Skara did foul out for the Tigers.
The FSU bench: Depth could be an advantage for FSU on Tuesday night. During the first meeting last month, the Florida State bench — affectionately known as the “Boom Squad” — scored 45 of the Seminoles’ 77 points, led by Mfiondu Kabengele’s 17. David Nichols added 16 points in the victory while RaiQuan Gray chipped in with seven and Devin Vassell five, including the trey that put FSU ahead for good. The Clemson bench managed 11 points with nine of those coming from Clyde Trapp.
Number to Pay Attention To
8: That’s the number of consecutive ACC wins that FSU is going for on Tuesday, which would be a new school-record. FSU hasn’t won eight games in a row in general since the start of last season.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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