Revisting FSU’s Sweet 16 History

For just the sixth time in program history, Florida State basketball will take part in the Sweet 16. For the second year in a row, FSU will face Gonzaga in the West Region semifinals.

At stake for FSU is its first-ever 30-win season and a second straight appearance in the Elite Eight. A similar piece was published before last season’s Sweet 16, but we look back at how No. 4 seed FSU has historically fared in the round of 16 before taking on top-seeded Gonzaga on Thursday night:

FSU 70, Minnesota 56
March 16, 1972
Mideast Region in Dayton, Ohio
The second ever trip for Florida State to the NCAA Tournament resulted in a trip to the national championship game. The Sweet 16 match-up pitted the Seminoles against Minnesota in Dayton. Rowland Garrett stole the show for FSU, leading five Seminoles in double-figures by finishing with 23 points and 11 rebounds. A stifling FSU defense held the Golden Gophers to just 33 percent shooting from the field. Clyde Turner led Minnesota with 19 points.

(3) FSU 74, (2) Indiana 85
March 26, 1992
West Region in Albuquerque, New Mexico
FSU’s first Sweet 16 appearance in 20 years wasn’t as sweet as the first time around as the Seminoles fell to Indiana in the West Region semifinal. A 3-pointer by Byron Wells late in the first half had FSU within two at the break, 40-38, but the Hoosiers asserted their will in the second half. Eric Anderson scored a game-high 24 points to lead Indiana, which shot 50 percent from the field. The Seminoles shot 51 percent in the first half, but cooled down significantly in the second, to finish at 45 percent for the game. Doug Edwards finished with 20 points and nine rebounds to lead FSU. Indiana’s Greg Graham and Florida State’s Sam Cassell each added 19 points.

(3) FSU 81, (7) Western Kentucky 78 (Overtime)
March 25, 1993
Southeast Region in Charlotte, North Carolina
After falling to Indiana in the Sweet 16 the previous year, Florida State managed to advance to its first Elite Eight in 21 years with a thrilling overtime victory over Western Kentucky. The Seminoles and Hilltoppers were tied at halftime and at the end of the second half, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Sam Cassell and Bob Sura gave FSU a 4-point lead in the extra period. After the Hilltoppers turned the ball over down two with 7.5 seconds to play, Cypheus Bunton’s attempt to force a second overtime went awry and the Seminoles prevailed. Doug Edwards finished with 19 points to lead FSU while Rodney Dobard added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Western Kentucky’s Darnell Mee led all scorers with 21 points.

(10) FSU 71, (11) Virginia Commonwealth 72 (Overtime)
March 25, 2011
Southwest Region in San Antonio, Texas
Virginia Commonwealth’s 2011 run from the First Four to the Final Four had a few close calls, but the closest was an overtime victory over the Seminoles. FSU trailed 65-62 in the final minute of the second half before a 3-pointer by Chris Singleton knotted things up. Singleton looked as though he may be the hero in the extra period after his basket gave the Seminoles a 71-70 lead with 30 seconds to play. The Rams however, had an answer as Bradford Burgess slipped inside for the game-winner for VCU with less than eight seconds remaining. Singleton’s shot at the other end, which may have came after the buzzer, was blocked. Burgess led all scorers with 26 points. Derwin Kitchen finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Seminoles.

(9) FSU 75, (4) Gonzaga 60
March 22, 2018
West Region in Los Angeles, California
Fresh off its first-ever win over a No. 1 seed, Florida State played stifling defense in its first trip to the Sweet 16 in seven years. The Seminoles held Gonzaga, who reached the national title game the year before, to just 34 percent while shooting 47 percent on their end of the floor. FSU survived a 15-0 first half run from the Bulldogs and led 41-32 at halftime. In the second half, Gonzaga would get as close as four before the Seminoles locked in on defense and cruised to victory. Terance Mann was the only FSU player in double-figures with 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting, but six Seminoles had at least six points. Rui Hachimura led the way for Gonzaga with 16 points.

Observations

Gonzaga will be the first team that FSU has faced twice in the Sweet 16 come Thursday.

The last four trips to the Sweet 16 will have pitted the Seminoles against non-power conferences. Two of those went into overtime.

FSU is 3-2 all-time in the round of 16. As the lower seed, FSU is 1-1. The lone win was last season over the Bulldogs.

FSU’s first five Sweet 16 appearances have been in five different states. This will be the second season in a row that the Seminoles play in California. Thursday’s contest is in Anaheim.

Of FSU’s six trips to the Sweet 16, the Seminoles have come out of the West Region three times.

FSU head coach Leonard Hamilton is the only coach to take the Seminoles to the Sweet 16 three times.

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