In case you haven’t noticed, Florida State basketball seems to have a good thing going.
The Seminoles are off to a 14-2 start and ranked in the AP top 10 for a third time in four seasons. Since dropping its season opener at Pittsburgh, FSU is 14-1 and 4-0 against ACC opponents with the last two victories coming by double-digits on the road.
Barring something unthinkable, the Seminoles will tie a school record by making the NCAA Tournament for a fourth straight season. Dating back to the middle of last season, FSU has been nearly unbeatable despite playing in what is perennially regarded as the nation’s best conference.
Last season, FSU set new program records for total wins with 29 and ACC wins with 13. That seemed hard to imagine given FSU’s poor start to conference play.
Since a 1-4 start to ACC play last season, the Seminoles have gone 17-3 in 20 games against ACC competition. The lone defeats came on the road at North Carolina, in last season’s ACC Championship against Duke and in the aforementioned opener against the Panthers.
In the last 20 games against the ACC, no team in the conference has a better mark than Florida State. Only Duke and Virginia have as good of a mark. During the 20-game stretch for the Seminoles, FSU has tallied wins over five ranked opponents, including last season’s eventual national champion Virginia in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
After a historic season in Tallahassee that culminated in a second straight trip past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament and numerous team records, there was speculation that FSU would take at least a small step back. The Seminoles were replacing six seniors, two NBA Draft picks and more than 60 percent of its scoring and rebounding.
Unranked in the preseason, Leonard Hamilton’s team has used a deep bench, stifling defense and balanced scoring led by guards Trent Forrest and Devin Vassell. FSU has already defeated three ranked opponents — all away from home — and half of its wins have come against teams in the RPI top 100.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson. Like The Daily Nole on Facebook. To pitch an idea, author a post or to learn more about The Daily Nole, email Mike Ferguson at Mike@TheDailyNole.com.
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