Column: It’s Time to Give FSU Basketball Proper Support

About a year ago, after the conclusion of the regular season against Miami, Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton was asked about the growth of his program.

Winning over 20 games in the ACC regular season and receiving a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament were the result of one of the better years in FSU basketball history. While it ended in disappointing fashion, it was still a noteworthy accomplishment.

This is what Hamilton said in response:

“We’re making progress, but in order to break into that hierarchy of traditionally rich programs in the ACC, you have to keep everything in perspective…I’m happy, I’m excited, but the most important thing here is let’s not be satisfied where we are now.”

Now, with an Elite Eight appearance under their belt, the Seminoles are in a position to ascend within their own conference.

Hamilton and his staff did not get complacent. After they lost multiple NBA players from their team, which included an NBA lottery pick in Jonathan Isaac, they went back to the drawing board and constructed a lineup that maximized talent.

The 2017-18 season was probably the best possible outcome for the basketball program. There’s no more reasonable questions about Hamilton’s ability as a coach, no more frustration with last year’s underachieving tournament performance, and full confidence in the players currently on the roster. If Florida State has good judgement, it can turn this year into the standard.

How? It starts with giving the basketball team the proper support they deserve — at both the administrative level and the fan level.

One thing that’s easy to observe at the Tucker Civic Center is the reliability of the student section. Recent program success has honestly revolutionized a once lacking part of the fan base.

Florida State students were consistently the most enthusiastic part of the arena throughout the season. They showed up to nearly every home game in sizable numbers, which makes it very disappointing how they’re relegated to a background position inside the Tuck.

What’s a trademark of intimidating college basketball home venues? A visible, audible, captivating student section.

No one is demanding that Florida State fans become the Cameron Crazies. But their loyalty should be rewarded over other sections of the fan base who pick and choose which games they want to show up to. It’s a bad look when the sides of the court have spotty attendance while a packed student section wallows behind a basket.

Imagine the difference that could be made if the students were right near the action. TV shots would look better, the noise factor would be ramped up, and the overall energy would improve.

WCTV reporter Ryan Kelly had a relevant tweet thread on Sunday with ideas on how to revamp the student section. The administration could work with student organizations to reach a compromise that follows the wishes of both students and boosters alike.

This isn’t just window dressing. An improved setup could genuinely affect the perception of the program.

Good programs do not stop at the fan organization however. Money rules everything in college athletics, and that principle absolutely applies to Florida State just as much as anybody else.

It probably applies even more given what FSU is going up against on a regular basis. Within their own state, the Seminoles have a rival program with more current investment in the team, and another that is similar to their own.

Despite this, they’ve gone a combined 8-4 against the Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes in the past four seasons. FSU also plays in the toughest basketball conference in the history of the sport with tradition-rich programs like Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse and Louisville among others.

Again, expecting them to invest as much as programs like Duke and North Carolina is not realistic. But these past few seasons have illustrated that the potential is there to finish in the tier right below the blue bloods.

With ongoing expenditures and increased booster support, Florida State can capitalize on being in one of the most talent-rich states in the nation.

Hamilton has already been able to recruit highly-ranked prospects like Dwayne Bacon, Malik Beasley, Jonathan Isaac, and M.J. Walker recently. Even if he retires in the next few years, he’ll have set up a favorable situation for whoever replaces him — an overlooked accomplishment for a man who took over a program that was just 46-72 in the four seasons prior to his tenure.

Florida State’s financial support has never been the greatest for a few reasons. But that changes with each passing year. Athletic director Stan Wilcox understands this and knows the potential the Noles possess.

If there was any time for the university and its fan base to push the program into the next tier, it’s right now. The team just went on a nationally observed tournament run where they beat two powerhouses in back-to-back games. They reached the Elite Eight for just the third time in program history and came close to going forward yet again.

Not to mention the “breadwinner” sport recently underwent a huge change. Fans always want to get behind the team with momentum. Football will always draw huge support, and it’s not correct to view either as “sapping” excitement from the other. But now, there could be greater excitement on the hardwood.

Florida State basketball is at an unexpected crossroads. It can go down a complacent path which brings it sporadic success — not the worst result, but somewhat disappointing.

Or, it can take the road to a consistent program whose expected goal every season is the NCAA Tournament: A program that is able to recruit high level talent in each class; a program that is more than just the sport that happens in the football offseason.

What happened in March 2018 might hold a special significance when we all look back a decade later. The opportunity has perhaps never been more there.