College Basketball

Florida State, Minnesota meet in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:02 p.m. ET

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- After starting season 4-0 -- all four wins at home -- No. 25 Florida State's first road trip of the season ended 1-1.

And by the time they take the floor Monday night for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge against Minnesota, the Seminoles could be out of the poll as quickly as they got in.

That will be up to the AP Top 25 voters, who placed Florida State (5-1) among the country's elite for the first time since the 2012 season last Monday. But the Seminoles were upset by a 2-2 Temple team in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off on Thanksgiving, despite leading by as many as 18 points in the second half.

They rebounded in a big way a day later, handily beating Illinois in the third-place game, despite some noticeable errors in their play.

"Right now, we're going through some growing pains. We have guys missing assignments, not quite sure where to be," said Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton, whose top two scorers are a sophomore and freshman. "But I'm hoping we can continue to win as we grow up."

Florida State and Minnesota (6-0) met 11 times previously -- five of those ACC/Big Ten Challenge -- with the Seminoles owning a 3-2 edge in the Challenge, which is in its 18th year this season. The Golden Gophers, however, won the last two meetings, the most recent of which was a 71-61 victory Dec. 3, 2013.

Florida State sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon leads the team in scoring at 18.2 points per game while true freshman forward Jonathan Isaac -- the crown jewel of the Seminoles' 2016 recruiting class -- is every bit as good advertised to start his career, averaging 15.3 points.

Isaac and Bacon are the only two players to reach double figures in all six of the Seminoles' six games.

The Golden Gophers are paced by guard Amir Coffey at 15.9 points.

Monday's contest will mark Minnesota's first game away from home, and head coach Richard Pitino hopes his team is ready for it.

"It gets a lot tougher now going on the road, so we'll see how we look with more adversity, I guess," Pitino said following their 57-45 win Saturday night against Southern Illinois.

It remains to be seen if Minnesota will have the services of starting center Reggie Lynch. The 6-foot-10 Lynch, who averages nine points and 3.6 blocks, sat Saturday with an ankle injury.

Florida State will wear turquoise uniforms against Minnesota on Monday to raise awareness for bringing sport to Native American and Aboriginal youth. It marks the seventh time -- but the first time this season -- the Seminoles will wear the special uniforms.

"The Seminole Tribe of Florida approached us about this program and we are honored and excited to wear these unique uniforms," Hamilton said. "The color is significant as it is deeply symbolic of friendship and community in the Native American culture."

Florida State first wore the turquoise uniforms in their 89-61 win over UT-Martin in Tallahassee on November 17, 2013.

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