FSU Basketball Recap: Noles Drops Second in a Row, Losing to Syracuse
FSU basketball drops their second game in a row, falling to the Syracuse Orange by the final score of 82-72.
FSU basketball fans were looking forward to the schedule easing up a bit. Unfortunately, thus far, things haven’t gone as expected.
The Seminoles looked like world-beaters just a week ago. They were 18-2, with multiple wins against top 25 opponents. With games against two struggling teams in Georgia Tech and the Syracuse Orange on deck, it felt like the team was about to make a run at a top five ranking.
Well, Georgia Tech blasted Florida State, dominating the matchup from start to finish. And the first half against Syracuse looked like much of the same. FSU’s offense was pathetic in the opening 20 minutes, with more turnovers (11) than field goals made (10). They trailed the Orange by 18 at the break.
The second half was better, but still nowhere near enough to steal a road win. In the end, Syracuse defeated Florida State 82-72. The loss drops the Seminoles to 18-4, and 6-3 in conference. With a road game against a tough Miami team looming, FSU’s chances of winning the ACC regular season title are starting to dwindle.
There have been a multitude of problems with the team’s last two performances, but it has to be noted: winning road games in the ACC is not easy. Heck, Georgia Tech just beat a top 15 Notre Dame team. And furthermore, Florida State was only favored by two against ‘Cuse. To call that a huge upset? Hardly. The sky is not falling yet, and the Seminoles are still in the driver’s seat for at least a three-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Regardless, some aspects of today’s game were disconcerting. Here are five takeaways from Florida State’s second consecutive loss.
Jan 28, 2017; Syracuse, NY, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard Terance Mann (14) looks to shoot the ball under the basket as Syracuse Orange forward Tyler Lydon (20) and forward Tyler Roberson defend during the first half of a game at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse won the contest 82-72. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
What has happened to Terrance Mann?
Through the first 20 games of the season, Mann was one of Florida State’s most important players. His hustle, intelligence and versatility were the engine that made the team go. It’s pretty telling that in the Seminoles last two losses, he was a non-factor.
After scoring two points against Georgia Tech, Mann followed up that showing with another doozy. Against the Orange, he had three points, on 0-of-3 shooting, with just three rebounds and two assists. He hasn’t made a field goal since scoring 15 against Louisville last Saturday. And he hasn’t recorded a steal in a week and a half.
Mann is way too important to the team’s success to disappear. I do not think it’s a matter of him being unable to handle the opponent either. In the team’s stretch of facing six ranked opponents in a row, Mann averaged 11 points and five rebounds. It’s more likely that following that stretch, he has just run out of gas.
If that is the case, I couldn’t blame him. Mann often finds himself having to guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player, and in a league as stacked as the ACC, that player is usually a future NBA guy. He is also expected to crash the glass, and run some of the offense. That’s a lot for one player to handle, and hopefully Mann is able to get himself out of this funk. If he doesn’t, these two losses could stretch out into something longer.
Dwayne Bacon’s play improved, but not enough
Today marked the seventh game in a row that Dwayne Bacon has shot under 50 percent from the floor. For a team that already struggles on offense (relative to other top 10 teams at least), that’s killer. They need Bacon to play more efficiently if they want to resemble the unit that won 11 games in a row, and peaked at sixth in the country.
Bacon does deserve some credit for somewhat improving his play against Syracuse. He scored 19, despite missing 10 of his 18 shot attempts. Bacon was able to nail three three-pointers, but it was his finishing around the basket that I found most concerning.
Multiple times, FSU’s super sophomore was able to get by his defender and set up a decent look near the basket. The final product though, was lacking. Bacon missed multiple shots around the rim, shots that he was making with ease through the team’s first 15 games. For some reason, they just haven’t been dropping lately.
Is he nursing a secret injury, or is he just going through a rough patch? We’ll never know, but I suspect it might be the former. He has lacked elevation on his a lot of his finishes, and is settling for a way too many threes. Over his last five outings, he has hoisted an absurd 35 shots from deep. For a player who has become known for his slithery drives and finishes, that’s just weird.
Jan 28, 2017; Syracuse, NY, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard Trent Forrest (3) goes for a lay up during the first half of a game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Florida State’s bench, a strength of the team, struggled
The Seminoles made a run late, and got the 18-point halftime deficit down to just two. A lot of that had to do with the fact that Syracuse played just seven guys all day. Meanwhile, FSU played eight guys off the bench alone. But even despite that disparity, the battle between the two benches was more than even. Florida State’s substitutes scored 15 points combined. Syracuse’s two man bench on the other hand? 12.
That just can’t happen. It completely nullifies what is supposed to be a huge advantage for the Seminoles. Jarquez Smith is the only player who acquitted himself, and everyone else played poorly. Smith went 2-for-3, and played most (if not all) of FSU’s minutes at center for the second half.
Players not named Smith (off the bench) went 3-for-16. Just shockingly bad play from one of the best bench units in America. Trent Forrest continues to struggle to score, CJ Walker was only slightly better, PJ Savoy barely played, but was ineffective (and may have hurt his elbow).
Things went so badly for them, that coach Leonard Hamilton gave important minutes late to senior walk-on Brandon Allen. Allen didn’t do much to reward Hamilton’s confidence. He failed to score and whoever he was guarding would usually blow by him. Those minutes probably should have gone to someone (anyone?) else.
We forget because they have played so well, but the bench is made up of mostly first- or second-year players. So it’s logical that they’re hitting a mid-season wall. But for Florida State to get back to dominating teams, they need to find their form. Quickly.
Jonathan Isaac is the team’s best player
We refuse to be completely negative over here on Chop Chat. So I will say, after an off game against GT, Isaac responded in a big way. He did have a minor scare in the first half, in which he got winded and was taken back to the locker room, but if his second half was any indication, he’s just fine.
Isaac scored 19 points (15 of which came after the break), on an extremely efficient nine shot attempts (he missed a dunk too, so that total should have been 21 on nine, but I digress). He also grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked two shots. The freshman phenom was the key behind FSU’s second half comeback.
At this point, it’s fairly obvious that Isaac is the most talented player on the team. So I want to see him be more aggressive, especially with Bacon going through his recent struggles. I understand it’s not really in him quite yet, but for Isaac to turn the corner and legitimize himself as a top five pick in the NBA draft, he needs to shoot more than eight times per game. Considering that he’s also the best free-throw shooter on the team (at 82 percent), he also has to get to the line with greater frequency.
Isaac is an elite talent, and if he can start to lead the team in scoring more often, FSU’s offense will be all the better for it.
Jan 28, 2017; Syracuse, NY, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton calls out to his team during the second half of a game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse won the contest 82-72. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Free-throw shooting was terrible yet again
My final takeaway is that Florida State’s free-throwing shooting has to improve. It feels like I’m beating a dead horse, but it’s been so bad that I worry it could cost them a game in the tournament.
On the season, the Seminoles shoot 69 percent from the free-throw line, which is 188th in the country. Against Syracuse, they missed nine of their 26 attempts, which amounts to a 65 percent clip.
Goes without saying, it’s a different game late if FSU had converted free-throws at even a slightly better rate. Isaac made eight of his attempts, meaning that the rest of the team shot a terrible 56 percent from the stripe. Not good enough to beat quality ACC teams on the road. Nope, not even close.
FSU basketball returns to action on Wednesday night. It’ll be a huge road game against the rival Miami Hurricanes, who are fresh off of beating North Carolina by double-digits. Will FSU end this poor run of form, and get just their second road win in conference play? Can’t wait to find out.
We’ll have a preview on gameday, so check back with us then.
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