Once cresting with a series of emotional highs, the Seminoles (19-9, 10-4) now enter the final week of the season trying to regather themselves.
Their home loss against Duke on Feb. 23 -- one of the biggest games in the program's history -- led into a poor performance on Feb. 26 in a 78-62 loss at Miami. The Seminoles entered with a six-game win series streak against Miami, but the Hurricanes dominated the game, even without their star center Reggie Johnson.
If that doesn't get FSU's attention, consider the Seminoles must now go to Virginia on March 1, which is going to be a more difficult situation given the Cavaliers' own need to win for NCAA tourney consideration.
"Sometimes it's not always that you're defeated it's how you respond to it," said FSU coach Leonard Hamilton, prior to the Miami game. "We challenge our players to not necessarily accept the loss but understand, learn from it, grow from it and let's go back and record and bounce back from a bitter defeat, hold our heads up high and move on."
Hamilton's words must have fallen on deaf ears.
The Seminoles lacked emotion and consistent effort against Miami, losing to a team that was playing without its best player. Hamilton faces an emotional regroup effort in the next two days of practices before this team leaves for Virginia. While the Seminoles have secured an NCAA Tournament berth with their wins and probable third-place finish in the ACC, they were hoping for a strong finish to gain a good seeding. They will need wins this week to get back on track.
So what happened? Well, the Duke game was an emotional stage the Seminoles have rarely enjoyed. Their fans sold out the arena days in advance, and the game was on national television. The toll from that game was greater than Hamilton probably figured. His program has not advanced enough to where players can put those elements aside and move on to the next game.
Plus, FSU has slipped back into its old bad habits with poor shots and confounding turnovers.
The issues have to be fixed quickly or this team will go limping into post season.
NOTES, QUOTES
--Here's how the Seminoles have risen in stature. Miami fans rushed the court following the Hurricane's Feb. 26 win, which broke a six-game, four-year losing streak to their state rivals. The Seminoles were coming off a Feb. 23 game against Duke that featured an overflow crowd of more than 12,000 in FSU's Tucker Center.
--Many of FSU's familiar problems reared back against the Hurricanes. The Seminoles were terrible in ball-handling, committing 18 turnovers. They were 5-of-23 from 3-point range and they were whistled for 29 fouls. It was easily a road woe that matched their meltdown at Boston College on Feb. 8
--Since winning a school-record seven consecutive ACC games, the Seminoles are 3-3 with some very bad losses at Boston College and Miami, plus the narrow escape at home against Virginia Tech when they trailed most of the game and were down nine points in the final two minutes. They played well against Duke and solid on the road at N.C. State, but the other four games were plagued with poor shooting, poor offensive sets and lack of emotion.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"And this time of year, you've got to stay focused. We still have a lot to play for, and we need to continue to keep getting better." -- Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton, prior to his team's loss at Miami.
THIS WEEK'S GAMES
--at Virginia, Thursday, March 1
Another difficult situation for the Seminoles, who find themselves facing a Virginia team that must win this game to continue hopes for the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles won the earlier meeting 58-55 on Feb. 4 in one of those painful, grind-it-out defensive battles. The teams combined for 39 turnovers. That win completed a school-record, seventh-consecutive win for the Seminoles. That seems a long time ago, now. Just like in that game, the biggest matchup will be Virginia senior star Mike Scott, who is the third-leading scorer in the ACC against FSU's front court led by Bernard James and Okaro White. The Seminoles slowed Scott in the second half of the earlier meeting and that was one of the reasons for the win. But the Seminoles have to hope their own big men show up. James and White combined for just 12 points against Miami and that was without Miami's star center Reggie Johnson playing.
--vs. Clemson, Sunday, March 4
Depending on what happens at Virginia, this could be a vital game for the Seminoles in the season-finale. Should they lose at Virginia, the Seminoles would be reeling with three consecutive losses, going into their last game against the team that walloped them by 20 points (79-59) in both teams' ACC opener on Jan. 7. Clemson is a smaller, quicker team and play the kind of style that gives FSU problems. Seminoles guards Deividas Dulkys, Luke Loucks and Jeff Peterson are going to have to lock down on Clemson guards Andre Young and Tanner Smith, who combined for 31 points in Clemson's win. Emotions will play a huge role in this game. Clemson can't make the NCAA Tournament, unless it wins the ACC Tournament, but the Tigers can still have a winning season and get to the NIT.
FUTURES MARKET
Although G Ian Miller didn't shoot well against Miami, the Seminoles have to like his progress. He played 24 minutes in the road loss and scored 12 points. The sophomore has scored in double figures in five of his last six games while coming off the bench.
PLAYER NOTES
--G Michael Snaer continues to be FSU's hottest player, most consistent player and most dependable player. He poured in 20 points against Miami on Feb. 26. He has scored in double figures in 10 of the last 12 games and is only three points shy of scoring in double figures in all 12 games.
--G Deividas Dulkys scored 10 points against Miami, the first time he has been in double-figures in the past nine games. Remember, this is the guy who poured in 32 points somehow against North Carolina in FSU's dramatic blowout win on Jan. 14 and hasn't really been heard from since that game.
--C Bernard James had blocked 16 shots in the previous four games, but had only two blocks against Miami. He needs 12 more to move into fourth place in school history.
