One loss to your arch rival can quickly turn into a few if a team is not mature or emotionally grounded in the game of basketball. With a plethora of new players, continuity can be difficult early in the season, especially if you’re facing the No. 1 team in the nation.
The annual game between Florida State and Florida has always been hotly contested. A year ago, the Seminoles fought back and forth with the Gators in Gainesville but eventually lost 76-78.
Despite the loss, FSU fans were optimistic about the season due to their play against the Gators. However, the Seminoles proceeded to lose five of their next eight games and struggled to find their way until a Jan. 20 win at Miami sparked the team to an 18-15 mark in Luke Loucks’ first season.
Would Tuesday night be a predictor of things to come? Or is this year's basketball team different from what the Seminoles put out last year? Only time will tell.
This FSU-Florida game is an early showdown and the ultimate early season test. The Seminoles unfortunately failed that test as they faltered down the stretch against the Gators 81-72.
“If we play with that amount of intensity, urgency and competitive spirit, we’re going to win a ton of games this year,” FSU coach Luke Loucks said. “That’s what I’m confident about and that’s what I’m hopeful for.”
FSU started out ice cold from beyond the 3-point arc, going 0 for 9 in the first half. Loucks needed to settle his team down before embarking on their journey in the second half to try and upset the Gators.
With Florida only up 31-29 to start the second half, it was anybody's game. The crowd at the Tucker Center was hostile and loud. The play on the court was an all out war with hard fouls and reviews that turned out to be not flagrants. The refs needed to get control of the game because the tension in the air and on the court was noticeable.
With new players on FSU’s team, adversity is the perfect mix for a learning experience, especially from younger and inexperienced players.
“I hope some of the young guys can take how to battle through adversity,” forward Sebastian Rancik said. “We just got to stay together the next couple of days and keep fighting. I’m really excited with what we can do down the line this year.”
The Seminoles didn’t wilt but every time they would get within a point or two, the Gators would answer back with a 3-pointer or would go on a short run. Still, at the 11-minute mark, the Seminoles were only down 46-42.
Marcis Ponder has been one the nation’s best freshman so far but he got educated on Tuesday night and it showed. Ponder was consistently boxed out, had a tough time getting rebounds and played out of control at times. Florida centers Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu and forward Thomas Haugh were seasoned and knew all the tricks that Ponder did not. Ponder was also gassed at times.
Both teams traded blows for the rest of the half and the Tucker Center became deafening at times. Ponder eventually got his first points of the game with 7:53 left in the game after being a non-factor all night. Only three rebounds as well up to this point of the game as the Gators had essentially neutralized the big man.
Last year Florida State did not have an inside presence in Ponder and the losses piled up quickly due to lack of size.
How will it turn out this year after another loss to the Gators?
The Seminoles have an easier non-conference schedule after the Gators this year to include Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Ball State, Green Bay, UNC Asheville and West Florida before the competition surges in December with games at Tennessee, back home against Dayton and Texas A&M in Houston.
“As long as we stick with the work and as long as we stick to our standard of the way we prepare, and ultimately continue to develop as a team and individuals, we are going to win a ton of games this year,” Loucks said. “Hopefully at some point this year we’re ready to beat teams that you know are No. 1 ranked in the country and top 5 in the country because we’re going to need to do that at some point, whether that be in the ACC tournament or eventually the NCAA tournament.”
The main goal for this team if they want to make the NCAA tournament this year is to have 10 wins by the time ACC play starts. FSU already has a few and the next five games are favorable, with KenPom projecting more than a 90 percent chance of victory in each.
The Seminoles will have a quick turnaround as they welcome Texas A&M Corpus Christi to the Tucker Center on Friday at 5 p.m. (ACC Network Extra).
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