Seminoles targeting Wisconsin
TALLAHASSEE (AP) – Dynamic fifth-year point guard Toney Douglas and one of the tallest front lines in the country are looking to make up for lost time Friday when 16th-ranked Florida State makes its first NCAA tournament appearance in 11 years.
The Seminoles play Wisconsin in a first-round East Regional game.
A fifth seed, the Seminoles (25-9) take on the 12th-seeded Badgers (19-12) from the Big Ten in a game scheduled for a 9:55 tip at Boise, Idaho. The last time the Seminoles were in Boise, 18 years ago, they advanced to the NCAA’s Sweet 16 with wins over Montana and Georgetown.
“We haven’t started taking any bows yet,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said Monday. “We feel like we’re playing for something and want to stay focused.”
Hamilton was focused on a DVD replay of a recent Wisconsin game, comparing the Badgers’ style somewhat to No. 4 Pitt, one of the NCAA’s top-seeded tournament teams.
“Typical Big Ten,” he said. “A low possession type team, big and strong inside and physical, very physical.”
The Seminoles, who are 5-7 against teams in the tournament field, did lose at Northwestern, Dec. 3, in an ACC/Big Ten challenge game.
Despite its decade-long absence from NCAA tourney play, Florida State has been close in recent years, winning 20 or more games in three of the past four seasons, that includes a 33-31 regular season ACC mark. A weak nonconference schedule kept them out of the tournament three years ago despite a 9-7 ACC mark in a 20-10 season record.
Florida State eliminated top-ranked North Carolina in the ACC semifinals before losing to Duke for the third time this season in Sunday’s championship game.