Florida State Preview

By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Canes Rising Staff

The Canes face perhaps their biggest game of the season tonight at the Bank United Center versus Florida State. This game essentially is a two-fer meaning the teams in tight competition in the ACC and for NCAA Tournament competition can separate themselves tonight.

Miami is trying to avoid a mark of futility tonight: since FSU joined the ACC, only one team Georgia Tech from 1992 to 1994 has lost six straight meetings with the Seminoles and no team has ever lost at home four straight seasons to Florida State. A Miami loss tonight will place the Canes in the ACC record book with those dubious distinctions.

The Hurricanes lost twice to an inferior Seminoles team last season. This year, FSU probably has a better team top to bottom than Miami, but lacks experience. The Noles are the tallest team in the ACC starting 7'1'' Solomon Alabi, 6'10'' Uche Echefu and 6'9'' Chris Singleton. Guard Jordan DeMercy who plays starters minutes despite being a sixth man comes in at 6'7''. Point Guard Derwin Kitchen the much traveled fourth year sophomore is 6'4''. Tony Douglas, the Noles superstar is the only small player at 6'2''.

The point is FSU has size and Miami must much match up with this size. Additionally, Florida State is athletic and deep. Luke Loukus and Ryan Reid provide quality off the bench. The Noles play incredible defense having held Duke to 19 first half points and Pitt to 56 points overall. Douglas creates turnovers and Singleton is a dynamo in the paint defensively.

All this points to a likely FSU win unless Miami plays a smart disciplined and patient game. Lance Hurdle needs to settle down in transition and the Canes must take good shots inside. James Dews must show up on both ends of the floor for a change and the Canes will probably need the intangibles that Adrian Thomas and Dequan Jones bring. Otherwise, another FSU victory and trip to the ACC record book for futility is likely for the Canes.