Connect with us

Florida State will host NC State this Wednesday night at 7 o’clock with coverage on ESPN2. The Seminoles are 20-4 and ranked 14th in the most recent rankings. Leading the Noles is Dwayne Bacon averaging 17.6 PPG. The super sophomore has been outstanding for coach Leonard Hamilton leading a talented group that currently sits 8-3 in ACC play. What do you need to know before NC State migrates south?

Florida State’s last game.

The Noles beat the Clemson Tigers 109-61 behind Dewayne Bacon’s 29 points on 10-14 shooting (6-9 3FG). Bacon’s 29 points matched his career high. Not only was Bacon great but the Noles forced the Tigers into 22 TO’s which they converted into 35 points. Florida State has plenty of athletes who get after it on the defensive end as they force 15.2 turnovers per game. Their plus 2.82 turnover margin leads the ACC. Joe Lunardi of ESPN recently had the Tigers seeded as a 10 in his NCAA Tournament projections. Florida State has not lost at home this season a fact they will look to continue come Wednesday.

Florida State is as talented as any team in the NCAA.

Coach Leonard Hamilton spoke about how he is challenging his team each day to take that step to become a great team. He feels that they are getting closer to their potential but still have work. Throughout Florida State’s lineup, they have guys capable of playing well on both ends of the court. Defensively they are among the best at forcing turnovers and using them to propel their offense. As a whole, they are allowing 72.9 PPG, 42.7 FG%, and 33 3FG% making life difficult for opposing teams.

Offensively Bacon is the complete package; however, he is not alone. Supporting Bacon is Jonathan Issac and Xavier Rathan-Mayes who average 12.8 and 10.3 PPG respectively. Issac is a 6-10 freshman with the versatility to score inside as well as outside. Xavier Rathan-Mayes is averaging 10.3 PPG although he capable of exploding on any given night. This season Rathan-Mayes has done a better job at playmaking for his teammates averaging 4.7 APG. The Noles are averaging 80 PPG in ACC games this season, good enough for a plus 7.1 scoring margin in conference play.

What lies ahead for Florida State?

The Seminoles are 20-4 on the season with an 8-3 record in ACC play trailing UNC by one game for first place. The Noles host NC State on Wednesday night before traveling to Notre Dame on Saturday. Leonard Hamilton’s group have their eyes set on winning the ACC regular season crown and have a favorable schedule to accomplish this feat. With seven games remaining only two are aginst ranked opponents although both are on the road. Dwayne Bacon is one of the premiere players in the NCAA as he is getting more comfortable each game. Florida State has the talent and ability to make plays on both ends of the court to make a deep run this March.

4 Comments
Subscribe
Notify of
4 Comments
newest
oldest most Upvoted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Wolfer96
Wolfer96
7 years ago

This FSU team is talented like the Pack but they are playing like I had wished the Pack would play before the season started.

wolfpack74
wolfpack74
7 years ago
Reply to  Wolfer96

I disagree with the assertion that this team has talent. Sure they can shoot sometimes and rebound once in a while. But talent is more than playing offense.

Wolfer96
Wolfer96
7 years ago
Reply to  wolfpack74

You can have talent and still lose. Talent is not the same as well coached, plays hard, disciplined, etc. DSJ is a talent. He is currently not well coached. Torin Dorn is a talent. He is also not well coached. Wait there’s a theme here.

wolfpack74
wolfpack74
7 years ago

What SPF are the basketball players going to use at the beach? That is the important question.

NC State Basketball

An NC State Win Over Marquette in the Sweet 16 Would Be…

Published

on

Awesome. Obviously.

#11 seed NC State will play #2 seed Marquette tomorrow night in the Sweet 16. What would a win mean for the Wolfpack? Many things, but here’s just a few:

It would give NC State 25 wins on the year (25-14), which would be the most wins since 1982-83, when the Wolfpack went 26-10, winning the National Championship.

It would mark the 12th time in school history that NC State has won 25+ games in a single season.

1982-83 – 26-10 

1973-74 – 30-1 

1972-73 – 27-0 

1954-55 – 28-4 

1953-54 – 26-7

1952-53 – 26-6 

1950-51 – 30-7 

1949-50 – 27-6 

1948-49 – 25-8 

1947-48 – 29-3

1946-47- 26-5

It would be the 7th time NC State has advanced to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament.

1950

1951

1974

1983

1985

1986

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

NC State has Won 5 ACC Championships this Year

Published

on

NC State has won 5 ACC Championships this year, which is the most of any athletic program in the conference this year.

The Wolfpack has won ACC Titles in Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Swimming & Diving, Wrestling, Men’s Basketball and Gymnastics.

The last time NC State won 5 ACC Championships in one year was 1979-80.

As far as I can tell, here’s a look at the Wolfpack Conference Titles from 1979-80:

Football
Women’s Basketball
Women’s Cross Country
Men’s Swimming & Diving
Men’s Tennis

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

NC State is 1 of 4 Schools to Have Both Men & Women’s Basketball Teams in Sweet 16

Published

on

NC State is 1 of 4 schools to have their Men and Women’s Basketball teams BOTH advance to the Sweet 16, along with Duke, Gonzaga and UCONN.

NC State and Duke are the only two schools in the country to send both Basketball teams to the Sweet 16, and also send the Football team to a bowl game.

This marks only the third time in school history that BOTH teams made the Sweet 16.

Years NC State’s Men & Women’s Teams Made the Sweet 16

1985
1989
2024

Despite the fact that the Men’s team has made the Elite 8 six times (1950, 1951, 1974, 1983, 1985, 1986), and the Women have made it 2 times (1998 & 2022), in the three occasions they both went to the Sweet 16 in the same year, neither team advanced to the Elite 8.

In 2024, Why Not Us?

Continue Reading

NC State Basketball

#3 seed NC State Holds on Against #6 Seed Tennessee, Defeating the Vols 79-72 to Advance to the Sweet 16

Published

on

#3 seed NC State held on last night, defeating #6 seed Tennessee 79-72 in Reynolds Coliseum to advance to the Sweet 16 for the 5th time in the last 6 tournaments.

The Wolfpack led by only 1 after the 1st Quarter, but they looked like they had things under control at halftime, leading by 18 points.

At one point, NC State led by as much as 20 points in the 3rd Quarter, but the Lady Volunteers weren’t about to give up.

With 4:19 left in the 4th, Tennessee cut the lead to 2 points, but NC State might have bent, but they wouldn’t break.

Junior Guard Aziaha James led the way with 22 points and 7 assists, which were both team highs. She scored 7 points in the final 3.5 minutes, helping to squash tue Last Vols’ comeback attempt.

Junior Guard Saniya Rivers had 20 points (6-14 FG) and 6 boards.

Freshman Zoe Brooks was clutch off the bench, chipping in 16 points and 6 boards.

This marks the 16th time the NC State Women’s Basketball team has advanced to the Sweet 16.

The Wolfpack will play #2 seed Stanford on Friday night at 7:30pm on ESPN in Portland.

Continue Reading