No. 20 Florida State at No. 12 Virginia, 2 p.m. ESPNU
The Cavaliers must really like playing Louisville. UVa picked up another win Wednesday over the Cardinals, its second straight at Louisville, and fourth of five in the series, 61-53. For much of the game, it was a carbon copy of last season's 63-47 win at Louisville, the difference being in this one, the Cardinals made a late run to make Cavaliers fans a little nervous. It was a classic Virginia win, with the Pack-Line clamping down on the Cardinals and stopping them in transition, while working for great shots on the offensive end. UVa was again a model of offensive balance, with only Devon Hall reaching 10 points. London Perrantes and Kyle Guy had nine each, Mamadi Diakite had eight, and Darius Thompson had seven. The Cavaliers led by as many as 21 in the second half before Louisville surged. It never got closer than eight, however.
In a loaded ACC, there aren't many off games. Virginia knows that today as it plays its first ACC home game of the season against a Florida State team that has matched its best 14-game start to a season in school history and has won nine game in a row. Here's more on the Seminoles:
Record: 13-1, 1-0 ACC
Scorers in double figures: Sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon (17.4), freshman forward Jonathan Isaac (12.8), junior guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes (10.9)
Leading rebounders: Isaac (7.2), sophomore guard Terance Mann (4.6), senior center Michael Ojo (4.5), Rathan-Mayes (4)
Assist leaders: Rathan-Mayes (4.6), freshman guard Trent Forrest (2.3), Mann (2)
Notable: Mann averages 8.5 points. Isaac averages 1.2 blocks and Ojo 1.1 blocks. The Seminoles have 10
players putting up at least 5 ppg.
Best win: At home vs. then-No. 21 Florida, 83-78, on Dec. 11
Worst win: At home vs. Samford, 76-68, on Dec. 19
Other wins: Charleston Southern, Iona, Winthrop, Detroit, Illinois, Minnesota, George Washington, Southern Miss, Nicholls State, Manhattan, Wake Forest
Loss: Temple, 89-86, in Brooklyn in late November
What FSU does well: The schedule hasn't been anything special yet, but the Seminoles have shined in lots of categories. They are 13th in the nation in scoring (88.1), tied for 77th in rebounding and 59th in rebounding margin (+5.6), and tied for 81st in assists (15.7). FSU really excels at shooting and is eighth in that category (51.3 percent), but not quite as good beyond the arc at 127th (36.4). FSU records 8.1 steals per game, which ranks 42nd.
What FSU does poorly: The overall defense is suspect, ranked 119th in points allowed per game (68.9). However, the Seminoles' field goal percentage allowed is ranked 23rd.
I am definitely worried about this game. Virginia lost to Florida State last year in Tallahassee, 69-62, in the middle of Virginia's worst stretch, as the Seminoles handed the Cavaliers their third loss in four games. Bacon had 18 points in that game and Malik Beasley, another star freshman, had 17. Beasley is in the NBA now, so Virginia doesn't have to worry about him, but Bacon is back and Rathan-Mayes is dangerous. Plus, Isaac, who was the No. 9 recruit according to ESPN, is 6-foot-10 and able to shoot the 3, having made 17 of 40 (37.5 percent). Tall, "stretch four" players who have been able to shoot from beyond the arc have given Virginia plenty of problems in the past. FSU is also just a very tall team in general, and that can be bothersome to Virginia's offense, which can obviously go through some lulls. FSU has some real offensive firepower so far, putting up 88 ppg, 10 more than Louisville had going into Wednesday's game. Both are physical on the boards, but one of the differences is FSU is a much better shooting team right now than Louisville. So even if UVa can stop the 'Noles in transition, they are more dangerous in the halfcourt than the Cardinals. Isaac and Bacon, a tall 6-7 guard, will attempt to pull the Pack-Line apart and try to help Rathan-Mayes have penetration lanes. He was able to get to the line a lot last year and made 7 of 8 free throws vs. the 'Hoos.
The one silver lining I see is that the schedule hasn't been great so far. I think Virginia has been more challenged than FSU. The Cavaliers' strength of schedule is listed at 19 in the RPI, and the Seminoles' is at 85. FSU has not been as dominant as UVa, also, and has allowed a lot of points against some "meh" teams. In their ACC opener Wednesday, Florida State beat Wake Forest at home, 88-72, but was behind well into the second half. So hopefully the step up in competition shocks FSU a little, though Bacon and Rathan-Mayes know what to expect. Virginia was not at its best, certainly, last year in the loss to the 'Noles, so that could make a difference, too, if UVa can play against FSU like it played against Louisville (just throw out the last several minutes). Being at home should help, too, as the JPJ crowd will be revved up for its first home game since Dec. 17 against Robert Morris. FSU has the goods to win, but I'll take Virginia in a close, low-scoring fight.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 1-5 points.
The Cavaliers must really like playing Louisville. UVa picked up another win Wednesday over the Cardinals, its second straight at Louisville, and fourth of five in the series, 61-53. For much of the game, it was a carbon copy of last season's 63-47 win at Louisville, the difference being in this one, the Cardinals made a late run to make Cavaliers fans a little nervous. It was a classic Virginia win, with the Pack-Line clamping down on the Cardinals and stopping them in transition, while working for great shots on the offensive end. UVa was again a model of offensive balance, with only Devon Hall reaching 10 points. London Perrantes and Kyle Guy had nine each, Mamadi Diakite had eight, and Darius Thompson had seven. The Cavaliers led by as many as 21 in the second half before Louisville surged. It never got closer than eight, however.
In a loaded ACC, there aren't many off games. Virginia knows that today as it plays its first ACC home game of the season against a Florida State team that has matched its best 14-game start to a season in school history and has won nine game in a row. Here's more on the Seminoles:
Record: 13-1, 1-0 ACC
Scorers in double figures: Sophomore guard Dwayne Bacon (17.4), freshman forward Jonathan Isaac (12.8), junior guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes (10.9)
Leading rebounders: Isaac (7.2), sophomore guard Terance Mann (4.6), senior center Michael Ojo (4.5), Rathan-Mayes (4)
Assist leaders: Rathan-Mayes (4.6), freshman guard Trent Forrest (2.3), Mann (2)
Notable: Mann averages 8.5 points. Isaac averages 1.2 blocks and Ojo 1.1 blocks. The Seminoles have 10
Best win: At home vs. then-No. 21 Florida, 83-78, on Dec. 11
Worst win: At home vs. Samford, 76-68, on Dec. 19
Other wins: Charleston Southern, Iona, Winthrop, Detroit, Illinois, Minnesota, George Washington, Southern Miss, Nicholls State, Manhattan, Wake Forest
Loss: Temple, 89-86, in Brooklyn in late November
What FSU does well: The schedule hasn't been anything special yet, but the Seminoles have shined in lots of categories. They are 13th in the nation in scoring (88.1), tied for 77th in rebounding and 59th in rebounding margin (+5.6), and tied for 81st in assists (15.7). FSU really excels at shooting and is eighth in that category (51.3 percent), but not quite as good beyond the arc at 127th (36.4). FSU records 8.1 steals per game, which ranks 42nd.
What FSU does poorly: The overall defense is suspect, ranked 119th in points allowed per game (68.9). However, the Seminoles' field goal percentage allowed is ranked 23rd.
I am definitely worried about this game. Virginia lost to Florida State last year in Tallahassee, 69-62, in the middle of Virginia's worst stretch, as the Seminoles handed the Cavaliers their third loss in four games. Bacon had 18 points in that game and Malik Beasley, another star freshman, had 17. Beasley is in the NBA now, so Virginia doesn't have to worry about him, but Bacon is back and Rathan-Mayes is dangerous. Plus, Isaac, who was the No. 9 recruit according to ESPN, is 6-foot-10 and able to shoot the 3, having made 17 of 40 (37.5 percent). Tall, "stretch four" players who have been able to shoot from beyond the arc have given Virginia plenty of problems in the past. FSU is also just a very tall team in general, and that can be bothersome to Virginia's offense, which can obviously go through some lulls. FSU has some real offensive firepower so far, putting up 88 ppg, 10 more than Louisville had going into Wednesday's game. Both are physical on the boards, but one of the differences is FSU is a much better shooting team right now than Louisville. So even if UVa can stop the 'Noles in transition, they are more dangerous in the halfcourt than the Cardinals. Isaac and Bacon, a tall 6-7 guard, will attempt to pull the Pack-Line apart and try to help Rathan-Mayes have penetration lanes. He was able to get to the line a lot last year and made 7 of 8 free throws vs. the 'Hoos.
The one silver lining I see is that the schedule hasn't been great so far. I think Virginia has been more challenged than FSU. The Cavaliers' strength of schedule is listed at 19 in the RPI, and the Seminoles' is at 85. FSU has not been as dominant as UVa, also, and has allowed a lot of points against some "meh" teams. In their ACC opener Wednesday, Florida State beat Wake Forest at home, 88-72, but was behind well into the second half. So hopefully the step up in competition shocks FSU a little, though Bacon and Rathan-Mayes know what to expect. Virginia was not at its best, certainly, last year in the loss to the 'Noles, so that could make a difference, too, if UVa can play against FSU like it played against Louisville (just throw out the last several minutes). Being at home should help, too, as the JPJ crowd will be revved up for its first home game since Dec. 17 against Robert Morris. FSU has the goods to win, but I'll take Virginia in a close, low-scoring fight.
Gut feeling: Virginia wins by 1-5 points.
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