FSU Basketball Game Preview: vs. Detroit

Here’s a preview for FSU basketball and their next game during the 2016-2017 basketball season. 

A year with somewhat high expectations for the Seminole basketball team could not have gotten off to a better start. Florida State is averaging 96 point per game, despite playing two teams with legitimate tournament aspirations. The average margin of victory has been 19, with none of the first three opponents posing a threat in the second half. So far, so good.

Florida State did show some holes defensively in their last game against Winthrop, but Coach Leonard Hamilton can’t be too upset about that. His team still won handily, and now he gets to coach them up about playing with better effort, no matter the opponent.

Next up for the Seminoles, a match-up against a Horizon League team that has dropped their last two games in what could be a rebuilding year. We preview today’s game against the Detroit Mercy Titans.

The Last Time The ‘Noles Took The Court

FSU was all set for a tough game against a good Winthrop Eagles team. Just before tip though, news came out that Keon Johnson (Winthrop’s best player) would be forced to sit out due to injury. Without Johnson, it appeared that the Seminoles would have an easy time disposing of their Big South opponents.

However, the news seemed to rally the Eagles. Every run made by Florida State in the first half was answered. Xavier Cooks, who we mentioned as a player to watch out for in the preview, was a nightmare to defend. At halftime, the ‘Noles clung to a 53-46 lead.

The second half was a different story. The Seminoles depth was at full-display, and they were able to wear down Winthrop. The use of a 10-man rotation allowed players to remain fresh later in the game.

Further, the Eagles had no response for Florida State’s size. Michael Ojo and Christ Koumadje, the two seven-footers, combined for 27 points and 13 rebounds.  Ojo did most of his damage at the free-throw line, making 9-of-12 from the stripe, and Koumadje was the beneficiary of multiple alley-oops.

As for the Florida State back-court, Xavier Rathan-Mayes had his best game of the year. He was patient and did a great job distributing the basketball. Although he struggled scoring, he finished the game with nine assists and just one turnover. That’s exactly what you want from an upperclassmen point-guard. Dwayne Bacon meanwhile led all scorers with 15 points.

Florida State won 100-86, and improved to 3-0 on the season. Cooks finished the game with 23 points for the Eagles.

Opponent Preview

The Detroit Titans come to Tallahassee reeling a bit. They’ve lost their last two games by double-digit margins, and currently sit at 1-2. Particularly troubling for the Titans was the 107-78 defeat at the hands of East Tennessee State.

The slow start may not be unexpected though. Detroit dismissed their leading scorer Paris Bass before the year, and also fired Coach Ray McCallum after a disappointing 2016 campaign. They were voted to finish 6th in the 10-team Horizon League by the media before the season.

Sophomore guard Josh McFolley leads the team in scoring at 16 points per game, to go along with three rebounds and two assists. He’s made the jump that some expected him to make after a solid freshman campaign. Senior forward Chris Jenkins is shooting poorly to start the year, but he’s still averaging 12 points and six rebounds per contest. The ‘Noles will have to slow down those two players if they want to win their fourth game of the season.

Interesting Fact

Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time these two teams face off. Detroit and Florida State played each other in 1994, a game which also took place in Tallahassee. It was a tight contest, one that the ‘Noles were able to squeak out and win 84-83. Seminole legend Bob Sura scored 28 points.

The game is at 5, and can be seen once again on WatchESPN. Go ‘Noles.