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FSU Basketball: Can Noles Swat The Yellow Jackets?

By Kelvin Hunt

Jan 23, 2016; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles fans support guard Dwayne Bacon (4) (not pictured) during the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 23, 2016; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles fans support guard Dwayne Bacon (4) (not pictured) during the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports /
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The FSU Basketball team will welcome the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to the Tuck on Wednesday night. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 and the ACC Network with a start time of 9 p.m.

Make no mistake, the FSU Basketball team has to win this game if they wish to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive in March. They have lost back-to-back games against teams that will be in the NCAA Tournament, and will have NCAA Tournament teams in three of its next five games.

Related Story: Noles On The NCAA Bubble

The Noles had a heartbreaking loss against Miami on Sunday night, a team that’s projected to be a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Noles cut into a 11 point halftime deficit to miss a shot at the buzzer for the win. So it’s not like the team isn’t talented are capable of playing good basketball. The problem like most teams that are not upper tier is playing good basketball consistently over several games.

The Noles are (16-9, 6-7 ACC) and struggle with turning the ball over and making free throws. They actually shoot the ball OK for the most part at near 45 percent from the floor as a team.

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However, they often struggle on the defensive end and on the boards against physical teams as evident in the Miami game.

Georgia Tech (13-12, 3-9 ACC) are not as bad as their record would indicate as they have with four losses in conference play that were five points or less. They actually beat No. 4 Virginia earlier in the year. Georgia Tech is led by Marcus Georges-Hunt at 16.1 points per game and makes a living at the free throw line at a 81 percent clip. Charles Mitchell is a beast on the boards, averaging 10.7 rebounds per game and 10.9 points per game.

The Yellow Jackets average near 40 rebounds per game and 74 points per game.

The Noles need to get back to the things we talked about during their four game winning streak:

  • Take good shots/Shoot well
  • Rebound
  • Don’t Turn The Ball Over
  • Make Free Throws
  • Force other team to make bad shots

They did most of those things well during their winning streak aside from free throws. They’ll need to contain Georges-Hunt and limit the second chance opportunities that Georgia Tech often creates with their rebounding. They will need to push the pace when possible, get to the free throw line and convert. FSU guards have been way too passive lately, and only took ONE free throw shot in the entire first half against Miami. FSU will need to close out on their shooters as Georgia Tech can heat it up from long-range in spurts. In fact, that’s how they beat Virginia earlier in the year.

FSU Basketball must get this win to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive, be sure to pack the Tuck and support.

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