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FSU Basketball: The Success of This Season Must Be Embraced

By Jason Parker

Jan 18, 2017; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard CJ walker (2) and guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes (22) and forward Jonathan Isaac (1) celebrate after a play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2017; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard CJ walker (2) and guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes (22) and forward Jonathan Isaac (1) celebrate after a play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports /
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FSU basketball is having a season unlike any other in program history – and it’s time to embrace where this year could end up.

To say that Florida State does not have a rich history when it comes to men’s basketball would be an understatement. Yes, there have been great players to come through the program and some years to remember, but FSU basketball has lacked the consistency to make fans believe that a hot start will last.

That fact has held serve for the 2016-17 team, which currently has an insane (by program standards) 18-2 record and is one of the team’s to beat in the ACC. When the team was 13-1, many people were waiting for the other shoes to drop entering a series of six straight games against ranked teams.

Fast forward six games later and the Seminoles went 5-1 over that stretch – including character building wins over Notre Dame and Louisville, a blowout of Duke and a needed road resume win over Virginia – and it’s time to say what many have avoided: this could be a magical year for the program.

After the recent stretch, words such as “Final Four team” have been spoken by some of the top analysts in the sport. With arguably the deepest lineup in the ACC and maybe the entire country, the Seminoles have the talent and roster to make a deep run this March – including a trip to just the second Final Four in program history.

Now, FSU basketball hits the road for three straight games against team that, on paper, they should beat. Georgia Tech, Syracuse and Miami are all teams that have the talent to hang with the Seminoles, but have dealt with issues this season that will have them as underdogs against the top 10 ranked ‘Noles.

With 11 games left in the regular season, the Seminoles don’t have to do much to cement their place in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. A 6-5 finish would give the team 24 regular season wins and likely a top four seed in one region – something that hasn’t been done since being a No. 3 seed in their last appearance.

It’s time to fully embrace what is going on inside the Tucker Center with head coach Leonard Hamilton’s team – the Seminoles are for real this season and need to be taken seriously. It’s not a pipe dream to think we can be seeing the ‘Noles cutting down the nets inside University of Phoenix Stadium this April during the Final Four.

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