FSU Basketball Fans Should Root For (Most) Rivals to End The Season

FSU basketball is entering the home stretch of the regular season – and fans should root for almost all rivals to help the ‘Noles clinch a high seed.

It can be the dilemma that drives a sports fan nuts – can you root for one of your rivals if it means helping your team out. Sometimes, it can be done depending on how strong the rivalry is. For FSU basketball fans, it might be time to start considering that question as the NCAA tournament approaches.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying the Seminoles NEED any help in getting to March Madness this year. At 21-5 with five games left in the regular season, FSU basketball has their ticket all but officially punched to their first tournament appearance since the 2011-12 season.

Even with that, every little big can help the Seminoles at this point in attempting to secure the highest ranking they have. During last weekend’s early preview of what the tournament field would look like right now, Florida State was given a No. 2 seed – which would be the highest in program history.

Two days later, the Seminoles dropped three spots in both polls following their Saturday loss at Notre Dame. In all likelihood, a move like that might drop FSU basketball down to a No. 3 seed if they were handed out today – still a respectable number.

Florida State Seminoles Basketball

In that same show, Leonard Hamilton’s team was given high praise for their dominate record against teams ranked in the top 50 by the committee. Entering this week’s action, Florida State had a 3-1 record against teams ranked ahead of them in the polls – included hated foe Florida and conference rival Duke.

Now, by no means am I asking you to opening root for those Gators – I can’t ask you to do something I would NEVER do – but we have to admit that each of their wins since FSU beat them has helped out standing. The same goes for every win by teams like Duke, Miami, Notre Dame and other schools FSU basketball fans have personal distain for.

So, as the rest of the season goes on, you find yourself watching Duke take on North Carolina…and it’s going to hit you. A win by Duke makes my Seminoles look better and increases our chances of holding onto a top three seed as long as FSU continues to do their thing and win. The same goes for when you watch Louisville, Virginia and even those Fighting Irish.

It would also help to root for Miami at this point. I know that falls under the same umbrella as rooting for those jean short wearing Crocs, but if the Hurricanes can get ranked to end the regular season it will help when they come up and get beat by FSU basketball to end the regular season (yes, I’m calling that one).

It’s tough…and it may require some to hold their nose in doing so…but for the sake of helping out the Seminoles it’s the right thing to do.