FSU Basketball 2019 ACC Tournament Finals Preview: vs. Duke

Here’s a preview of FSU basketball and their upcoming game scheduled for play during the 2018-19 season.

It was a game where the FSU basketball team knew they had to play their best against maybe the top team in all of college basketball right now – and when it was all said and done, the Seminoles punched their ticket to the ACC title game for just the third time since joining the conference in the early 1990s.

For head coach Leonard Hamilton and the Noles, Friday’s semifinal game showed what the team is capable of – and maybe gave the rest of the country a glimpse of what some think this FSU basketball team could end up making it back to the Elite Eight and possibly even further if they play to their potential.

Now, the Seminoles turn their attention to a team from the Tar Heel State who has been the thorn in their side this season with a chance to add another trophy to the Tucker Center case. Here’s our recap of the last game action and a preview of what’s ahead for the Seminoles.

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Last Game Recap

After needing overtime to win their conference opener against Virginia Tech, the fourth seeded Seminoles took the court in Charlotte against a top seeded Virginia Cavaliers team who had beaten them by double digits earlier in the season in a game that wasn’t even that close.

In the first half, FSU basketball led by as many as 10 points before the Cavs began to chip away at the lead – aided by six turnovers in the first half from the Noles – but the Seminoles still took a four point lead into the locker room. With just over 13:30 to go in the second half, Virginia had a one-point lead and it looked like the Noles were in a battle.

It would be the final time the Seminoles trailed in the game as the garnet and gold went on an 18-4 run, led by a team high 14 points from David Nichols off the bench and another 11 points from Phil Cofer to come away with the 69-59 victory and a spot in Saturday’s title game.

Opponent Preview

For the second time this season, the Seminoles will face a Duke Blue Devils team who they lost to earlier this season before going on a recent winning streak that has seen FSU basketball win 14 of their last 15 games, including two straight this week in Charlotte.

For the Blue Devils, the season has been one that saw them ranked as the number one team in the country but the last five games of the regular season were marred by the injury to star player Zion Williamson. The freshman came back in the tournament to hit all his shots against Syracuse, followed by the Blue Devils getting their first win of the season over rival North Carolina to advance to play the Seminoles.

Interesting Fact

FSU basketball will have a chance to not only avenge one of their six regular season losses, but will also get a chance to do something rare – beat at least three out of four ACC teams from the state of North Carolina during the same season.

Over the course of the last decade, that feat has only happened three times before: in the 2010-11 and 2016-17 seasons with the Seminoles losing to UNC both years while getting wins against all four teams during the 2011-12 season, including the title game win that season over the Tar Heels after losing to them in the regular season.