The Florida State men's basketball team is just about to take on the LSU Tigers in Tallahassee for the second and final exhibition of the preseason. The Seminoles got off to a winning start, dominating the second half of play against Auburn during the Ballin in Boutwell preseason event.
There is little time for coach Luke Loucks to finish preparing his team for the upcoming 2026-27 season, with the first regular season game against Florida A&M right around the corner. The exhibition against LSU is Loucks' last chance to work things out and experiment before the games actually count.
Preseason exhibitions are rarely telling of what a team is truly capable of, but there are a few questions the Seminoles could answer on the court today.
What will Alex Steen's role look like after rejoining the team?
The biggest story from the past week involving the men's basketball team has centered around the return of forward Alex Steen. Last season, Steen was a valuable role player on the team, and his play often helped push the Seminoles into the win column. Steen was recently granted a fifth year of eligibility after appealing the original decision, and the forward is cleared to immediately rejoin the team.
It is a big boost for Florida State just before the regular season tips off, and nobody is happier about the addition than Loucks. The coach had been vocal about the situation and how Steen deserves a fifth year. The addition might be sudden, but Loucks likely already has a plan in place for the forward that we just don't know yet.
It is unclear just how much Steen will play against LSU, but Loucks has confirmed that the forward will absolutely be playing. It will be interesting to see how Steen is used and how the current lineup will be adjusted after the Auburn exhibition. Loucks played the first exhibition close to what a real game would look like, and now the coach has insisted that he wants the environment of the exhibition against LSU to feel like a real game.
Given how valuable Steen was to the team last season, it is hard to imagine a world where he doesn't take on a similar role this year. Steen will likely slide into the starting lineup, as a pairing with Marcis Ponder could be very fruitful.
Can we put any stock in the exhibition win over Auburn?
Exhibition wins or losses have rarely meant anything in the past in college basketball, particularly as a judge of where a team might end the season. The win over Auburn is great to see, but realistically it does not mean much without any other performances to compare. With LSU visiting Tallahassee today, Florida State has a chance to provide another sample ahead of the regular season.
LSU might have perhaps the weirdest roster in college basketball, but the team under the guidance of coach Will Wade should still be competitive. Wade has never won fewer than 18 games in a season in his 12 years as a head coach. Defeating Wade and his roster in any capacity, even in an exhibition, would be productive for the Seminoles.
The reality for Florida State is that LSU has a very experienced roster, particularly at the collegiate level, which mirrors many of the ACC teams on the schedule later in the season. LSU offers a great chance for the Seminoles to challenge themselves against a lot of players who have seen it all.
Is the Marcis Ponder hype legit?
Like the Auburn exhibition in general, it is hard to fully celebrate the success of Ponder because it is just one exhibition. However, if Ponder is able to have another dominant performance against another very experienced team in LSU, the young center may grow closer to proving that the hype surrounding him is warranted.
At 7 feet and 285 pounds, the physicality and strength of Ponder is undeniable, but the question is whether or not he can rein in his power. Against Auburn, Ponder had a strong double-double performance where he appeared to fully understand his own body. It can be difficult to use a massive frame like his properly, but even in just one collegiate exhibition, Ponder appeared to have made improvements.
Predicting exactly which lineup LSU runs with is difficult because of the uncertainty that has surrounded most of the roster. However, Ponder will likely face off against Mo Dioubate, who is not an easy player to score a bucket on. Ponder could also see Brice Dessert, who would offer a different type of challenge on the court given his 255-pound frame.
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