The Florida State men's basketball team hosted LSU for the second and final exhibition of the preseason, walking away with an 89-87 win in front of a home crowd. The Seminoles originally had three SEC exhibitions scheduled, but Hurricane Isaias forced the first exhibition against Mississippi State to be canceled.
The team started the preseason on the road, with a win over Auburn during the Ballin in Boutwell preseason event in Birmingham, Alabama. LSU traveled to the Tucker Center yesterday to finish the preseason for both teams, and the Tigers had to walk out of Tallahassee with their tail between their legs.
With the win secured and the preseason officially over, here are four winners and one loser from the final exhibition.
Winners:
1. F Shon Abaev
After a solid performance against Auburn in the first exhibition, Abaev put together an impressive performance in his first game in the Tucker Center. The forward led the team with 26 points while adding five assists and three rebounds. Abaev was also on the court the most for Florida State, playing nearly 29 minutes against LSU.
It can be hard to predict the role a player will have within a team before actually seeing them out on the court, but given Abaev's strengths, his value to the offense will be big. The forward is able to strike a balance between pushing the tempo and fighting for baskets in the paint, while also being able to operate a perimeter offense with notable accuracy from three-point range.
2. G Elisee Assui
One of the most underrated additions to the 2026-27 Florida State team through the preseason has been Assui, a do-it-all guard who has experience playing for Team Italy. At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Assui is not your typical guard, and his presence has been felt due to his ability to defend the perimeter and slow down speedy guards.
Assui finished the exhibition against LSU with 11 points, five rebounds, and a block in 20 minutes off the bench. The guard can do a bit of everything on offense, from driving and creating his own looks to opening up space and giving his teammates the assist. With the amount of time Assui has played this preseason, it seems clear that Loucks is a fan and finding a role for the guard during the regular season will not be an issue.
3. G Anthony Robinson II
Sometimes the transfer portal creates expectations that are not necessarily a reflection of what the reality will be for a player. Robinson is someone who originally appeared to be a new scoring threat that Loucks would be able to play around with; rather, the guard has become a key facilitator for the offense.
Against LSU, Robinson recorded seven assists and three rebounds, providing the offense with some value despite having a rough night from the field. Robinson went 1-for-8 shooting, but the important aspect of his performance is that he managed to make an impact without his best weapon at his disposal. The guard has been known for scoring, but if his playmaking abilities can continue to develop, he will have plenty of capable shooters like Kam Taylor at his disposal.
4. C Marcis Ponder
It may not have been quite as explosive a performance for Ponder, but the Seminoles' new starting center appears ready for true competition. When it comes to defending the paint and grabbing rebounds, Ponder is certainly the man for the job this season.
Ponder grabbed seven boards while scoring five points and blocking a shot in the exhibition win over LSU. The center has continued to show improvements over his former high school self on the court, and for that reason, Ponder has found himself in the "winners" category. However, there are some potential concerns surrounding the center that will need to be addressed.
LSU did the most damage to Florida State with the guard duo of Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark, both of whom consistently created space against the Seminoles' defense. When a switch occurs, or Ponder is left stuck in the screen, it allows the offense to get off a relatively easy shot. Florida State needs to be able to move quickly on defense and close out on all the open jumpers, which is something the team struggled with last season.
Losers:
1. F Cooper Schwieger
After originally joining the team via the transfer portal with expectations of taking on a significant role off the bench, the regular season might deliver a different outlook for Schwieger. Florida State has far more talent in the frontcourt this season compared to Year 1 for Loucks, and finding a true role for Schwieger could be difficult at the start of the year.
With Alex Steen now officially on the roster, the Seminoles have four big men, with the likes of Marcis Ponder and Sebastian Rancik swallowing up a good chunk of playing time. Exhibitions are not a full reflection of the types of lineups each coach will run with, but Loucks has experimented at times with smaller lineups on the court, which provides even less of an opportunity for Schwieger to carve out a role for himself.
The forward recorded four points and two rebounds in 12 minutes of play against LSU, with Steen playing nearly 19 minutes off the bench. It should be interesting to see what type of role Loucks gives Schwieger, but it likely will not be as significant as many previously had hoped.
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