FSU basketball ended its first season in the Luke Loucks era on a shot to beat the No. 1 team nationally at the buzzer. The shot was missed by just a little, but it was a strong showing for a team that started conference play 0-5.
FSU players decided against playing in the NIT, and it makes sense because the majority of those guys will not return to next year’s team because they’re six seniors. Luke Loucks spoke with the media about the decision not to play in the NIT, the pros and cons, and what’s next for FSU basketball in a media scrum on Wednesday:
Luke Loucks is speaking like a guy who fully believes in what he's building in Tallahassee
At the 11:50 mark, Luke Loucks addressed some Miami and Florida fans who messaged him about not making the NCAA Tournament. Ironically, FSU split with Miami and lost to Florida by two points after leading most of that game.
Loucks discussed how poorly Miami performed last year and how quickly it turned around. He mentioned how Florida struggled early in their coach's tenure and how well they have done the last few years. Loucks said, “Be aware of the bears you want to poke...we’re coming, and I don’t care if you like it or not.”
He has a right to speak with confidence considering the state of the program he inherited and the short time frame to put a together while building a staff.
One of the pros of not playing in the NIT is it gives the coaching staff a head start on scouting players who could enter the transfer portal for next year's team. FSU will have the No. 8 recruiting class nationally coming in, but will need some experience and age to balance out the roster.
It's a good interview and Loucks covers a ton of information. Check it out because the future looks bright with him leading the program.