Legendary FSU basketball coach Leonard Hamilton will coach his final game in the Tucker Center on Saturday against the SMU Mustangs (22-8, 13-6 ACC). FSU basketball (16-14, 7-12 ACC) has lost its last four games, leaving Hamilton stuck on 199 ACC wins with one game left to reach No. 200.
I can't think of a better ending in the Tucker Center than for Hamilton to reach that milestone and send his seniors out winners in their final home game.
FSU will enter the game as slight betting underdogs at +2.5, according to FanDuel. The over/under points total is 155.5. Those odds imply a 79-76 win for the Mustangs.
Coach Hamilton talks with Jeff Culhane about Senior Day and how it’s bigger than basketball.
— Florida State Men’s Basketball (@FSUHoops) March 8, 2025
Catch the full conversation—including Ham Day, ACC Tournament, and his retirement on YouTube and Seminoles Unconquered! #ThankYouHam pic.twitter.com/WKtJct7wKn
SMU averages 81.5 ppg and shoots 48 percent from the floor. They rebound well, only average 11.8 turnovers, and shoot 38 percent from the three-point line. It's crazy to say their worst area might be free-throw shooting, where they shoot 71.9 percent, and that's not terrible.
FSU hasn't played terribly over the last five or six games, but they've just been playing good teams. Clemson, Louisville, and Duke will be NCAA Tournament teams. North Carolina will probably find its way into the tournament.
Their biggest issues have been big lapses on both ends of the court. That's something they can't afford against a high-scoring SMU team that can shoot well. FSU has been prone to teams lighting them up from beyond the arc.
They also struggle to score in the half-court setting, especially with Malique Ewin out hurt. It's not clear if he'll return to the lineup on Saturday. It's interesting that FSU is only a small betting underdog. I understand the Tucker Center could have a bigger crowd than normal and everything that comes with Leonard Hamilton's final home game.
However, it's not a great matchup for the Noles. Maybe Ewin plans to play? That would change things quite a bit. Here's to hoping Leonard Hamilton can reach that No. 200 ACC milestone. The game will start at 4 p.m. ET and will air on ESPNU.