FSU basketball: Top 3 major takeaways from 2024 season

Inconsistency

Inconsistency was present all season. Inconsistency in effort, team, and inconsistency on the court. A .500 team being inconsistent isn't necessarily a hot take. nor is it profoundly insightful. However, it was such a problem that their instability begot historic losses and frustrating collapses during upset bids and pivotal stretches of the season.

The Seminoles began the season well, winning four of their first five games, but lost their next four. They won the next two but lost embarrassingly to Lipscomb. FSU basketball was like a rollercoaster, up and down. They won the next six of seven games, but the seasonal Seminole seesaw would continue its cycle as they finished the regular season. This inconsistency was exemplified at the end of the season in the ACC tournament.

They outworked Virginia Tech, and their leaders imposed themselves defensively at key moments. They separated themselves by creating turnovers and quick baskets while breaking the shooter’s rhythm for Virginia Tech's weapons. However, they got outworked, outclassed, and outplayed in a massive loss. The UNC guards were scrambling all over the floor with bloody knees and holes in their tights.

They were first to the ball, and it started to impact the scoreline early in the second half. The only Seminole who scrambled similarly was Gainey, with a brace on his knee and his lumbering nearly seven-foot stature, but he was the only one, and it was too little, much too late. They were very close to a different type of season. They had several very close games. Some went FSU's way, some went the other. A little more luck, diverse skills and weapons, and more consistency, and maybe it all turns out differently.