FSU Women's Basketball: Florida State-North Carolina Game Preview

Conference play has continued to heat up in the ACC. On Sunday, there was a terrific showdown between NC State and Virginia Tech that came down to the last shot. The intense matchups in the conference will continue at Donald L. Tucker Center, where Florida State will host the North Carolina Tar Heels. 

This isn’t just a regular ACC matchup. These are two teams who are ranked in the Top 25 and want to climb the charts. With that being said, this is an important contest that both teams want to win. 

The Seminoles have found themselves on the right end of success in conference play. They took care of business in their first two matchups against Georgia Tech and Wake Forest led by the dominance of Ta’Niya Latson. Although they lost a nail-biter last Thursday against NC State, they managed to climb back into the game and force overtime. Luckily, the Noles bounced back in Sunday afternoon’s showdown against Clemson to put them at 3-1 in ACC matchups (12-4 overall). 

The Tar Heels have taken care of business in conference play as well. Alongside their record of 11-4, they also sit at 3-0 in the conference following a huge win over Notre Dame on the road. Throughout the first few months of the season, it took North Carolina time before they found their stride. In late November, the team lost four of five games and struggled against some of the nation's best teams. Luckily, the Tar Heels closed their non-conference schedule positively and carried the momentum into ACC play. 

Potential Matchups

What makes this game enticing is the matchups against individual players. One that many are excited about is the guard position between Ta’Niya Latson and Deja Kelly. Both Latson and Kelly can take control of the game. Their ability to score at all three levels allows them to be spectacular players. In this matchup, expect the two stars to set the tone for their teams from start to finish. 

Another intense matchup will be in the frontcourt between Makayla Timpson and Alyssa Utsby. Both players are the enforcers of their team. They can set the tone defensively with their versatility as well as crashing the glass. Both Florida State and North Carolina rank as two of the ACC’s top 10 rebounding teams. When they have an advantage, they normally come away with a victory. While Timpson and Utsby lead their teams in rebounding, it’s important that they continue to crash the glass underneath. 

Keys to Seminoles' Victory

The Seminoles will have to play efficiently on both ends of the floor to come out on top. Defensively, they must be active in their rotations and communicate effectively. The Tar Heels are a team that loves to score inside. Their ball movement is spectacular as players do a great job of penetrating and cutting for easy baskets. The Seminoles must anticipate getting into passing lanes to disrupt North Carolina’s halfcourt offense. Forcing this team to turnovers can lead to easy opportunities on the other end. 

Offensively, the Noles have to play at their strongest. The Tar Heels rank second in the ACC in points allowed and they do a great job of applying pressure down the stretch. However, the Noles reign as one of the best offensive teams in the conference because of their pace and space. Florida State must continue to score in transition before North Carolina sets up in their halfcourt defense. Playing their best brand of basketball will allow them to come out on top of this contest. 

After their showdown with North Carolina, Florida State has another top-25 showdown against Virginia Tech. It will be an intense two-game stretch for the team and will show them where they are as one of the best teams in the country. It's important that the Noles take care of business at home and improve their winning record.

Sidenote: Ta’Niya Latson is 25 points away from 1,000 for her career. If she meets that goal Thursday night, it will make her the fastest player to score 1,000 points in school history.