Happy March Madness for all of those who celebrate!
I am sure by the time that you are reading this, your bracket has been ripped to shreds by the craziness that ensues in this wild tournament. However, it is an excellent time to be alive as a sports fan.
It pains me to see that Florida State basketball is not in the NCAA Tournament, and the fact that the Seminoles declined an NIT invitation. Maybe Florida State football should have declined an Orange Bowl invitation in 2023 against Georgia, but I digress.
In honor of March Madness, let's highlight some amazing moments in the basketball team's history in the NCAA Tournament.
1972: National Runner-Up
While I know the audience here at ChopChat might be a mix of younger and older, it is always informative to know about the history of the program. Florida State's basketball team in 1972 was incredible, where they were led by guard Ron King.
The team finished with a 23-5 overall record. The Seminoles fell short of history in the national championship game against the legendary UCLA head coach John Wooden by a score of 81-76.
1993: Elite Eight
That 1993 squad was loaded with noteworthy players like Bob Sura, Sam Cassell, and Charlie Ward (yes, the national champion and Heisman Trophy winner). Florida State finished with a 25-10 overall record (12-4 in conference) and made a big run in the NCAA Tournament, beating Tulane and Western Kentucky to get to Kentucky in the Elite Eight.
Unfortunately, the Cinderella story ended, as the Wildcats defeated the Seminoles by a score of 106-81.
2019: Elite Eight
This 2019 season was a great moment for the fan base because it seemed like head coach Leonard Hamilton and this squad were gelling together nicely. The Seminoles entered the NCAA Tournament with a 27-7 overall record, and cruised to victories over Vermont and Murray State (with Ja Morant).
However, it found its match with Gonzaga in the Elite Eight as it lost by a score of 72-58. It is such a shame that we never got to see a repeat of the chemistry with the 2020 version since the season shut down due to the COVID pandemic.