Florida State men’s basketball (11-13, 4-7), after a difficult defeat on Tuesday, will look to bounce back today against Virginia Tech (17-8, 6-6).
The Seminoles are coming off a disappointing loss to No. 15 Virginia in their last time out, falling 61-58 to the Cavaliers. Florida State led by as many as nine with under 10 minutes to go in the second half, but FSU ran out of steam and its offense dried up, as Luke Loucks could not pick up his first win against a ranked opponent. There were still plenty of highlights, including the Noles’ defense and effort, but Tuesday’s game displayed how far this program needs to go to compete with the top teams in the conference.
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Today’s task will not be any easier as Florida State heads to Blacksburg against a resurgent VT team. The Hokies finished under .500 a season ago, but their patience with head coach Mike Young paid off, as Virginia Tech is 17-8 this year, coming off a massive road win against Clemson.
According to FanDuel, Florida State is a 6.5-point underdog, with the over/under set at 155.5.
Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Tech Hokies: How to watch, stream, odds
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With only seven games left in conference play, including today, Florida State currently holds a 2.5-game lead over the three teams tied in last in the ACC. If the ACC tournament started today, Pitt, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame would all be eliminated. Although FSU plays Pitt and Georgia Tech later in the season, avoiding an 0-2 week in conference play will be critical for the Noles. Georgia Tech and Notre Dame play each other today, so the cut line could be just 1.5 games after the weekend.
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Look for Robert McCray V to have a better game today. Although his scoring numbers are right in line with where they have been the whole season, his efficiency is down in the Seminoles’ last two contests. FSU’s senior point guard is a combined 10-29 (35%) from the field in Florida State’s previous two games, with more fouls (7) than assists (6). Lajae Jones has stepped up to carry more of the offense, but getting McCray V, Jones and Chauncey Wiggins going will be the key to a win in Blacksburg.
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F Amani Hansberry: Part of any program turnaround comes from good scouting, and additions from the transfer portal and Virginia Tech did just that with nabbing Hansberry. The junior forward averaged 9.8 points per game in 24 minutes a night at West Virginia last year, but leads the Hokies in scoring (14.9) and rebounding (8.2). Hansberry does most of his damage inside the arc, but is averaging 34% from three on the season.
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G Neoklis Avdalas: Florida State will get its second go-around this week of international talent entering the college ranks, as they face off against Neoklis Avdalas, a 6’9” “freshman” from Greece. Avdalas spent his last two seasons playing in Greece’s top basketball league before coming to the States and heading to Virginia Tech. The guard leads the Hokies in assists (4.8) while averaging over 12 points per game.
