Florida State could not close out several close games last year, and for the second year in a row they could not close in on an NCAA Tournament bid, falling short despite a 20-10 record.
Now, using experience and court smarts to go along with their athleticism, the Seminoles upperclassmen hope-even expect-that their careers do not end the same way last season did.
"We will earn the right to go to the NCAA Tournament," said Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton, who is 65-58 in four years leading the Seminoles. "I have no doubt."
Florida State has always recruited athletes such as preseason All-ACC pick Al Thornton and Alexander Johnson, who left for the NBA last spring after his junior year. With a team full of seniors and court-smart recruits, however, the Seminoles will rely more on mental ability this year than ever before.
Exhibit A is highly-recruited guard Josue Soto, winner of the Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida-an award which highlights academic and athletic achievement. Soto joins a roster with five upperclassmen, who are all expected to contribute. Florida State will enter the ACC as one of the most experienced teams.
"We have three juniors now and two seniors," Hamilton said. "I'm hoping that that's going to manifest itself into a better season."
The two seniors, Thornton and Jerel Allen, came to Florida State as part of a highly-recruited class that included Johnson. Despite athletic superiority, the Seminoles have collapsed at the end of the past three years, losing eight of their last 11 in 2004, 10 of their last 11 in 2005, and then blowing an opportunity by losing to last-place Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament last year.
Florida State especially had trouble finishing close games last season, losing five games by a combined seven points.
"What can we do?" Hamilton said. "[We have to] make sure the team is the best it can be and let the chips fall where they may."
One player who could make the difference in putting FSU over the top this year is Auburn transfer Toney Douglas, a 6-foot-1 guard.
"Toney is a youngster, a great offensive player with tremendous skills," Hamilton said. "He has all the skills needed to be a good point guard in this league."
Douglas, a former third team freshman All-American guard, is capable of playing both guard positions with his excellent court vision and feel for his teammates.
Florida State is up against a tough stretch early on, facing Pittsburgh (25-8 last year), Wisconsin (19-12) and defending national champion Florida (33-6) over a span of less than two weeks. If the team gets past the tough stretch, however, Hamilton has no worries about earning a tournament bid, finally fulfilling the upperclassmen's one unfulfilled goal-an NCAA Tournament berth.
"There's no question we deserve it," Hamilton said. "We'll get there."
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