Florida State basketball arrived at the ACC Tournament riding a strong stretch of play, with head coach Luke Loucks’s squad performing much better in recent weeks. Still, considering how the team struggled earlier in the season, an NCAA Tournament berth remains a long shot.
Fans have to credit Loucks for the turnaround. His team could easily have folded after opening conference play with an 0–5 record and suffering a blowout loss at home to North Carolina State.
But that approach wouldn’t match Loucks’s mentality. The former Florida State point guard deeply cares about the program and wants to see the university succeed. The Seminoles picked up a win over the California Golden Bears on Wednesday, though they understood a much tougher test awaited them Thursday against Duke.
Florida State takes surprising 44–43 halftime lead over Duke
Florida State has been playing with tremendous confidence, and Duke has struggled to slow down the trio of guard Robert McCray V, guard LaJae Jones, and forward Chauncey Wiggins. The Seminoles have won 11 of their past 14 games and appear stronger than their 18–14 overall record might suggest.
At the moment, no team in the conference is eager to face them. Still, Florida State must prove that level of play on the court. Oddsmakers in Las Vegas certainly didn’t expect much from the Seminoles, listing Duke as an 18.5-point favorite — a line that felt far too large.
The teams previously met on January 3, when Florida State kept things tight before ultimately falling 91–87. Thursday’s matchup has produced a similar feel, as the Seminoles carried a narrow 44–43 advantage into halftime against the Blue Devils.
LaJae Jones has been knocking down difficult shots against Duke’s defense and leads Florida State with 16 points. Robert McCray V has also delivered a strong outing with 11 points.
Duke has been dealing with several injuries, creating an opportunity Florida State must capitalize on. However, the Seminoles still need to slow down Duke guard Isaiah Evans, who has exploded for 22 points with scorching perimeter shooting (stats provided by ESPN.com).
With 20 minutes remaining, Florida State has a real opportunity to shock the college basketball world. Now the focus shifts to finishing the job in the second half.