Florida State Basketball: Seminoles will be an ACC contender next season

Florida State wasn’t able to cash their ticket to the Final Four, losing to Michigan in the West Region finals. But with many players coming back, the Seminoles will be just fine.

Florida State’s quest at becoming just one of a few nine seeds to make the Final Four ended on Saturday, losing to the red-hot Michigan Wolverines. The Seminoles struggled all night to score on the top-tier defense, shooting just 31% on the night.

It’s a disappointing end for seniors Braian Angola-Rodas and Phil Cofer, who combined for 22 points and 16 rebounds in the loss. The two can take solace that they were part of one of the better recent runs for the basketball program.

As for the immediate future of the basketball team, Florida State looks primed to remain a viable contender in the ACC next year. It feels weird to say this, but the team won’t be too badly hurt losing their top two scorers in Angola-Rodas and Mann. Don’t’ get me wrong, both were good players and will need to be replaced, but thanks to coach Leonard Hamilton’s tendency to play many players, the Seminoles are suited to move forward better than most teams.

More from Busting Brackets

Most coaches these days have a set rotation of seven or eight players for a game, but not Florida State. Throughout the season, it was common for players in the double-digits to play in a given game. And it continued in the NCAA Tournament. with as many as 12 players playing in a single half. That’s why the team can rack up over 20 team fouls and be never affected.

Assuming everyone returns next season from this roster, seven players who scored at least 6.5 ppg will be coming back, something few teams in D-1 can say. Players like Terance Mann and Trent Forrest will now be expected to become the lead guys, while talented freshmen MJ Walker and Ike Obiagu will hope to continue their development.

Florida State will have an advantage with their size, length, and athleticism next season. What they need to work on is their perimeter shooting, and finding a core group of key players that the staff can rely on come crunch time. It’s great to have depth, but a go-to guy can be the difference between a win and a loss.

Next: Loyola-Chicago continues their Cinderella story into the Final Four

The ACC will always be tough with teams like Virginia, Duke, and North Carolina in it. But there’s no reason why Florida State can’t be apart of that tier. A lot of talent is coming back, and with a few tweaks, the Seminoles won’t be a nine seed in next year’s Big Dance.

Home/Florida State Seminoles