Currently on a three-game losing streak, Florida State men’s basketball (5-4, 0-0) looks to get back on track in a neutral-site matchup against UMass (7-3). This afternoon’s game will take place at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, for the annual Orange Bowl Classic. The Seminoles will play the early game before Florida faces off against George Washington at 2:30. Saturday’s matchup will also be a Seminole Heritage Game for FSU and the Noles will be wearing their turquoise jerseys. Luke Loucks’
team practiced at the Howard Tiger Recreation Center on the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Hollywood Reservation on Thursday, according to an FSU spokesperson.
The last three games have certainly been a trying stretch for Florida State, losing by double digits in all of them and getting run off the floor against Texas A&M and Georgia. The matchup against the Minutemen should be a “get-right” spot for FSU before continuing on the road to a game against Dayton early next week. FSU defeated UMass 92-59 last season during non-conference play.
Florida State is currently listed as a — favorite.
How to watch:
Florida State tips off at 12 PM ET on Saturday with the game broadcast on ACC Network.
Notes to know:
- Two weeks after playing a neutral-site game in Tampa, Luke Loucks heads to South Florida for the first time in his tenure at Florida State. The first-year FSU head coach consistently talks about wanting to drum up support for his program, and seeing the turnout in Sunrise will be noteworthy, especially with the Gators playing in the same arena and coming off a national title. The last few seasons of FSU basketball have led to fan apathy, and Loucks is attempting to break through that by putting marquee games on the schedule or bringing his team to the fan base outside Tallahassee. Hopefully, Loucks can create inroads with a large diaspora of the FSU community.
- While Boston College might be the worst high-major in the country, the Minutemen will be coming in with some confidence after defeating the Eagles 76-74 on Wednesday. UMass was selected to finish fifth in the new-look MAC this season with one player on the MAC Preseason second-team, Daniel Hankins-Sanford. UMass head coach Frank Martin spent 10 years at South Carolina, including a Final Four appearance in 2017, and is currently in his fourth year at UMass. They are one of the better mid-majors in the country.
Players to know:
- F Daniel Hankins-Sanford: Hankins-Sanford is a rarity in college basketball as the senior forward has spent three seasons at UMass since transferring from South Carolina after his freshman season, and decided not to leave again. Last season, Hankins-Sanford averaged almost a double-double per game with 10.0 points and 8.2 rebounds, and this season, Hankins-Sanford is averaging 13.0 points per game with seven rebounds. He has not made a three so far this year, but with Florida State lacking a strong interior presence, he will be a challenge for Loucks’ big men.
- G Marcus Banks Jr: Banks Jr. is the straw that stirs the drink for the Minutemen, and he is coming off his best performance of the season against Boston College, dropping 29 points on 6-10 shooting from deep to lead his team past the Eagles. Banks Jr. is a graduate transfer in his first year at UMass after spending his previous two seasons at UMBC, where he led the conference in three-point makes during his tenure. The 6’3” guard will shoot it from anywhere, and Florida State needs to be locked in to him on each possession.
