PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Saturday SMACKDOWN >> 12-5 ALL Sports Run!
(NCAAB) Xavier vs. Florida State,
Point Spread: -6.00 | -112.00 Florida State (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -6.00 | -112.00 Florida State (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The NCAA's second round begins Saturday with eight games. Third-seeded Florida State survived an upset bid from No. 14 seed Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday, winning 86-80 for the school's first NCAA Tournament win since 2012. 11th-seeded Xavier was a small underdog to No. 6 Maryland but took care of the Terps, 76-65. NCAA success is nothing new for the Musketeers, who will be trying to reach the Sweet 16 for the sixth time in 10 years!
Xavier: Some may have forgotten by now but Xavier opened the season ranked 7th in the AP's preseason poll but when PG Edmond Sumner (14.3 PPG and 4.3 APG) was lost for the season at the end of January, the Musketeers' season beagn to unravel. The team lost six in a row from Feb. 11 through Mar. 1 but a pair of wins in the Big East tourney (one over Butler), allowed 21-13 Xavier to claim one of the last at-large berths (11-seed). Freshman Quentin Goodin (5.1 & 3.4 APG) has assumed the PG position and has averaged 5.5 APG since taking over as the starter and that includes a career-high nine in Thursday's win over Maryland. He's got an excellent pair of guards to work with on the perimeter in leading scorer Bluiett (18.2 & 5.7) and J.P. Macura (14.4). Bluiett had 21 points against Maryland (18 in the second half) for his 17th 20-point performance this season. Xavier does not own a dominant post player but has size in 6-10 O'Mara (5.9 & 2.9) and the 6-9 RaShid Gaston (7.8 & 6.3 rebounds). Gaston was great vs. Maryland, scoring 18 points and grabbing seven rebounds.
Florida State: The Seminoles advanced past Florida Gulf Coast despite some sloppy play (16 turnovers) and too many missed free throws (15), especially when trying to close out the game. However, FSU's new-founded offensive potential got them through. The Seminoles have always been know for their defense in the "Hamilton era" but this year's team averages 82.6 PPG (17th) on 48.5% shooting (18th). Guard Dwayne Bacon (17.1 & 4.2) is the team's leading scorer and he had 25 points against the Eagles while 6-10 freshman forward Jonathan Isaac (12.1 & 7.7) had 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals. The Seminoles also blocked nine shots in the game and got double-digit scoring from PG Xavier Rathan-Mayes (10.4 & 4.9 APG) and wing Terance Mann (8.6 & 4.7), as Mayes had 10-5-5 and Mann chipped in 11 points..
The pick. Xavier has much more experience at winning come this time of year and the team's win over Maryland gives them nine straight neutral-site wins in Florida, including seven in a row here in Orlando. The Musketeers are also 13-1 when holding opponents under 70 points. However, here's the rub. I noted already that this FSU scores MUCH more than recent editions and the Seminoles have failed to reach 70 points only four times in 34 games, so far. What's more, while Orlando has served as a neutral-site for Xavier, that's hardly the case here against the school from Tallahasse. I took Xavier over Maryland and wrote; "Xavier's undoing in March will likely be its lack of a dominant post player, but that will not be the case against a small and young (outside of Trimble) Maryland team." FSU has a first round NBA draft pick in the 6-10 Isaac plus the 7-1 Ojo and the 7-4 Koumadji combined for 13 points, five rebounds and six blocks in Thursday's with. Add in a perimeter game that's the equal of Xavier and FSU is a 10* play.
Xavier: Some may have forgotten by now but Xavier opened the season ranked 7th in the AP's preseason poll but when PG Edmond Sumner (14.3 PPG and 4.3 APG) was lost for the season at the end of January, the Musketeers' season beagn to unravel. The team lost six in a row from Feb. 11 through Mar. 1 but a pair of wins in the Big East tourney (one over Butler), allowed 21-13 Xavier to claim one of the last at-large berths (11-seed). Freshman Quentin Goodin (5.1 & 3.4 APG) has assumed the PG position and has averaged 5.5 APG since taking over as the starter and that includes a career-high nine in Thursday's win over Maryland. He's got an excellent pair of guards to work with on the perimeter in leading scorer Bluiett (18.2 & 5.7) and J.P. Macura (14.4). Bluiett had 21 points against Maryland (18 in the second half) for his 17th 20-point performance this season. Xavier does not own a dominant post player but has size in 6-10 O'Mara (5.9 & 2.9) and the 6-9 RaShid Gaston (7.8 & 6.3 rebounds). Gaston was great vs. Maryland, scoring 18 points and grabbing seven rebounds.
Florida State: The Seminoles advanced past Florida Gulf Coast despite some sloppy play (16 turnovers) and too many missed free throws (15), especially when trying to close out the game. However, FSU's new-founded offensive potential got them through. The Seminoles have always been know for their defense in the "Hamilton era" but this year's team averages 82.6 PPG (17th) on 48.5% shooting (18th). Guard Dwayne Bacon (17.1 & 4.2) is the team's leading scorer and he had 25 points against the Eagles while 6-10 freshman forward Jonathan Isaac (12.1 & 7.7) had 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals. The Seminoles also blocked nine shots in the game and got double-digit scoring from PG Xavier Rathan-Mayes (10.4 & 4.9 APG) and wing Terance Mann (8.6 & 4.7), as Mayes had 10-5-5 and Mann chipped in 11 points..
The pick. Xavier has much more experience at winning come this time of year and the team's win over Maryland gives them nine straight neutral-site wins in Florida, including seven in a row here in Orlando. The Musketeers are also 13-1 when holding opponents under 70 points. However, here's the rub. I noted already that this FSU scores MUCH more than recent editions and the Seminoles have failed to reach 70 points only four times in 34 games, so far. What's more, while Orlando has served as a neutral-site for Xavier, that's hardly the case here against the school from Tallahasse. I took Xavier over Maryland and wrote; "Xavier's undoing in March will likely be its lack of a dominant post player, but that will not be the case against a small and young (outside of Trimble) Maryland team." FSU has a first round NBA draft pick in the 6-10 Isaac plus the 7-1 Ojo and the 7-4 Koumadji combined for 13 points, five rebounds and six blocks in Thursday's with. Add in a perimeter game that's the equal of Xavier and FSU is a 10* play.
