March 15, 2009

Bob Thomas

ATLANTA - Surrounded by family and friends, the Florida State basketball team crammed into a downtown hotel restaurant Sunday for the NCAA Tournament selection show.

With its ACC Championship game loss to Duke earlier in the day fresh on their minds, the Seminoles were still anxious for the announcement that would bring an end to an 11-year tournament drought.

The celebration began shortly after 6:30 p.m. when Florida State learned it would make the school's 11th NCAA Tournament appearance - the first since 1998 - as the No. 5 seed in the East Regional. The Seminoles (25-9) will meet No. 12 seed Wisconsin (19-12) Friday in Boise, Idaho.

A raucous roar set off a succession of camera flashes as the Seminoles distanced themselves from three consecutive years of Selection Sunday disappointments.

"It's the greatest feeling," senior forward Uche Echefu said. "I've been waiting for this for four years. Every year I've been sitting down expecting our name to be called and they didn't call it. It was great to see our name on the screen and hear them talk about Florida State and that we can be a dangerous factor."

FSU coach Leonard Hamilton, who in his seventh season at the helm collected ACC Coach of the Year honors and led the school to its first league championship game appearance, has the Seminoles back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998.

"It's important for our players; for them to enjoy the experience, especially our seniors who have not had the opportunities to enjoy it before," Hamilton said of the celebration gathering. "It means an awful lot and sets the stage for the young players.

"This is significant because we have a lot of young players - a lot of first-year players - who are going through this experience. I'm sure it's going to be something they remember and enjoy, and are going to be motivated to work as hard as they can to not be out of this situation again."

Senior guard Toney Douglas, who has put the team on his back throughout the year, covered his face when the announcement was made.

"It feels so good to know that your team is actually in there," Douglas said. "I'm not going to forget this the rest of my life."

Despite the school's limited experience in the NCAA Tournament, this will not be its first tournament trip to Boise. The 1992 squad opened the tournament there as a No. 3 seed and knocked off Montana and Georgetown to reach the Sweet 16.

Though the players had openly discussed the possibility of earning a No. 4 seed and perhaps opening the tournament in Miami, any potential disappointment was out-weighed by the sense of accomplishment.

"We came on late in the eyes of America," Hamilton said, when asked if he expected a higher seed. "Still, not a lot of people know a whole lot about us. We're nationally ranked. Maybe that's part of what you have to do to earn that part of respect. ? I'm not sure [seeding] really matters. It's how you play that counts."

Count CBS studio analyst Seth Davis among those who believes the Seminoles could be a tough out in the field of 65. He said as much when assessing the East Regional bracket, which has Pittsburgh - a 56-48 over FSU on Dec. 21 - as the No. 1 seed.

"Florida State is the dangerous team (in the East)," Davis said.

The comment touched off another round of cheers at the restaurant.

"We've made a lot of noise the second half of the season, especially national-wise," Douglas said. "We have a lot of people giving us respect.

"I'm happy with a 5 (seed) right now, the way the bracket's set up. I ain't complaining."

Should the Seminoles get past Wisconsin, they would face the Xavier-Portland State winner on Sunday.

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