Get old. Stay old.
College basketball coaches crave stability at a time of instability in college athletics. The only ways to build a foundation annually is to retain top talent and attract some veterans who can be productive, too.
When Florida State takes the court for the NCAA Tournament on Saturday against George Mason (7:45 p.m. on ESPN2), the Seminoles will put a wealth of experience on display. Makayla Timpson and O’Mariah Gordon are seniors, while Ta’Niya Latson and Texas A&M transfer Sydney Bowles are juniors. Even rotational players like Snoop Turnage, Amaya Bonner and Mariana Valenzuela are juniors.
What value should be placed on experience in March?
“Just to have poise,” FSU coach Brooke Wyckoff said. “These kids have played four years, three years. We have some former SEC players that have played at LSU. … It does help. And you need every little bit of an edge that you can get.”
FSU has made the NCAA Tournament for now a 12th straight appearance, not counting the pandemic year of 2020 when there was no event. And while the Seminoles have made the field in prior seasons under Wyckoff, they have exited early each time.
What could be different this time? FSU accomplished one of its goals already, earning a No. 6 seed for the NCAA Tournament. A year ago, FSU was a No. 9 seed and lost to Alabama.
FSU will have a better seed, and theoretically an opponent who is lightly regarded. The Seminoles are still playing technically at a neutral site but on the road.
The Seminoles boast the nation's highest-scoring offense (87.2 points), with Latson leading the nation in scoring (24.9). Latson, Timpson and Gordon are each All-ACC first-team picks, and combined they are the engine that drives the team. Latson surpassed the 2,000-point mark for her career in February. Timpson has surpassed the 1,000-rebound milestone in her career. Gordon averages a career-best 16.2 points.
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While FSU has missed opportunities to build a stronger resume, including home losses to Louisville and Duke, road wins over top-25 opponents like North Carolina in January as well as Notre Dame and Georgia Tech in February have given the Seminoles optimism.
“Playing on the road is never easy,” Latson said. “So we know we have to create our own juice. And that’s something that we’ve been working on in practice. We’ve been pretty good on the road. I’m confident in my teammates.”
FSU’s window is also closing. Timpson is a senior and one of the top forwards in program history, recording 46 double-doubles. Gordon is a top contributor. As seniors they know this is their last chance in the Big Dance and want to make the most of it.
Timpson was asked why this team is different and pointed to the close bond over any basketball statistic.
“Our connection with one another,” Timpson said. “We’ve been focused on team, on bonding. It’s just so great. These are my sisters. I love them so much.”
Wyckoff readily acknowledges the adversity FSU has faced. And the Seminoles go into the NCAA Tournament having dropped their last two games, including a rematch to UNC in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. But Wyckoff also says, “They know how to respond.”
How far can FSU get in the NCAA Tournament. FSU put itself in a position, because of its veterans, to earn a No. 6 seed and enjoy a matchup against No. 11 seed George Mason. Not the easiest of matchups, against the Atlantic-10 champions.
But the Seminoles have an opportunity. If they defeat George Mason, there will be a likely matchup with the regional host, LSU, in the second round.
“One day at a time,” Wyckoff said with a laugh. “But we have big goals. We have big aspirations.”
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