FSU's freshmen building competitive mindset

“We're making progress and moving in the right direction,” Hamilton said. “We're not anywhere close to being where we need to be. They are more relaxed. You don't see that glazed look in their eyes, the body language, their facial expressions, their ability to communicate has improved.”

FSU’s start was unlike any we’ve seen in decades with four straight losses. And the Seminoles dropped three in a row in Orlando on Thanksgiving weekend to Siena, Stanford and Nebraska. Mixed in have been injuries to Jaylan Gainey in the preseason and Cam’Ron Fletcher last week, as well as freshman Baba Miller’s 16-game suspension from the NCAA.

Hamilton asked rhetorically on Monday what the Seminoles (2-9, 1-1 ACC) would look like with all of those three in the rotation, and he can only fantasize. Instead, the reality is he recalled having four freshmen on the floor at one point in FSU’s 74-53 win over Louisville on Saturday. Hamilton said the freshmen are developing and asserts that it's not about building confidence but a mindset of providing energy that is demanded by the coaches on each end of the floor and for each possession.

There is some optimism about how the Seminoles have played in their last three games, battling No. 5 Purdue deep into the second half and No. 3 Virginia to the final minutes before blowing out winless Louisville.

For a program that built a reputation on defense and took pride in rebounding, those were often lacking early but there are some encouraging signs of late. FSU outrebounded Louisville 42-32, while Naheem McLeod blocked six shots. A week earlier, FSU narrowly won the rebounding edge at Virginia 40-38. The Seminoles also produced seven steals against Purdue, and they forced the Cardinals to commit 16 turnovers.

“I thought that we got quite a few deflections,” Hamilton said. “We got some steals. We won the battle on the boards. We were smaller, (but) we blocked out better.”

FSU now faces USC Upstate on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. (ACC Network). It’s far from the most attractive matchup — the Seminoles are 139th in the KenPom.com ratings, while USC Upstate is 299th — but it’s another chance for the freshmen to improve and a young roster to build cohesion. And it’s among the last non-conference games of the season for FSU, which also faces No. 49 St. John’s on Saturday at Sunrise, Fla.

The Seminoles have had plenty of growing pains this season and have suffered regrettable losses to three teams that are lower in the KenPom.com ratings: No. 140 Troy, No. 209 Siena and No. 256 Stetson. But the Seminoles’ rotations have been altered due to injury, and the loss of Fletcher further complicates how freshmen like Cameron Corhen and DeAnte Green have been used.

Hamilton has pushed the freshmen but also praised them. Cameron Corhen had a season-best 15 points on Saturday. Tom House has a smooth jumper, scoring seven points in 16 minutes against the Cardinals. DeAnte Green (ACL) and Chandler Jackson (thumb) have seen their minutes limited due to injury, although Jackson played more than 13 minutes vs. Louisville.

“We've always based our system on juniors and seniors setting the table for the things that are important for them for the sophomores and freshmen,” Hamilton said. “We don’t have that now. So these guys are learning, having to accept what we are selling when they really can’t visualize how hard it is to play the way that we have to play.”

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