No. 16 Seminoles look to keep streak going at No. 8 UNC
If the longest ACC win streak in Florida State history is going to be extended this afternoon, it will have to be against one of the best teams in the country. In a place where FSU hasn't won in nine years.
The No. 16 Seminoles, winners of eight straight ACC games, will be in Chapel Hill this afternoon (3:45 p.m., CBS) to take on the No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels, who are coming off a blowout win at Duke on Wednesday night. UNC is favored by seven points.
"It's almost like the system stays the same and they just keep reloading," FSU head coach Leonard Hamilton said of the Tar Heels. "They offer us a tremendous opportunity. And I'm sure they're looking to put themselves in position where they have a chance to win the regular-season ACC. We're trying to elevate our status and trying to be as ranked as high as we can in the league at the end of the season. So we're both trying to move up."
Florida State is 21-5 overall and 9-4 in the ACC, good for fourth in the current standings. North Carolina is 21-5 overall, 11-2 in the conference and currently in a three-way tie for first place with Virginia and Duke.
If you were hoping for a hangover for the Tar Heels following their rivalry win over Duke on Wednesday, well, that hasn't exactly been an issue for them in the past.
In games following the first UNC-Duke showdown of the season, Roy Williams' teams are 15-0,
For the Seminoles to make it 15-1, they'll need to keep playing defense like they have during the current winning streak. Other than the Louisville game, Florida State's defense has been suffocating opponents for the last month.
In FSU's two most recent wins, both Clemson and Georgia Tech shot less than 30 percent in the first half despite playing at home. Then again, Clemson and Georgia Tech aren't North Carolina.
As Hamilton mentioned, the Tar Heels are loaded. Again.
So the Seminoles are going to have to play one of their best defensive games of year in order to extend the win streak to nine.
"That's what wins on the road -- defense," sophomore guard M.J. Walker said. "That's what we preach before every game on the road: Defense is going to be what wins us the game. That's what we try to lock our best into. ...
"It's just a matter of continuing to get better."
Hamilton pointed to North Carolina freshman point guard Coby White as probably the key player his team has to try to slow down. He said White is as fast as any Tar Heel he's ever coached against. And he also has the ability to shoot 3-pointers off the dribble.
White is currently averaging 15.4 points and 4.2 assists per game.
"Just try to throw a lot of bodies at him and try to slow him down," FSU guard Trent Forrest said. "That would be the main thing when you have somebody that quick. And just hopefully try to wear him down as the game goes on."
The Seminoles, of course, are known for their depth. They routinely boast a rotation that goes as deep as 10 or 11 players. They've had nine different players lead the team in scoring this year.
And typically, they do wear opponents down in the second half.
"Our defense is getting better," Hamilton said. "I think we've had some individual guys step up. I think (Christ) Koumadje is finding his niche a little bit. I think Mfiondu (Kabengele) has been consistent. I think obviously we're still trying to shake the rust off of Phil (Cofer). And I think he's giving us effort everywhere on the court, great leadership. And he and Terance (Mann) have made big plays with the game on the line to make sure that we secure victories.
"Trent has been solid. But we need a little more consistency from everybody. I feel like it's coming. And that's the best thing about this team. I think we've got a higher ceiling. I think there's another gear we can get to."
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