1/20/2023 basketball Edit

Notes: Coaches seeing progress with Baba Miller, Jalen Warley sinks FTs

Baba Miller had four points and six rebounds in FSU's win at Notre Dame. (USA Today Sports)

Bob Ferrante • TheOsceola

Editor

Baba Miller’s talent is obvious but there are also the expected tentative moments in his first college games. Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton is being patient while seeking more from the freshman forward.

“We’re trying to find ways to get him a little more involved,” Hamilton said. “He's allowing the game to come to him. He's not forcing things. We need him to be a little bit more aggressive offensively and we're going to try to start giving him a few more touches. We don't run a whole lot of plays. But we got to get the ball to him in some situations so he can gain his confidence.”

Miller has four points in each of his first two games at FSU, including six rebounds in an 84-71 win at Notre Dame on Wednesday. He is 0 for 3 from 3-point range but 4 for 5 on shots inside the arc.

While Miller has been able to practice with the Seminoles since the fall, his progress has continually been impeded by an unfortunate trifecta of injury, tonsillitis and the NCAA-mandated 16-game suspension.

“The change of medicine helped him,” Hamilton said. “He’s had tonsillitis before. He bounced back pretty good once he had the antibiotics in him and he was able to eat. … When he got here with us, he really never started practice until October. You have a guy recovering from shin splints. We wanted to make sure that wouldn't be something that we'd have to deal with during the course of the year.

“So not only is he new to our system, he missed all the drills, all the fundamental things that we teach, and then ended up missing the first 16 games. So he's still in the transition. But I am pleased with the progress that he's making.”

Miller played 18 minutes but Hamilton indicated he could see more playing time beginning with Saturday’s game at Pittsburgh (3 p.m. on ACC Network).

Warley turning corner, sinking free throws

Jalen Warley enjoyed the best game of his career, scoring 17 points while contributing four rebounds and three assists. He also showed in a big moment that he wasn’t as bad of a free-throw shooter as he had been statistically, coming into the night making just 60 percent of his shots from the line. Warley made 8 of 10 from the line as the Fighting Irish viewed him as the weak link of the Seminoles' on-court players.

“There's no doubt that those free throws that he hit down the stretch made a difference in the game and because he's only shooting around 60 percent from the free-throw line, that was who they challenged to hit free throws,” Hamilton said. “And he proved them he was the wrong guy for to foul. He stepped up and knocked those free throws down.”

Warley has often deferred in the half-court offense, passing up shots and he has struggled from 3-point range (31.6 percent). But Hamilton sees some improvement over the course of Warley’s sophomore season, one in which he has had only one turnover or less in six of FSU’s last seven ACC games.

“Jalen is getting better and better,” Hamilton said. “He's playing with more confidence. He's always been a pass-first guy. And we are encouraging him to be a little more aggressive offensively. He hasn't shown it very much, but he's really shooting the ball so much better from the perimeter. I think it's going to take two or three games where he gains his confidence and I think you'll see him even making more of a major contribution from an offensive standpoint.”

Streaks of note

Matthew Cleveland has a double-double in eight straight games going into Saturday’s game. Reggie Royals had a double-double in 10 straight games in the 1970-71 season. Dave Cowens owns the FSU record with 18 straight double-doubles in a season in 1968-69.

FSU has outrebounded four straight opponents. The Seminoles’ +13 margin against Notre Dame was their largest positive rebounding edge of the season.

Freshman forward Cam Corhen is averaging 11.3 points in his last three games.

Scouting Pittsburgh

Pitt features a veteran roster that includes forward Blake Hinson (15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds) as well as guard Janarius Burton (16.3 points) and 4.8 rebounds). Hinson is an Iowa State transfer, while Burton is a Texas Tech transfer.

"The thing that stands out about them is that they are older, more mature and they respond to challenges," Hamilton said. "They can be down 15, call a timeout, it's a little different in how they respond to it at 22, 23 years old as opposed to 17-, 18-year-old guys who are just coming into school. They are a very mature team ... I can't say enough about how tough they are mentally and physically. And we know we got a fight on our hands when we go on the road to play against them."