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Seminoles gearing up for Missouri and its lottery pick Porter

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Missouri phenom Michael Porter Jr. is back in the lineup after missing 30 games this season.
Missouri phenom Michael Porter Jr. is back in the lineup after missing 30 games this season. (Jordan Kodner)
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NASHVILLE -- You know all about the other phenomenal freshmen in the country: Marvin Bagley, Collin Sexton, Trae Young, DeAndre Ayton.

You've seen, over the course of the season, just how talented they are.

Well, before the year began, Michael Porter Jr., was ranked ahead of all of them.

The Missouri freshman was the No. 1 player in the country coming out of high school in 2017. He's a 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward who can shoot the 3, handle the ball and get to the basket.

As Florida State associate head coach Stan Jones described him, he's a more polished Jonathan Isaac.

And after missing 30 games this season with a back injury, Porter Jr., came back recently for the Tigers' SEC Tournament loss to Georgia. And he will be on the floor tonight when the Seminoles and Tigers meet in Nashville.

At his press conference on Thursday, FSU head coach Leonard Hamilton was asked -- again -- about the difficulty of preparing for an opponent who has only played two games all season.

"I don't understand why people are asking me why that's going to be difficult," Hamilton said. "Because we've watched him play for a number of years, and he's a tremendously talented youngster. In fact, he's one of the top four or five players in college basketball.

"So, as young people say, we don't have it twisted. We know exactly what we're facing. We're facing a youngster that is tremendously talented, that's healthy."

In 23 minutes against Georgia, Porter Jr. hit just 5 of 17 shots from the floor.

Despite the less-than-stellar shooting, Hamilton said he was amazed at the freshman's level of confidence after missing the previous four months.

"And I don't think he forced shots," Missouri head coach Cuonzo Martin said. "That shows his level of confidence. That part was great, that he didn't lose that."

Porter Jr. signed with Missouri after Martin hired his father, who was part of Lorenzo Romar's staff, which was fired at Washington. Porter's younger brother, Jontay, reclassified and skipped his senior year of high school to play with Michael Jr.

He's only gotten to do it two times this season.

Florida State is hoping tonight is the last.

"We know he's a good player," junior Terance Mann said. "Everyone has seen what he's done in high school. Everyone kind of knows he's a good player. We've got to contain him and follow the scouting report."

As for Porter's health, the freshman admits he's still not 100 percent over the injury.

"There is a little mental hurdle just because even at this point, my mind is telling me I want to do some certain things my body just won't let me do for a couple more months," he said. "The nerve regeneration and all that. I mean, I kind of put that to the side.

"I'm going to do just what I can do. Like I said though, I'm feeling a lot better than what I was even a week or two weeks ago."

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