It may be a shock to know that Florida State is second in the ACC in conference wins over the last two years. What it's starting to show is that Leonard Hamilton has a pretty solid grasp on the program. A couple of years ago, you could have firmly put him on the hot seat. Even though Solomon Alabi and Ryan Reid are gone, the Noles have a shot at making the NCAA Tournament for a third straight season. That hasn't happened since the days of Bob Sura and Charlie Ward.
Backcourt
Everyone important from last year's team is back. Derwin Kitchen is a very versatile player. He isn't relied upon to score much, but he can when needed. He can also rebound well for his height (6-4), and is a good passer. Deivdas Dulkys is a three point sharp shooter, and makes a lot of them, to the tune of 40%. Dulkys averaged just under nine points per game last season. The third guard you will see is Michael Snaer. The sophomore also averaged just under nine points per game last season, and figures to see a boost in his scoring average. There is plenty of depth off the bench as well. Luke Loucks can shoot the ball, but needs to be more efficient. Ian Miller is a highly touted freshman that figures to see some time at the point. Dave Telep recently told Blue Ribbon Yearbook that Miller is "one of the most underrated players in the country" and he's a "true scoring point guard."
Frontcourt
While he hasn't wowed you with his scoring (yet), Chris Singleton will wow you with his defensive ability. Singleton is regarded as one of the best defensive players in the ACC, and arguably one of the best defenders in the country. Singleton's 10.2 points per game leads among returnees, as well as his seven rebounds per game. The question this season is can Singleton's offensive game take a step forward? Filling in along side Singleton are some rather intriguing players. Xavier Gibson was a very productive player in the limited minutes he had, averaging 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in about 13 minutes. Jon Kreft signed with the Noles in 2006, but after getting arrested and spending some time in jail, spent some time in the JUCO ranks before enrolling at Florida State. Bernard James also came over from the JUCO ranks after a tour of duty in Iraq with the Air Force. He also has some size (6-10), and is a good rebounder. Okaro White is a youngster who is a great defender, and may earn some playing time if he can prove worthy.
Schedule
The non-conference schedule is not very challenging. A road game against the Isiah Thomas led Florida International Panthers could be a pesky, as well as road games at Hawaii and Auburn, otherwise consecutive home games against Florida and Ohio State are the biggest challenges. The ACC schedule favors them a little bit. The Noles have home and home games against North Carolina, but only face Virginia Tech and Duke once.
Prediction
Despite the losses in the backcourt, there is still plenty of depth on this team. Last season, seven different players averaged 20 minutes per game. And it won't be a big surprise if that trend carries over into this season. This is a very good defensive team, among the best in the country. The Noles led the ACC in scoring defense and defensive field goal percentage. Offensively, Florida State was last in the league in turnovers and free throw shooting. But the defense is good enough to carry it far, as in a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
Fantasy Player to Watch
Chris Singleton is projected to average close to 13 points per game and 6-7 rebounds, but Singleton's breakout potential is off the chart.
