Nov. 23, 2009

Game Notes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida State, which has defeated Florida in three consecutive games for the first time since the 1995, 1996 and 1997 seasons, travels to play the Gators in the annual meeting between the two teams on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville. The Seminoles enter the game with a 3-0 record and an average margin of victory of 23.3 points over their first three opponents - Jacksonville (87-61, Nov. 16), Stetson (80-38, Nov. 18) and at Mercer (89-50, Nov. 21). Additionally, Florida State has held two of its first three opponents to 50 points or fewer scored and are holding its opponents to a .258 field goal shooting mark. An astounding statistic for the Seminoles through the first three games of the season is their 10.7 blocked shots per game average as a team with seven of the 11 players who have played for Florida State so far this season having blocked at least one shot. Florida State is playing its second consecutive road game after winning at Mercer on Saturday. The Seminoles are in the midst of a six-game, 12-day road swing that will see them visit the states of Georgia (Mercer), Florida (Florida, three games in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando) and Ohio (Ohio State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge). Following Tuesday's game at Florida, the Seminoles will face Iona in the first round of the Old Spice Classic on Thursday, Nov. 26 at 9:00 p.m.

SEMINOLES' ALABI AMONG THE NATION'S TOP PLAYERS
All-America candidate Solomon Alabi, a candidate for both the Naismith and Wooden Awards as the nation's top collegiate player, blocked five shots in the Seminoles' victory over Mercer and has blocked nine shots in the first three games of the season. He is averaging 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting .619 from the field and .917 from the free throw line as he has gotten off to one of the best starts of any player in the nation. With nine blocked shots he now has 93 for his career (in 48 games) and needs only seven to become only the ninth player in school history with 100 or more blocked shots.

REID LOOKING TO MAKE SEMINOLE HISTORY
Forward Ryan Reid, the only senior on the Seminoles' roster, enters Tuesday's game against Florida looking to become the first player in Seminole history to play in four victories over the Gators. He has played in victories over the Gators as a freshman (Dec. 3, 2006, Florida State 70, No. 4 Florida 66), a sophomore (Nov. 23, 2007, Florida State 65, No. 25 Florida 51) and as a junior (Dec. 7, 2008, Florida State 57, No. 25 Florida 55).

LOOK FOR FLORIDA STATE TO...
...Defeat Florida and win its fourth consecutive game against the Gators. It would mark the first time in the season history - which dates back to the 1951-52 season - that Florida State would have won four consecutive games in the series; ...Defeat Florida and win its second consecutive game at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center for the first time since the 1961 and 1962 seasons. The Seminoles defeated the Gators, 65-51, on Dec. 3, 2006 in the last meeting between the two teams in Gainesville; ...Defeat Florida and win its fourth consecutive game to open the season and up their record to 4-0. The Seminoles opened the 2008-09 season with a 7-0 record and have been 4-0 to open the last two seasons. Florida State has won at least the first four games of a season three times under head coach Leonard Hamilton; ...Defeat Florida and win its third consecutive game against a team from the Southeastern Conference - all wins against Florida and all in the last three seasons.

ACCORDING TO KEN POMEROY - NATIONALLY KNOWN STATS ENTHUSIAST
According to Ken Pomeroy, one of the nationally recognized compilers of college basketball statistics, Florida State enters Tuesday night's game against Florida ranked first in the nation in 2-point field goal defense (25.7), first in the nation in block percentage (29.4 percent - a measurement of the amount of opponents' shots blocked by the Seminoles) and second in the nation on 2-point field goal percentage offense (62.1 percent).

FLORIDA STATE ON THE DEFENSIVE IN THE FIRST THREE GAMES
Florida State has limited its first three opponents to an average of less than 50 points per game (49.7), a 25.8 field goal shooting percentage, a 26.0 3-point field goal shooting percentage and has blocked an average of 10.7 shots per game. Defensively, Florida State held Mercer without a 2-point basket in the first half of its victory over the Bears on Saturday. Additionally, the Seminoles have not allowed more than 18 points in the first half this season (18 by Jacksonville and Mercer and 10 by Stetson) and have held each of their first three opponents to below 32 percent shooting from the field.

NOTING FLORIDA STATE'S DEFENSIVE EFFORT AGAINST STETSON
Florida State held Stetson to just 38 points in its victory over the Hatters on Nov. 18. It marked just the third time since 1950 (59 years) that the Seminoles have allowed less than 40 points in a game. The other games the Seminoles allowed less than 40 points came on January 25, 1973 at Samford (47-34 victory) and March 2, 1979 at Memphis State (35-34 victory). The 38 points allowed to Stetson are the lowest point total given up in a single game by Florida State since the shot clock was implemented in NCAA play in the 1980's. The last time Florida State allowed less than 40 points in a home game came on December 15, 1949 vs. College of Charleston (72-37 victory.) The 38 points allowed to Stetson is tied for the ninth lowest point total allowed in a single game in school history.

FLORIDA STATE'S INCREDIBLE BLOCKED SHOTS TOTAL
With at least nine blocked shots in each of its first three games of the season, Florida State enters Tuesday's game against Florida averaging 10.7 blocked shots per game. Two Seminoles - All-America candidate Solomon Alabi (nine blocks) and sophomore Xavier Gibson (10 blocks) -- have blocked at least nine shots while seven of the 11 Seminole players who have played for Florida State in the first three games of the season. Florida State was credited with 13 blocked shots - tied for the third highest single game team total in school history and only two from tying the all-time team record of 15 which came against Florida Atlantic on Dec. 7, 1994.

FLORIDA STATE GETTING OFFENSIVE TO BEGIN THE 2009-10 SEASON
Led by sophomore Deividas Dulkys' team-leading 12.7 points per game scoring average and sophomore Xavier Gibson's .636 field goal shooting percentage, the Seminoles enter Tuesday's game against Florida scoring an average of 85.3 points per game and shooting .547 from the field. The Seminoles have scored at least 80 points in each of their first three games and have shot at least 59 percent from the field in two of their first three games. With five players averaging in double figure scoring through the first three games of the season, the Seminoles have scored 80 points or more in three consecutive games for the first time since January of 2007.

SEMINOLES DEPTH SHOWING EARLY IN THE SEASON
Seminole head coach Leonard Hamilton has said that one of the strengths of this year's Seminole team will be its quality depth. Florida State's bench scored 36 of 87 points (41.3 pct.) against Jacksonville, 27 of 80 (33.8 pct.) in their victory over Stetson and 37 of 89 (41.5 percent) against Mercer.

PROBABLE STARTERS FOR FLORIDA STATE
F #31 Chris Singleton (9.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg; 8 pts and 10 rebs vs. Florida, Dec. 7, 2008)
F #42 Ryan Reid (10.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg; 13 pts and 5 rebs vs. Florida, Dec. 7, 2008)
C #32 Solomon Alabi (12.3 ppg, 3.0 bpg; 11 pts and 1 blk vs. Florida, Dec. 7, 2008)
G #4 Deividas Dulkys (12.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg; 3 pts and 1 reb vs. Florida, Dec. 7, 2008)
G #22 Derwin Kitchen (7.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg; First career game vs. Florida)
...AND TOP RESERVES
G #2 Jordan DeMercy (7.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg; 12 pts and 4 rebs vs. Florida, Dec. 7, 2008)
G #3 Luke Loucks (2.7 ppg, 2.8 apg; 3 pts and 1 ast vs. Florida, Dec. 7, 2008)
F #1 Xavier Gibson (11.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg; 1 pts and 0 rebs vs. Florida, Dec. 7, 2008)
G #21 Michael Snaer (8.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg; First career game vs. Florida)
G #0 Pierre Jordan (2.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg; First career game vs. Florida)

PROBABLE STARTERS FOR FLORIDA
F #21 Dan Werner (5.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg; 10 pts and 6 rebs vs. Florida State, Nov. 7, 2008)
F #23 Alex Tyus (8.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg; 4 pts and 8 rebs vs. Florida State, Nov. 7, 2008)
G #32 Vernon Macklin (10.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg; First career game vs. Florida State)
G #1 Kenny Boynton (19.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg; First career game vs. Florida State)
G #11 Erving Walker (10.0 ppg, 5.3 apg; 2 pts and 1 reb vs. Florida State, Nov. 7, 2008)

FLORIDA STATE VS. FLORIDA - A SERIES HISTORY
The Series: Florida leads, 38-22
Last Game: Dec. 7, 2008; at Florida State 57, Florida 55
Last Florida State Win: Dec. 7, 2008; at Florida State 57, Florida 55
Last Florida Win: Nov. 25, 2005; at Florida 74, Florida State 66
Last Florida State Win in Gainesville: Nov. 23, 2007; Florida State 66, Florida 51
Last Florida Win in Gainesville: Nov. 25, 2005; at Florida 74, Florida State 66
Current Streak: Florida State has won 3
Leonard Hamilton vs. Florida: 4-4 (4-3 at Florida State)