Mike Krzyzewski has not won an ACC regular season title since 2010. Jim Boeheim has been in the league since 2013 and never won one. So there are two active coaches at the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame who haven’t done it for a long time, or never did, what Leonard Hamilton of Florida did last season. And now Hamilton is about to do that again after Monday’s 81-60 victory over Virginia.
The 21-point explosion, in which FSU hit 13 of 24 attempts out of 3, put the Seminoles in a draw in the loss column at the top of the ACC standings with Virginia. The state of Florida has 8-2 in the league; Virginia is 11-2. Then again, Hamilton’s program has a real chance of winning another conference championship just a year after winning the ACC title last season.
“We can play against anyone in the country when we are stuck and focused on our opponent and the game plan and execute it,” said Florida State striker RaiQuan Gray, who finished with 15 points and five rebounds against Virginia. “We have to maintain that focus for the rest of the year.”
What is remarkable about the Seminoles operating once again at the top of the ACC is that they had to replace three of the team’s top four scorers last season, most notably lottery players Patrick Williams and Devin Vassell. Still, a source close to the program told me in the preseason that he believed this season’s team could be better than last season’s. Honestly, I was skeptical for obvious reasons. But, to be worth it, after Monday’s victory, the Seminoles jumped to 13th at KenPom.
They finished 15th last season.
The state of Florida is ranked 13th in the CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 updated college basketball diary. The next game for the Seminoles is scheduled for Saturday against Virginia Tech.
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Tuesday’s top 25 and 1 ratings
The biggest drivers
1
West Virginia
5
Virginia