Opponent Preview: Everything to know about FSU

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A Quadir Copeland buzzer-beating 3 sent the JMA Wireless Dome into a frenzy Saturday as Syracuse recorded a 72-69 victory over Miami. Toeing the left wing arc off of a pass from Judah Mintz, Copeland’s make gave SU two consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference wins for the first time this season.

Offensively, the Orange notched 12 3’s and a 39.7% mark from the field. They totaled five double-digit scorers, led by J.J. Starling’s 22 points, and forced Miami into 12 turnovers. Mintz registered a career-high 13 assists and Maliq Brown tallied a double-double.

Syracuse remains home on Tuesday to take on Florida State. The Seminoles are coming off of a 78-67 loss to Clemson but have exceeded expectations this year with notable wins over Wake Forest, Miami and then-No. 18 Colorado.

Despite losing star players Matthew Cleveland (Miami) and Caleb Mills (Memphis) in the offseason, FSU head coach Leonard Hamilton has assembled a revamped squad headlined by transfers Jamir Watkins (VCU) and Primo Spears (Georgetown).

Here’s everything to know about the Seminoles (11-7, 5-2 ACC) before tip-off versus Syracuse (13-5, 4-3 ACC):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 10-6.

Last time they played

Syracuse beat Florida State 76-67 at the Donald L. Tucker Center last season. Despite trailing at the break, the Orange outscored FSU 47-32 in the second half to win.

Now-Clemson guard Joseph Girard III finished with a game-high 26 points while Mintz and Chris Bell added 16 and 10, respectively. Current West Virginia center Jesse Edwards had 18 points and 12 rebounds — one of 14 double-doubles he totaled in 2022-23.

For the Seminoles, now-Syracuse center Naheem McLeod notched a career-best 16 points but couldn’t help fend off a 16-2 Orange scoring run down the stretch which cemented SU’s away victory.

KenPom odds

Syracuse has a 65% chance of winning, with a projected score of 76-72.

The Seminoles report

A tenacious, high-octane team on both ends of the floor, Florida State is a well-balanced side. Though the Seminoles are susceptible to playing somewhat out of control offensively, they hold enough talent to execute isolation action. Defensively, FSU switches on ball screens and preaches strong passing lane denials.

Equipped with tremendous length, 6-foot-5 Darin Green Jr. is the shortest in Florida State’s starting five. Sophomore forwards Baba Miller and Cam Corhen are all-around, hard-nosed players and junior point guard Jalen Warley serves as a reliable floor general.

FSU’s sixth man — and someone who should give Syracuse’s back court considerable trouble — is junior guard Spears. Now a part of his third program in as many years, Spears ranks third in average team scoring with 11.4 points per game. Despite shooting just 33.9% from the field, he was pivotal in the Seminoles’ 84-75 victory over Miami on Jan. 17.

Timmy Wilcox | Asst. Digital Editor

How Syracuse beats FSU

Syracuse will need to continue its hot shooting performances as of late. In their last two contests against Pittsburgh and Miami, the Orange totaled 22 3s on 45% shooting in back-to-back wins.

Since losing McLeod on Jan. 10, Brown has carried the load for SU in the paint as backups Peter Carey and Mounir Hima continue to experience growing pains. Though Brown’s impressed and stayed out of foul trouble, he’ll need help containing Miller, Corhen and De’Ante Green come Tuesday.

The Orange can also benefit largely from continuing their success in the half court. A few weeks ago, SU’s early-season reliability on transition buckets and free-throw opportunities were foiled in blowout losses to Duke and North Carolina. But now, Syracuse has built up a far more versatile offense.

Spearheaded by Mintz’s improved playmaking, the Orange have enjoyed a plethora of open looks — the product of making an extra pass. If SU continues to do that, jumpers from Bell, Starling and even Justin Taylor can sink the Seminoles.

Stat to know: 6.4

Florida State doesn’t shoot the 3 well. The Seminoles shoot a lowly 32.6% clip behind the arc and rank second-to-last in the ACC with only 6.4 makes per game from deep range. Though their lone consistent perimeter shooter Green Jr., who averages 12.3 points on a team-high 46 3-point baskets this season, cans them at a 40.4% rate.

Syracuse can limit FSU’s scoring by living with open perimeter looks and stopping dribble penetration. A switch back to the 2-3 zone — which challenges the opposition to shoot from farther out — could prove beneficial as well.

Player to watch: Jamir Watkins, forward, No. 2

Transferring to Florida State after two seasons at VCU, Watkins is enjoying a breakout redshirt-junior season. An aggressive slasher, he doesn’t shy away from contact and can convert in traffic. The 6-foot-7 forward averages 13.2 points and almost six rebounds a game, but shoots below 30% from 3. His season-high 19 points came in a surprise 87-82 win over Wake Forest on Jan. 9.