2011 Big Dance, FSU is coming to take over the nation!
Yes, finally, FSU punched their ticket to the 2011 NCAA Tournament with a huge 72-62 win at North Carolina State on the last day of the regular season. Now, even with a loss in the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, NC; the Seminoles will have a good enough profile to at least be guaranteed an at-large selection. This will be the third year in a row that Florida State has made the Big Dance. 2009 and 2010 did not go as planned, with Florida State losing both times in the opening round. However, I have a feeling this year is going to be different. This team is starting to get much better on the offensive end of the floor, and the defense is still good enough to neutralize most teams in the country. Also, this team beat the crap out of the Duke Blue Devils when they were ranked number one in the country and coming in fresh off of a twenty-five game winning streak. They also damn near beat North Carolina who is the regular season ACC champion.
Not long ago, Florida State was consistently relegated to the NIT. Every damn year it seemed like. But that was before the 2009 season. Since that season, FSU has gotten much better. They finished with 11 wins in conference this year, combined with ten the two years before that. They were third place by themselves in conference this year, with nearly a 2-1 record against the two powerhouses - Duke and UNC. FSU is a team that has a chance to do some real damage this year. Maybe, just maybe, with the right amount of luck, they could wind up in Houston in April.
Earlier this season, I declared this team a complete bust and thought they would have no shot in hell of making the Big Dance. Boy, was I wrong. Damn sure I'm glad to be wrong, too. After losing to a horrible Auburn team and getting smoked by Virginia Tech, I was ready to throw in the towel. But, FSU shows up the night of the Duke game and beats the crap out the Blue Devils. No luck involved, FSU flat whooped their ass. Since that game, the season has turned around and the Seminoles are rolling. I berated Leonard Hamilton throughout the season. Now, I offer him congratulations. He's turned this whole program around and moved them in the right direction. Granted, another flameout in the ACC and NCAA Tournament is not acceptable. But for now, he's at least got the Seminoles back to the track we need to be on to get ourselves in position to finally win a championship of some sort.
Yes, the ACC is down. So what, I could care less. 21-9 overall and 11-5 in the ACC is a damn good season. However, to make it a great season we need to win a championship. Florida State needs to show up to Greensboro and beat down either Georgia Tech or Virginia Tech in their first game on Friday night. They also need to send the nation a message and beat the hell of out of both Duke and UNC if given the chance. This is the time you make a statement. Again, we've beaten the defending national champion this season. Check, been there, done that. Again, we've beaten another #1 ranked team this season. Check, been there, done that. However, we're missing two major cogs that would take this entire program and university to the next level. We're missing an ACC and National Championship. Without those, the rest of the accomplishments wring hollow over the years.
The past is the past. Time for the Seminoles to take that first step in the vaunted journey to greatness. Hopefully it starts in Greensboro and ends in Houston in the year 2011.