Florida State gets one more tune-up Saturday before the games start to count, and the Seminoles will do it against LSU at 1 p.m. inside the Donald L. Tucker Center.
The exhibition will be shown on ACC Network Extra through ESPN+, with Sean Salisbury and Jacob Ridenhour on the broadcast. Fans can also catch it on the Seminole Sports Network, where Jeff Culhane and Adrian Crawford will handle the call.
Florida State is coming off an 82-71 win over Auburn in the 2026 Ballin in Boutwell preseason event in Birmingham, Alabama, a game that turned after halftime. The Seminoles trailed by eight with 15 minutes left in the second half, then finished on a 44-25 run to close out the Tigers.
That comeback was built on force in the lane and efficiency at the stripe. Florida State kept pressuring the paint and finished 34-of-40 from the free throw line, good for 85.0 percent.
Freshman center Marcis Ponder delivered the loudest performance of the night, posting 13 points, 21 rebounds and three blocks in just 25 minutes. Kam Taylor also made his presence felt, leading the team with 19 points while going 4-for-8 from the field and a perfect 10-of-10 at the foul line.
The Seminoles also got a boost this week when it was announced Monday that forward Alex Steen is now eligible to compete following a temporary injunction. Steen started 29 games last season, averaging 6.8 points and a team-high 5.8 rebounds per game.
Florida State enters the season with some outside respect as well, landing seventh in the 2026-27 ACC preseason poll by a select media panel. The Seminoles were picked 15th a year ago before tying for seventh after going 10-8. It’s the highest preseason slot FSU has received since 2022.
LSU arrives with some momentum of its own after two exhibition wins that both came down to the final possessions. Will Wade, now in his second stint as head coach, has seen the Tigers beat UCF 85-81 at home and edge McNeese State 63-60 on the road.
In the win over UCF, LSU used only six players, though that should shift Saturday after several Tigers were recently declared eligible for the 2026-27 season.
Florida State still trails the all-time series 4-3. The teams last met in 2024 in Baton Rouge as part of the SEC/ACC Challenge, where LSU took an 85-75 win.
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Florida State Gets Its First Real Roster Test Against LSU
Florida State is about to get its first meaningful look at where the roster stands when it hosts LSU in an exhibition game at the Donald L. Tucker Center. For Luke Loucks, this is exactly the kind of test he wanted, a chance to see how his group handles a veteran opponent before the games start counting for real. The Seminoles will be leaning on freshman center Marcis Ponder, junior guard Kam Taylor and sophomore forward Shon Abaev as they try to find their footing against a team built to challenge them.
LSU comes in with its own questions, but also with plenty of experience under Will Wade, who has put together a roster that looks tested even after some early uncertainty. Fifth-year guard Donovan Dent gives the Tigers a seasoned backcourt presence, and Skyy Clark could add another layer if he is available after recently becoming eligible. For Florida State, the value here goes beyond the final score. It is a first real measuring stick, and the kind of night that can reveal a lot about where this team still needs work. [Read more 🡒]
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For Florida State fans, the debate around Ohio States playoff standing may sound uncomfortably familiar. A college football media voice drew comparisons to other teams in the race while noting the Buckeyes offensive issues and the challenge of what comes next on the schedule, which is exactly the sort of late-season uncertainty that can turn a strong rsum into a tense discussion in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]