Florida State men’s basketball is heating up at just the right time.
Winners of three straight and four of their last five, the Seminoles are suddenly surging in the ACC. After Saturday’s road win over Notre Dame, FSU has carved out a three-game cushion above the bottom tier of the conference standings. That gives them a clear path to the ACC tournament - a reality that felt almost impossible just a few weeks ago.
Now, with #18 Virginia coming to Tallahassee on Tuesday and a trip to Virginia Tech looming this weekend, first-year head coach Luke Loucks has a shot to add a couple more statement wins to his résumé. And make no mistake - this turnaround didn’t happen by accident. It’s been a mix of defensive buy-in, smart adjustments, and a few key players stepping up when it mattered most.
Let’s break down the three biggest reasons behind Florida State’s midseason revival.
1. Defensive Intensity: A Complete 180
If you’ve listened to Loucks after losses, one theme kept coming up: effort. Not missed shots or bad matchups - effort.
The former Seminole guard has been clear from day one that his team’s energy level wasn’t where it needed to be. And early in conference play, the numbers backed that up.
In their first five ACC games, the Seminoles gave up 90 or more points three times, including a brutal 113-point outing against NC State. That stretch ended with an ugly home loss to Wake Forest - a team that’s now 2-8 in ACC play - and dropped FSU to 0-5 in the conference. It was their second five-game skid of the season, and at that point, the season looked lost.
But Loucks didn’t panic. He tinkered with the starting lineup, adjusted the rotation, and got his team to buy in on the defensive end.
The result? A completely different team.
In the last five games, only one opponent - SMU - has cracked the 80-point mark. According to BartTorvik.com, FSU’s adjusted defensive efficiency over that stretch is 96.7. That’s a massive improvement from the 111.1 rating in the five games before and even better than their season-long average of 104.0.
One of the biggest changes? Interior defense.
Despite lacking size in the paint, the Noles have held opponents to just 49% shooting inside the arc over the last five games. That’s a huge leap from the 62% they allowed in the first five ACC contests.
It’s not just about contesting shots - it’s about making every possession a grind. And lately, Florida State has done just that.
2. Winning the Turnover Battle
Let’s be real: Florida State isn’t rolling out a roster stacked with high-profile transfers or blue-chip recruits. They brought in just one Power 4 transfer this offseason - Chauncey Wiggins - so most nights, they’re facing teams with more raw talent.
To level the playing field, Loucks has leaned into a disruptive, high-energy style - and it’s working.
The goal? Create chaos.
Loucks has said he wants his team to generate 30+ deflections per game, and that defensive activity has led to a steady stream of turnovers. In their last four wins, FSU has forced a turnover rate north of 15% each time, including a 20.3% clip against Miami.
Compare that to the 14.3% rate during their five-game skid (with three games under 12%), and you can see just how much more aggressive they’ve become.
But it’s not just about forcing mistakes - it’s also about protecting the ball. Against Notre Dame, the Noles turned it over just five times, with only three of those being live-ball steals.
Two games earlier, Cal also managed just three live-ball takeaways. Since the Miami win, Florida State has only committed double-digit turnovers once and has won the points-off-turnovers battle in every game.
Again, the numbers tell the story. Their turnover rate over the last five games?
Just 12%. That’s down from 18.2% in the first five ACC games.
In a league where every possession matters, that kind of ball security can be the difference between a win and a loss.
3. Secondary Scoring Steps Up
Rob McCray V has been the engine for this team all season. He leads FSU in points, assists, and minutes - and when he struggles, the team usually does too.
Case in point: the Wake Forest loss, where McCray turned it over 11 times. Florida State simply couldn’t survive without him playing well.
But lately, McCray has gotten some much-needed help.
The biggest boost has come from Chauncey Wiggins. The senior forward has hit double figures in six straight games and now ranks second on the team in scoring with a career-high 12.9 points per game. His three-point shooting has been a game-changer - he’s hit three or more triples in each of the last three games - giving the offense a reliable stretch option and opening up space for others to operate.
Then there’s Lajae Jones. After getting benched for two games against Syracuse and Wake Forest - the only games he hasn’t started all season - Jones responded with a renewed sense of purpose.
He’s scored in double digits in three of his last five games and grabbed at least five rebounds in all of them. More importantly, he’s stopped letting his outside shooting slump affect the rest of his game.
Now, he’s playing with confidence, crashing the boards, and giving the Noles a much-needed physical presence.
With Wiggins and Jones stepping up, Florida State no longer has to rely on McCray to carry the offense every night. That kind of balance makes this team a lot more dangerous - and a lot harder to defend.
Looking Ahead
Florida State’s season isn’t saved yet - but it’s certainly back on track. Loucks has this group playing with purpose, defending with urgency, and finding ways to win even when the odds aren’t in their favor.
Tuesday’s matchup with #18 Virginia is a chance to prove this turnaround is real. And if the Noles can keep this momentum going, they won’t just be a team climbing out of the ACC basement - they’ll be a team nobody wants to face come tournament time.