The Seminoles are on a tear, and their latest victory is another feather in their cap as they aim for a spot in March Madness. With a day of rest to kick off the ACC Tournament, Florida State came out swinging against a "bubble" team, the Golden Bears, who were eyeing a "first four in" status with their solid 21-10 record. But FSU, having previously toppled Cal back in January, used that momentum to fuel their charge in the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
Alex Steen set the tone early with a tip-in, although Thomas Bassong's missed dunk showed there were still kinks to iron out. The Noles found themselves trailing 9-2, but Robert McCray V sparked the offense with a deep three, cutting the gap to 9-5.
He followed it up with a smooth jumper, narrowing the lead further. Then, Kobe MaGee joined the party with a long-range bomb, giving FSU its first lead.
From there, the Seminoles went on a tear, orchestrating a 16-2 run that catapulted them to a 28-15 advantage. By halftime, they had stretched the lead to 46-32.
Cal wasn't going down without a fight, outscoring FSU 57-49 in the second half, but the Seminoles held firm to secure their spot in the next round of the ACC Tournament.
Next up? The formidable No.
1 Duke, albeit without two of their starters, Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba, who are sidelined for the entire tourney. However, Duke's lineup still boasts the potential top NBA Draft pick, Cameron Boozer, making for an intriguing matchup.
McCray was the star of the night, pouring in 30 points against the Bears. Lajae Jones added 15, while Chauncey Wiggins and MaGee contributed 14 and 13 points respectively. This victory marks FSU's longest winning streak under head coach Luke Loucks, with four consecutive wins.
The Seminoles are heating up at just the right time, and with Duke on the horizon, they're poised to make a statement.