The stage is set for an exciting showdown as the No. 8 seed Florida State Seminoles gear up to face the No. 9 seed Cal Golden Bears in the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference Basketball Tournament. This clash will unfold at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., with tip-off scheduled for Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. Fans can catch all the action live on ESPNU.
Florida State enters the tournament with a 17-14 record, having gone 10-8 in ACC play. The Seminoles have been on a roll, winning three consecutive games and securing victories in six of their last seven matchups.
Their momentum is undeniable, with nine wins in their last eleven games, and ten in their past thirteen. Meanwhile, Cal stands at 21-10, posting a balanced 9-9 record against ACC opponents.
Leading the charge for Florida State is first-year head coach Luke Loucks. Loucks has made an impressive start, steering the Seminoles to ten ACC wins, the second-highest total for a first-year coach in the program's history. His efforts earned him fourth place in the ACC Coach of the Year voting, a testament to his impactful debut season.
On the other side, Cal's head coach Mark Madsen is in his third season with the Golden Bears. Madsen holds a 48-48 record during his tenure at Cal and boasts an overall coaching record of 118-99 over seven seasons.
These teams have already clashed once this season in Tallahassee, where Florida State narrowly edged out Cal with a 63-61 victory. Historically, the Seminoles lead the all-time series 2-1, including a 1-0 advantage at neutral sites. This marks the first time the two teams will meet in the ACC Tournament.
Florida State is no stranger to being the No. 8 seed in the ACC Tournament, a position they've held five times in school history. The last time they were in this spot was during the 2022 tournament in Brooklyn. Their last tournament victory came in 2024 when they defeated Virginia Tech 86-76 in the second round in Washington, D.C.
As the Seminoles and Golden Bears prepare to tip off, fans can expect a thrilling contest filled with strategic plays and high-stakes basketball.