Florida State basketball gave its fans something to cheer about Wednesday night, grinding out a 63-61 win over the California Bears at the Tucker Center. It wasn’t just a win-it was a sign of growth. The Seminoles, now 9-12 overall and 2-6 in ACC play, jumped out to a commanding 36-23 halftime lead and managed to hold off a late Cal surge to secure the upset.
This marks Florida State’s second win in its last three conference games after starting ACC play with five straight losses. And while the record still isn’t where they want it to be, there’s a noticeable shift happening in Tallahassee-one that starts with first-year head coach Luke Loucks.
Earlier in the season, Florida State was living and dying by the three. The Noles were launching over 35 attempts per game from beyond the arc-more than half of their total shots-but converting on just 30% of them. That kind of volume without efficiency is a tough formula to win with, especially when it leads to long rebounds and transition opportunities for the opponent.
Loucks, to his credit, has recognized that. He admitted he was initially too focused on offense and leaned heavily into the three-point philosophy.
But as the season has unfolded, so has his approach. Loucks has made a clear effort to shift the team’s identity, placing more emphasis on defense and dialing back the reliance on the long ball.
And the results? They're starting to show.
In Florida State’s two ACC wins, less than half of their shots have come from three-point range. That’s not just a stat-it’s a mindset change.
It’s the kind of in-season adjustment you want to see from a young coach still finding his footing. Loucks isn’t stubbornly sticking to a system that wasn’t working; he’s learning, adapting, and molding his strategy to fit the personnel he has right now.
That adaptability is critical. It's one thing to have a vision for how you want your team to play.
It's another to recognize when that vision doesn’t match your current roster and make the necessary tweaks. Loucks appears to be doing just that.
He’s not forcing square pegs into round holes anymore-he’s building a system around what this team can actually do well.
There’s also talent on the way that could eventually help Loucks implement his preferred style more fully. But in the meantime, his willingness to make adjustments is a promising sign for the program’s future.
Next up, Florida State hosts Stanford on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on the ACC Network-a winnable matchup that could help the Seminoles continue building momentum.
After a rocky start to conference play, the Noles are showing signs of turning a corner. And with a coach who’s learning on the job and making real-time improvements, that corner might just lead somewhere worth going.