The Sports Bank’s college basketball season previews undergo a face lift this season. Rather than counting down the top 111 teams in 111 days, we will go conference-by-conference. I’ve already counted down the Pac-12, Big 12, SEC, and AAC, and now turn my attention to the already new-look ACC.
Having failed to make the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons, the Florida State Seminoles are hoping their talented group of wing players can get the program back to the Big Dance.
FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
Last Season: T-7th, 9-9 in ACC, 22-14 overall
Predicted ACC Finish: 7th
Projected Depth Chart
C: Boris Bojanovsky (Jr)/Michael Ojo (Jr)/Kiel Turpin (Sr)
F: Montay Brandon (Jr)/Jarquez Smith (So)/Phil Cofer (Fr)
G/F: Aaron Thomas (Jr)
SG: Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Fr)/Robbie Berwick (Fr)
PG: Devon Bookert (Jr)/Dayshawn Watkins (So)
Gone: G-Ian Miller, PF-Okaro White, PF-Robert Gilchrist
2014-2015 Outlook:
Coming off a breakout sophomore season, Aaron Thomas is in the spotlight for the ‘Noles due to the graduation of Ian Miller and Okaro White. Thomas is a big-time scorer from anywhere on the floor but certainly won’t have to do it by himself.
Fellow juniors Montay Brandon and Devon Bookert were solid role players last season and should see their opportunities increase this season. Brandon has good size at 6-8 and the versatility to play either forward spot while Bookert runs the point and is also the team’s most consistent three-point shooter.
Add in Xavier Rathan-Mayes, a top 50 recruit in the 2013 class who was forced to sit last season due to academic reasons, and Leonard Hamilton doesn’t have a shortage of talent on the wing. JUCO transfer Dayshawn Watkins and freshman Robbie Berwick round out the depth in the backcourt.
As always seems to be the case in Tallahassee, FSU has a ton of size inside with a trio of seven-footers. Boris Bojanovsky and Michael Ojo patrolled the paint last season while Kiel Turbin missed the entire year due to a leg injury. Turbin was granted a medical hardship and sixth year of eligibility so those three will battle it out for minutes at center. Jarquez Smith was a role player a year ago and gives the Seminoles a natural power forward as does freshman Phil Cofer.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/22 vs. Providence (Hall of Fame Tip Off)
11/23 vs. UMass (Hall of Fame Tip Off)
12/1 vs. Nebraska (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
12/6 vs. UCF
12/20 vs. South Florida
12/30 vs. Florida
1/2 at Mississippi State
OTHER ACC PREVIEWS:
#14 GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS
AAC PREVIEWS:
#1 UCONN HUSKIES
#7 UCF KNIGHTS
#8 SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS
#9 HOUSTON COUGARS
#10 TULANE GREEN WAVE
#11 EAST CAROLINA PIRATES
SEC PREVIEWS:
#1 KENTUCKY WILDCATS
BIG 12 PREVIEWS:
#1 KANSAS JAYHAWKS
#2 TEXAS LONGHORNS
PAC-12 PREVIEWS:
#1 ARIZONA WILDCATS
#4 UCLA BRUINS
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.