Miami Looks For Strong Bounce Back vs. Florida State

Miami tries to turn the corner after suffering its first defeat since Thanksgiving. On Saturday, the Hurricanes fought valiantly but still lost to No. 22 Clemson by 10 points. The perimeter shooting wasn’t there, once again. Malik Reneau got in early foul trouble for the fourth time in five games and fouled out.

A relentless Tiger defense shut down Jai Lucas’ top players. Miami committed 16 giveaways. The loss was a tough pill to swallow, but with a quick turnaround, UM doesn’t have much time to dwell on its weekend shortcomings, though.

On Tuesday night, they will play hosts for the 12th time this season. Longtime rival Florida State comes to town, and the Seminoles are looking to pull off an upset. Their desperation is high, so the Hurricanes will need to be ready for this pivotal mid-January matchup. Miami will try to fend off a mediocre FSU squad and get back in the win column.

Game Info:

Date: Tuesday, January 20

TV: ESPNU

Time: 7:00 PM ET

FanDuel Odds: Miami -11.5; O/U 166.5

ESPN Analytics Matchup Predictor: Miami wins (88% chance).

All-Time Series History: Florida State leads 52-31

Florida State Seminoles Overview:

Florida State is currently undergoing a major transition. In 2002, the Seminoles hired former Miami head coach Leonard Hamilton to lead their basketball program. Hamilton would then keep that position for the next 23 seasons.

In that time, he made Tallahassee’s dominant football power into a respectable basketball program. He guided FSU to eight NCAA Tournament appearances, an ACC regular season title in 2019-20, and an ACC Tournament title in 2011-12.

He retired at the end of last season. In stepped Luke Loucks, who has big shoes to fill. However, the first-time collegiate head coach isn’t afraid of pressure. The confines of Donald L. Tucker Civic Center are all too familiar to Loucks, who played under Hamilton at FSU from 2008 to 2012.

The Clearwater, Florida, native was an NBA assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings from 2016 to 2025. He won two championships in 2017 and 2018. Now, he will try to bring Florida State back to the top of the ACC.

This season has been rocky at best. The Noles are currently 7-11 and winless through five ACC games. After winning five of its first six games, Florida State has lost 10 of its last 12 games. They’ve gotten blown out by Texas A&M, Georgia, Houston, Dayton, and North Carolina.

However, their worst loss came on January 10, when they lost by 44 points at home to NC State. Their most recent game was a disaster as well. Against Wake Forest, they led by nine late in the second half before the Demon Deacons rallied to pull off a 69-68 win in Tallahassee.

This team has had a multitude of problems throughout the season. They aren’t a great shooting team (42.2%) and depend way too much on the 3-ball (31.5%). The Noles have the second-most turnovers in the ACC (228). Florida State also has the worst scoring defense in the conference, allowing opponents to score an average of 81.3 points per game.

This team doesn’t rebound well on its own end of the court. Their 418 defensive rebounds are the third-fewest in the league. They also don’t have depth in the playmaking department. With all this doom and gloom, is there anything positive about the floundering Tallahassee hoopers? Well, they can score a lot, thanks to their style of play.

Florida State is ranked 18th in the country for pace. They generate 73.6 possessions per game. Loucks has a solid and balanced array of scorers, starting with lead ball handler Robert McCray V. The Jacksonville transfer is a true point guard, averaging 13.6 points per game while dishing out an average of 6.5 assists.

The senior from Columbia, South Carolina, has the ball more than anyone else, as evidenced by his 30.2 usage percentage. Most possessions begin and end with McCray, but three more players average double figures in scoring.

Chauncey Wiggins is a stretch 4 from Atlanta who is averaging 12.1 points per night. He is one of FSU’s most dependable rebounders and is shooting 41.5% from the field. Lajae Jones occupies one of the other forward spots. After experiencing a breakout season at St. Bonaventure, he has provided a great inside presence for Florida State.

He is averaging 11.1 points per contest and is the team’s second-leading rebounder (4.9 RPG). Kobe MaGee, another senior, is a true two-guard, usually hanging out on the wings while waiting for his chance to strike.

He spent the first three seasons of his college career at Drexel before making the move to the ACC this year. He has played well, averaging 10.8 points per game. Most of his damage comes from beyond the arc. As one of FSU’s few capable downtown shooters, MaGee has taken the most 3-pointers on the team (118) and has shot 33% from downtown.

Martin Somerville is the last component of the starting lineup. The sophomore from Bowie, Maryland, is a scoring guard. However, his main role on this team is to let the rock fly from deep. He leads the team in 3-point field goal percentage (38%). 108 of Somerville’s 129 shot attempts have come from the outside.

Just like Miami, Florida State doesn’t have a deep bench. Their three most notable players are big man Alex Steen, freshman guard Cam Miles, and freshman wing Thomas Bassong. Steen is actually Florida State’s leading rebounder (5.8 RPG) and averages a hair under seven points per game.

Miles averages 6.8 points per game, usually by slashing towards the basket. 36 of his 50 2-point attempts have come from close range. The same can be said for Bassong, who is averaging 5.7 points per game in just over 15 minutes of action per night.

Players to Watch

Miami: Malik Reneau

Miami’s top option needs to get back into rhythm. Malik Reneau is having a heck of a year. However, over the last five games, he’s seen himself get in early foul trouble frequently. The Hurricanes need him on the floor for as long as possible, and they need him to finish games. If he’s not out on the floor, the Canes can struggle offensively.

That was the case in the home stretch against Clemson last weekend. Reneau brings so many elements to the offensive end, such as a solid post game and being able to stretch the floor. Against Clemson, he failed to get involved as well.

11 points from Reneau will never lead to a win. Jai Lucas needs him to do more. The senior is due for a bounce-back performance. He must be at the top of his game if Miami wants to avoid an upset. He must not get overaggressive and needs to let the game come to him.

Florida State: Robert McCray V

Despite Florida State having some talent on the roster, they go as far as Robert McCray V does. While not the greatest shooter, the senior’s multidimensional skillset allows him to be effective all the time. McCray can go 2-for-10 and still have a tremendous impact on a game.

He is undoubtedly one of the best two-way guards in the ACC. On offense, he can slash to the basket with ease. He has a quick first step. The Columbia, South Carolina, native can also hit shots from each range. Finding teammates to pass to is never a problem.

McCray is patient and lets the game come to him. He also brings intensity on defense, as he is one of the Seminoles’ best swipers, averaging 1.3 steals per game. He is the poster child of an FSU defense that collects lots of steals. McCray also has athleticism that allows him to flush the ball home and block shots as a help defender.

McCray can cause problems for any team. Miami needs to keep its eyes peeled when he has the ball in his hands. He’s also due for a big performance after posting subpar outings in FSU’s previous two games against Syracuse and Wake Forest.

Miami’s Keys to Victory

Keep FSU Hands Away From the Ball: While Florida State doesn’t force many turnovers, they do get their hands on the ball a lot when defending. As of now, the Seminoles have recorded the third-most steals in the ACC (157), averaging 8.7 per game.

This has to be a point of emphasis for the Hurricanes. In the loss to Clemson, UM allowed the Tigers to record 12 steals. They can’t let the opposition continue to swipe the ball away from them. Doing that will only allow FSU to get into transition and score some easy fast-break buckets. Protect the ball.

Get Off To A Fast Start: Miami has one of the top scoring teams in the ACC. Florida State gives up the most points in the conference by far. Other than their ability to steal the ball, the Noles don’t present a daunting challenge on their own end of the court. The Hurricanes will get their chances and points against this team.

However, it would be great if they could get into a groove early. They would welcome it and need it, especially after the egg they laid in Clemson. An early run can be the difference in how FSU plays the rest of the way. Usually, a team that has been blownout badly multiple times will begin to have doubts when the game feels the be slipping. Put that doubt in their minds early. Get the building juiced.

Spread the Rock & Get Everyone Involved: Offensively, the only player of note for Miami in their loss to Clemson was Shelton Henderson, who scored 22 points. No one else could be found. The other top options for the Canes disappeared into thin air.

If UM is to get back in the win column, they need everyone to chip in. Tre Donaldson needs to find the bottom of the bucket once again. So does Tru Washington. As said before, Reneau needs to stay on the court. This is a team that doesn’t have much depth, so they need the starters to step up and have big games, individually.