Indeed, Round of 32 basketball is really happening on a Monday. It’s beyond weird for sure, but then again this is a year that has been filled with strange occurrences. College basketball has faced a lot of adversity, especially with many COVID-19 cases surfacing in locker rooms across the country. However, an odd year will not deter the Florida State Seminoles from continuing their quest for an NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship. With a spot in the Round of 32, the ‘Noles are now looking to continue their season with a big win against the Colorado Buffaloes. So, will FSU rise to the occasion, or will they fall victim to an upset?
Florida State Seminoles vs Colorado Buffaloes
The No. 4 Florida State Seminoles will face the No. 5 Colorado Buffaloes on Monday at 7:45 PM EST. The ‘Noles earned their spot in the second round of the tournament with a win over UNC Greensboro, whereas the Buffaloes defeated Georgetown by a score of 96-73. The impressive and unexpectedly dominant win for the Buffaloes has garnered the national media’s attention, and with their momentum, people believe Colorado could be in prime position to upset FSU.
We say not so fast. Although the ‘Noles do not necessarily have the same momentum as the Buffaloes, they have the upper hand when it comes to both experience and talent. FSU has established themselves as a consistently dominant program in the last fast years, winning one ACC championship and making two other conference championship games. It’s also important to note that the ‘Noles play in a much more elite conference than the Buffaloes, as the ACC has established itself as one of the best conferences in CBB.
Key Contributors for Florida State
For Florida State, expect the ‘Noles to establish a very balanced effort on the court. M.J. Walker should be near the top in the scoring category, as he has a team-high 12.5 PPG. The senior guard shot 43.8% on field goals, 80% from the line, and 43.6% from downtown. Among the other big names at the guard position include Scottie Barnes and Anthony Polite, who have both averaged around 10 PPG. Raiquan Gray should do most of the heavy lifting at the forward position, as he has tallied 12.2 PPG and 6.6 RPG on the season. But expect few three-pointers, if none, for Florida State.
Key Contributors for Colorado
The Colorado Buffaloes should see a strong performance from from their guard McKinley Wright IV. The senior has provided the team with an average of 15.4 PPG whilst shooting at a rate of 48.5% on field goals, 84.2% on free throws, and 31.5% on three-pointers. His efforts should be accompanied by forwards Jeriah Horne and Evan Battey, who have both averaged 10 PPG or more.
Overall Thoughts
Although Colorado should put up a strong fight against the ‘Noles, expect FSU to still have a slight advantage in this one. Florida State has been in these types of situations before, meaning they should be well prepared for whatever Colorado throws at them. Again, it could go either way, but we strongly advise you to not bet against FSU.