TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Seminoles.com) – It took just 21 seconds for Florida State’s touted crop of basketball newcomers to impact Monday night’s exhibition game with Division II Lynn University.
Off a baseline screen, Dwayne Bacon Jr. drained a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer from the right wing to announce his arrival.
It was the first of many contributions from the high-flying youngsters making their debut at the Donald L. Tucker Center, where the Seminoles raced past the Fighting Knights, 114-68.
Missing five returnees with a combined 269 games played and 138 career starts, who were sitting out with a variety of maladies, the curtain came up for FSU’s quartet of newcomers – Malik Beasley, Terance Mann, Benji Bell and Bacon Jr.
They didn’t disappoint, combining for 49 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists.
“I thought our guys played with an extreme amount of effort and an unselfish spirit,” FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. “I saw a lot of positive things, but from an execution standpoint we showed we have a long ways to go.
“When we did get stops, I thought we moved the ball and made the extra pass. It’s obvious that we’re a little better offensive team than what we have been in the past. We’ve just got to be sure we keep working on our defense.”
The Seminoles appear to have the pieces to be more than a little better offensively. FSU led 58-29 at the half, which is more points than it scored in eight games last season. More importantly they did so by shooting 59 percent from the floor, assisting on 14 of 23 field goals and only turning the ball over three times, despite a decidedly up-tempo pace.
“Get out and go – that’s one of the key things he wants us to do,” said sophomore forward Phil Cofer, who contributed 13 points and seven rebounds. “That’s something we tried to do today and something we did pretty good.”
There were at least a dozen rim-rattling dunks in transition. Seldom was the ball stationary, whether it was off a turnover, after a rebound or even a made basket by the visitors.
“Everybody was moving the ball and being unselfish,” said senior guard Devon Bookert, who led the Noles with 19 points.
“Everybody wants to get a piece of the cake,” Cofer added. “That’s what is making great chemistry for the team. The most important thing is having fun and playing together as brothers.”
The good chemistry vibe was palpable as teammates cheered on highlight dunks and players diving to the floor for loose balls.
That was especially evident in the later stages of the second half, when Bacon finished off a lob pass from Mann for a 96-49 lead with 7:37 remaining, equally the team’s high-point production of last season. Beasley’s steal and emphatic tomahawk dunk just 30 seconds later pulled the Noles with a basket of the century mark and Bacon’s 3-pointer with six minutes remaining made it 101-53.
It was that kind of night for the Noles, their newcomers and the fans who were anxious to get a first glimpse of one of the finest recruiting classes Hamilton has ever assembled.
As first tests go, Hamilton – like those who turned out to watch – liked what he saw in terms of effort and chemistry.
“They seem to fit for the good of the team,” Hamilton said of his newcomers. “They’re encouraging each other. At times they’re having so much fun in practice that you’re trying to figure out where’s the fine line of focus and enjoying playing with each other.”
Of course it’s hard not to have fun when seven of 10 players produce double-figure scoring performances.
In addition to Bookert’s game-high, the Noles got 16 points from Bacon and a stat-stuffing 15-point, eight-rebound, six-assist effort from Mann. Sophomore guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes, the ACC’s top returning scorer, added 13 points and four assists.
Beasley chipped in 10 as did Boris Bojanovsky, to go with a game-high 12 rebounds.
“They’re a very confident bunch of guys,” Hamilton said. “They all get along very well. You can see that part that is growing with our team. If we’re going to have a good season, we’re going to need that.”
