TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (seminoles.com) – The Florida State men’s basketball has earned the No. 9 seed in the West Region and will play No. 8 seeded Missouri in its first game of the 2018 NCAA Tournament at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday, March 16. The game time has yet to be announced. Missouri is an at-large selection from the SEC and has a 20-12 overall record and a 10-8 record in conference play. The winner of the Florida State vs. Missouri game will face the winner of the Xavier vs. North Carolina Central University/Texas Southern winner on Sunday also in Nashville.
The Seminoles’ selection to the 2018 NCAA Tournament marks the 16th time in school history and sixth time under head coach Leonard Hamilton the Seminoles will appear in the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles participated in the NCAA in a school-record four consecutive seasons from 2009-12 and will now participate in consecutive NCAA Tournaments after playing in the field in 2017. It marks the seventh time in school history the Seminoles will appear in consecutive NCAA Tournament with four of those seven times coming under Hamilton. Florida State has now participated in the postseason in 13 of Hamilton’s 16 seasons at Florida State.
The Seminoles’ selection into the 2018 NCAA Tournament rounds out the most successful decade of NCAA Tournament appearances for the Seminole men’s basketball program. The Seminoles have now appeared in six of the last 10 tournaments in the last decade beginning with their selection into the 2009 NCAA men’s basketball championship. The Seminoles have played in the NCAA Tournament in the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017 and 2018.
Florida State enters the 2018 NCAA Tournament with a 20-11 record and a 9-9 mark in ACC play.
The Seminoles enter the 2018 NCAA Tournament with four wins over nationally ranked teams — No. 5 Florida (Dec. 4, 83-66), No. 10 North Carolina (Jan. 3, 81-80), No. 11 Clemson (Feb. 14, 81-80 in overtime) and No. 24 Miami (Jan. 27, 103-94 in overtime). The Seminoles have six Quadrant 1 wins (home wins over teams ranked in the Top 30 of the RPI, road wins over teams in the Top 75) and only one loss to a team ranked outside the Top 100 (Wake Forest). Only five teams in the country have more Quadrant 1 wins than Florida State.
Florida State enters the NCAA Tournament with three players averaging in double figure scoring led by junior All-ACC Honorable Mention Terance Mann who leads the Seminoles in both scoring (a career-high 13.2 ppg) and rebounding (a career-high 5.7 rebounds per game). Also in double figure scoring are seniors Phil Cofer (13.1 ppg) and Braian Angola (12.9 ppg). Sophomore Trent Forrest leads the Seminoles in both assists (3.9 apg) and steals (1.4 spg) while freshman Ike Obiagu leads the Seminoles in blocked shots (2.2 bpg).
NCAA Tournament tickets are on sale now. Fans wishing to purchase tickets to watch the Seminoles play in Nashville in the NCAA Tournament can do so by visiting ncaa.com/tickets.
