[dropcap]A[/dropcap]fter dropping five games in a row, Florida State faced off against the best offense in the country in No. 23 Notre Dame. FSU, who has seen their defense exposed game in and game out, especially during their five game stent, played their season best to beat the Irish 77-56.
A pair of Malik Beasley free throws pushed FSU ahead of Notre Dame 16-7 with 13:29 left in the first half. Still, Notre Dame’s team consists of five guy averaging at least 11 points per game, so great defense would be a must to hold onto the lead.
Notre Dame managed to shrink the Seminoles lead to 18-17 when their guard Demetrius Jackson converted on both free throw attempts.
The Seminoles followed up Jackson’s free throws with a 10-3 run.
Florida State finished the first half ahead of Notre Dame 46-30. FSU capitalized on nine second chance points and 15 points off the bench. Guard Benji Bell went 2-4 from behind the arc, finishing the first half with eight points in just 11 minutes.
Notre Dame’s Zach Auguste, one of the best in the country, put up eight points and eight rebounds in the first half. Auguste played a huge role in keeping the Irish within 16 points.
It was Florida State’s game to win or lose entering the second half, a team that has previously struggled to play a full 40 minutes. Florida State players and fans were expecting the high powered Notre Dame offense to come out and take control of the game in the second half, however the Irish failed to meet these expectations.
With 15:11 remaining in the game, FSU held the 54-36 advantage, frustrating Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey.
“I get over it quick,” coach Brey stated when asked about moving on after the game. “I was over it about the 15-minute mark in the second half, just wasn’t feeling it. And I wasn’t feeling it because FSU was playing so well.”
It is fair to say FSU has not been playing up to their ability much of the season, especially during their past five game losing streak. Boris Bojanovsky and Dwayne Bacon, guys who have been struggling lately, both had great performances Saturday night.
“We didn’t give up. Even the greatest teams have those streaks. We had ours, we’ve had a couple. We’re looking to get back on track now,” mentioned guard Dwayne Bacon.
Bacon finished the game with 21 points. It was obvious from the beginning that he was about to play a good game. For Bacon, his first shot gave that away.
“It seems like when I make my first shot, I always have a good game.”
The 7-foot center nicknamed Bojo had himself a career game, scoring eight points, snatching nine rebounds, and blocking six shots, two on one Notre Dame possession.
“Everyone was committed to it today. It was a team effort,” Bojanovsky expressed.
The Noles biggest accomplishment today was their ability to string together the two halves.
“We’ve had our moments where we weren’t able to keep it up for 40 minutes, but we were able to do that today,” mentioned an extremely happy head coach Leonard Hamilton.
Florida State only allowed the Irish to score 36 points in the first half, shooting 41% from the floor. That would be the highlight of their offense in this one. The FSU defense that so many teams have picked apart this season completely shut the door on the Notre Dame offense in the second half. They only allowed 26 points in the second and forced them to shoot 29% from the floor, 35% in the game (20-56).
Jackson was able to put up 13 points for the Irish, while Auguste had 12 points and 17 rebounds, seven of which were offense.
While Florida State’s NCAA tournament chances are likely over, Notre Dame is still looking to make a run at the tournament. They take on Miami on Wednesday night, who Brey considers to be the best in the conference.
Talking about NC State and Miami, Brey stated, “We’ve got two great opportunities still, and a great opportunity for a big quality win on Wednesday.”
While the Irish focus on their upcoming matchup against the Hurricanes, FSU will take the rest of the week off to prepare for Syracuse on Saturday at 2 P.M. ‘Cuse beat FSU 72-85 last time the two squared off.
