RaiQuan, after a slower start to the season, has been by far FSU’s most consistent player this calendar year. Florida State kinda goes by a “Big Guard U” mantra by letting guys like Scottie Barnes and RaiQuan Gray handle the ball a lot. He’s a 6-foot-8 forward but he actually does a lot of ball-handling. But for the majority of the season, it’s actually been RaiQuan Gray. He really took that game over when they weren’t getting much offensively. Weiler: “It was Anthony Polite in the Colorado game. His frame on players that are typically smaller than him wreaks havoc.” TMD: Who is Florida State’s offensive catalyst? Florida State’s not going to take on a guy that isn’t going to commit to their defensive scheme and he really has. “Defensively, he’s a guy - obviously Florida State switches everything so you’re not going to have a true matchup where he’ll be on the point guard or whoever all the time, but he commits to the defense. It’ll be interesting to see how he does that against Michigan’s size inside. He doesn’t take a lot of jump shots, but he attacks the basket really well. He’s had turnovers like any point guard does and he’s struggled more with those lately but he’s a remarkable passer.
He’s a pretty remarkable passer for his size. … Maybe not a true point guard because he’s 6-foot-9, he doesn’t really fit the traditional point guard role, but Leonard Hamilton and his staff have let him be a player who’s on the ball a lot. Weiler: “He had a number of offers from high-profile programs but a big part of why he came to FSU (was to run the offense). TMD: What role has Scottie Barnes played in Florida State’s success and what role do you think he’ll play on Sunday? They’ve definitely exceeded my expectations.” So a number of those guys who have progressed and obviously, Scottie Barnes is - he’s not the type of player who takes over games and is very ball-dominant - but you see the potential in him and he’s definitely had moments where he looks the part. “RaiQuan Gray is a guy who’s really taken a big leap. If you had asked me before the start of the season, I would have said they would end up in the seven to eight-seed range probably.
But when you lose two top-11 picks and then also Trent Forrest, who was the winningest player in program history, I thought they were a tournament team but I did not see them being a four-seed. Yes, they brought in a five-star guy in Scottie Barnes and a highly-regarded JUCO transfer in Sardaar Calhoun. The Seminoles had a better offensive game against Colorado, but if they hadn’t played the level of defense that they had, truthfully - they’ve had some defensive inconsistency throughout the year - they wouldn’t have made it to the Sweet Sixteen.” TMD: Given the departures from last season, would you say the Seminoles have exceeded preseason expectations so far? I think he only had one assist and five turnovers. But it was the same against Colorado, they just made things really hard on McKinley Wright IV. Obviously, it makes sense that you can do that against a team like Greensboro that’s probably going to be a bit undersized and not have the same level of talent. They really just grinded out the game on the defensive end and made it hard for them. They didn’t hit a three in their NCAA Tournament opener against UNC-Greensboro. “But if you’re talking about what got them through the first weekend of the tournament it was really high-level defense.
That really makes up for the fact that they struggle with turnovers.
This is, I want to say, the most offensively efficient team that Leonard Hamilton has ever had and I know they’re the best 3-point shooting team he’s ever had. They really got to where they are as a 4-seed again despite losing all they did off last year’s team because they’re a really strong offensive team. The Michigan Daily: Why is Florida State a Sweet Sixteen team?Ĭurt Weiler: “It’s interesting. To learn more about this year’s iteration of the Seminoles and which team might have the upper hand come Sunday afternoon and move one step closer to the Final Four, The Daily spoke with Curt Weiler, who covers the team for the Tallahassee Democrat.
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