FanPost

FSU Women's Basketball Primer

Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports

The FSU Women’s basketball team has made great strides this year in unexpected fashion. They lost one of the best players in program history when Natasha Howard was drafted 5th overall in last year’s WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever. They also welcomed six transfers into the fold; all of whom get significant playing time. It’s a tribute to Head Coach Sue Semrau and her staff that all of these new players have fit so seamlessly into the program and the team has taken off.

FSU sports a 27-3 record; 14-2 in the ACC. Those 27 wins are the most in program history. The Noles will be the 2nd seed in the ACC Tournament and have earned a double bye so they will start play in the Quarterfinals.

Assuming you haven’t seen much of the Lady Noles this season this can serve as a quick primer on what you have missed and why you should pay attention going forward.

Let’s discuss the players in FSU’s rotation beginning with the likely starting lineup FSU will employ in Greensboro for the ACC Tournament.

Point Guard

#10 Leticia Romero 5’8 Soph ( 2015 2nd Team All ACC; Kansas State Transfer)

Season Stats: 10.1pts, 5.47ast, 5.2reb; 51.3%FG, 75.5%FT, 43.3%3pt

As a freshman last year Romero let K-State in points, assists, rebounds and steals. She decided to transfer as a result of K-State’s entire coaching staff getting fired last year. Due to NCAA transfer rules Romero had to wait until Dec 29th to make her Seminole debut. As a member of the Spanish national team Romero is accustomed to playing in big games and this will help FSU going forward. She is an unselfish point guard who has picked up the offense quickly. She is an excellent rebounder for a guard and she has 3 point range. Romero had the second triple-double in FSU women’s basketball history against BC (19, 11, 11, 0 TO). Simply put Romero is one of the best point guards in the nation and is a surefire WNBA first rounder in (hopefully) two years.

Shooting Guard

#15 Maegan Conwright 5’8 Senior (Kentucky Transfer)

Season Stats: 11.7pts, 3.24ast, 1.9reb; 40.4%FG, 74.4%FT, 35.8%3pt

Conwright transferred to FSU after sustaining an ACL tear in her junior season at Kentucky. This is her first and final year playing at FSU. She was able to practice with the team last year while she sat out due to NCAA transfer rules. Conwright started the season at point guard and stayed there until Romero gained her eligibility. Conwright has moved to shooting guard and is flourishing off the ball in the Noles offense. She is a quick guard who finishes well at the rim. Conwright provides veteran leadership and leads FSU this year in minutes played.

Shooting Guard

#12 Brittany Brown 5’8 Soph (Ranked #85 best prospect nationally by Hoop Gurlz)

Season Stats: 7.2pts, 1.9ast, 4.8reb; 38%FG, 60.9%FT, 33.3%3pt

Brown is an excellent athlete with exceptional quickness. She has 72 offensive rebounds this year (an insane number for a 5’8 guard) which is a testament to her quickness to the ball. Brown is an unselfish player who will hit the open jumper. She also flashes the ability to get to the basket with her quickness.

Power Forward

#23 Ivey Slaughter 6’1 Soph (Ranked #79 best prospect nationally by Hoop Gurlz)

Season Stats: 11.4pts, 6.4reb; 51.1%FG, 70.2%FT

Slaughter is one of the best rebounders in the ACC, especially on the offensive glass. She also has the ability to provide points for FSU in the low post. Slaughter is also a plus defender.

Center

#2 Adut Bulgak 6’4 Junior (2015 1st Team All ACC; Junior College Transfer)

Season Stats: 13pts, 10.1reb, 1.79blk; 50.2%FG, 75.6%FT, 32.8%3pt

Bulgak has been FSU’s MVP up to this point. She averages a double-double and plays stout defense. She is an excellent rebounder. Bulgak also possesses great hands and therefore makes it easy on the guards when they make entry passes to her. Bulgak also has 3 point range that she uses to stretch defenses. If she can avoid foul trouble, FSU can go a long way in both the ACC and NCAA tournaments.

BENCH

#1 Morgan Jones 6’2 Junior (Ranked #9 best prospect nationally by Hoop Gurlz, McDonald’s All-American; Northwestern Transfer)

Season Stats: 7.5pts, 4.1reb, 2.1ast; 38.4%FG, 46.7%FT, 35.5%3pt

Jones is a very skilled player who can provide depth both in the post and on the wing. When FSU decides to go big she may start over Brittany Brown. Like most players on this team Jones is an excellent rebounder. She also has a well defined mid-range game.

#20 Shakayla Thomas 5’11 Freshman (2015 1st Team All ACC Freshman team; Ranked #11 best prospect nationally by Hoop Gurlz, McDonald’s All-American)

Season Stats: 9.7pts, 5.1reb; 52.9%FG, 50.7%FT

Thomas is FSU most athletic player. She comes off the bench and provides instant energy. She is a tenacious rebounder. FSU often uses her as an undersized power forward. She compensates for a lack of size with her athleticism and quickness down low. She manages to score without having many plays called for her.

#24 Shakena Richardson 5’4 Junior (Ranked #18 best prospect nationally by Hoop Gurlz, Rutgers Transfer)

Season Stats: 3pts, 3ast; 35.8%FG, 65.6%FT

Richardson backs up Romero at the point. She flashes good quickness and steady playmaking ability off the bench.

#03 Emiah Bingley 5’7 Junior (4 star prospect, Iowa State Transfer)

Season Stats: 4.2pts, 1.1ast, 1.3reb; 35.4%FG, 56.8%FT, 37.1%3pt

Bingley comes in and stretches the defense with her 3 point shooting. She went 5 for 5 from 3 against Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

#42 Kai James 6’5 Soph (Ranked #22 best prospect nationally by Hoop Gurlz, McDonald’s All-American)

Season Stats: 2.5pts, 2.6reb; 43.9%FG, 51.9%FT

James provides FSU with much needed size off the bench.

Overview

FSU’s strengths include a balanced attack and All ACC caliber play from the point guard and center position. However, rebounding and depth are clearly FSU’s best assets. Florida State is the only team in the nation to have out rebounded every opponent they have faced this season. The roster is filled with talent. It features 6 top 100 players and 3 McDonald’s All-Americans. Remember that this doesn’t include FSU’s two best players as neither Bulgak nor Romero went to American high schools.

FSU is a tough team to handle because even when they aren’t shooting well they are so good on the offensive glass that they can still score by getting extra possessions. The Noles are also an unselfish team. This leads to more than their fair share of open shots as the defense often has trouble in their rotations having to cover all five players.

Every team has weaknesses and unfortunately the Noles are no different. FSU commits a lot of players to the offensive boards on each possession. This sometimes leads to them having trouble in defensive transition if they don’t get the offensive rebound. Also FSU is a bit undersized compared to other elite teams nationally. This may cause trouble if FSU runs into an elite post player like Breanna Stewart (UCONN) in the NCAA tournament. Florida State is not elite defensively (although they are exceptional on the defensive boards). Occasionally they will have trouble with quick guards or wings that can get to the basket. This is what sunk Florida State in their last loss in Chapel Hill when Allisha Gray took over for UNC at the end of the game.

Outlook

Florida State has proven that they are an elite team not just in the ACC but nationally. FSU is seeded second and will play either Pitt or NC State in the quarterfinals. From there they will likely get a date with either UNC or Louisville in the semifinals. In the final they will likely get a rematch with top seeded Notre Dame and player of the year candidate Jewell Loyd.

Florida State can absolutely win the ACC tournament. They would be favored over every team but ND. If they played ND in the final FSU would probably be a slight underdog but personally I would rate that game a tossup.

In the NCAAs, FSU will most likely be a one seed if they win the ACC tournament. Even if they don’t they will probably be a two seed. Either way they are a lock to open the tournament in Tallahassee where they will play the first and second round. Florida State is good enough to make the Final Four if they play their best. This year the Final Four is in Tampa and the Noles are undefeated in Florida this year. Watch this team play. If you love basketball you will be hooked.

Go Noles!

Fanposts are a section for the fans and do NOT reflect the views of Tomahawk Nation.