With ESPN Gameday in town, Dick Vitale at the mic, and a large football recruiting class on hand, the Seminoles rolled the #3 North Carolina Tar Heels 90-57. It was the largest margin of defeat in Roy Williams' UNC tenure. It was not only their worst offensive game (0.76 per possession) in two years, but it was also their worst defensive game (1.20 per possession) in two years. No matter how you look at it, this was a beat-down. And one that FSU desperately needed. The Seminoles failed to secure a signature win out-of-conference, and needed to beat UNC or Duke. This was the only chance this season to face the Tar Heels.
Deividas Dulkys played his best game as a Seminoles. He scored early. He scored late. He finished with a career high 32 points (8-10 on 3s, 4-4 on 2s), while also contributing all the little things he contributes every night. He had 4 assists, 4 steals, a block (2 if you count the horrible call that went against him) and only turned the ball over one time. He guarded all the UNC guards plus Harrison Barnes. He helped FSU build a big early lead which translated into an 8-point cushion at half. And he helped FSU blow out UNC in the 2nd half. He's the 5th Seminole to make eight 3-pointers in a game, and the only one of the five to do it in less than 12 attempts. It was a remarkable performance, and I hope you saw it.
Okaro White and Bernard James combined for 10 offensive rebounds. In total FSU rebounded 43.8% of their own misses against a team which only allows 27%. White finished with his 2nd career double-double (12 points, 10 boards). Michael Snaer added 17 points and 5 rebounds. And Luke Loucks, after forcing the action in the first half and committing 6 turnovers, played mistake free basketball and had the play of the night when he stole an inbounds pass and dished to Dulkys who nailed the three with six players on the other side of the court. The game finished with a surreal scene when UNC sent all of their bench and coaches to the locker room (supposedly at coach Hamilton's suggestion) while their walk-ons were left to finish and deal with the FSU students storming the floor.
FSU improves to 11-6, 2-1, and faces Maryland at home on Tuesday night.