Lack of effort, execution, doom FSU

FSU entered the season with four players on the roster who had averaged at least 8 minutes a game in a season. That got complicated when one (Ian Miller) suffered an injury after the Brooklyn trip that he won't heal from this year, and another (Terrance Shannon) injured his neck and is out indefinitely. This leaves FSU with a razor thin margin in each game. Things they cannot weather are foul trouble to the two remaining experienced players (Snaer and White), and poor effort by anyone earning minutes.

On the road against Miami, FSU got both.

Snaer and White both sat out major minutes in the first half with two fouls each, and the Canes ended up making a late run and taking a 9-point lead at the break.

The 2nd half began ugly, and once the lead ballooned to 17, FSU gave up. They stopped running offense. Okaro committed three more quick fouls (he seemed to want to sit), and the Canes rolled to a 71-47 win.

Ian Miller was the lone Nole in double figures, scoring 12 points on 4-6 shooting while playing with a pronounced limp.

Now this team can go in one of two directions. They can feel sorry for themselves because they've suffered injuries to two players who aren't really replaceable, or they can move forward. The new guys aren't new anymore. That's no longer an excuse. The old guys can't be upset that they no longer get to play beside guys who have a very good grasp on the system. The team is what it is, and this team needs to figure out how to win together. And whatever that formula is, I can guarantee you that poor effort when the going gets rough isn't a part of it.

The Seminoles now find themselves at 3-3 in conference, tied with North Carolina in 5th place. Next up are back-to-back home games vs Maryland and Duke.