FSU basketball film review: Bacon goes ham

Earlier this season I broke down Temple’s Shizz Alston destroying Florida State, so it’s only fair that I break down Dwayne Bacon doing that Shizz to Virginia. The game he played was one of those transcendent experiences that just reinforce how great sports are, as a fan. It was a game that Virginia wins handily a couple dozen times a year. Only this time, it was different. And that’s because one guy changed things. In the second half Virginia scored 28 points. Dwayne Bacon scored 26. Here’s how it happened.

After he scored just three points in the first half, the ‘Noles found themselves down seven early in the second.

19:25 Dwayne Bacon made Jumper.

Michael Ojo chases down a wild shot and advances to Xavier Rathan-Mayes who pushes to Jonathan Isaac who dribble hands off to Bacon all within the first three seconds of the shot clock. Bacon is guarded by 6-4 Darius Thompson, so he one dribbles left and pulls up knowing he can shoot over Thompson. Good. But his foot is on the line so it is a two instead of a three.

18:26 London Perrantes made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Darius Thompson.

Bacon is lazy going through a screen chasing Perrantes, but then John Isaac fails to switch onto Perrantes who knocks down the open three. Bacon immediately begins yelling at Isaac. They go up the floor and an unhappy Leonard Hamilton signals for Bacon to call a timeout. Ham huddles the team and has what appears to be a NSFW teaching moment with Bacon. In retrospect, this seems like a good decision.

16:46 Dwayne Bacon made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Terance Mann.

The ball goes in to Ojo in the post. He kicks to Mann in the left corner who swings to Bacon on the elbow. UVA is a couple steps slow on the rotation and Bacon drains it.

After the made three, Virginia lets the ball roll around on the court for a while before sallying over, picking it up, and inbounding the ball. It takes 13 seconds off the clock. They do this all the time. I hate Tony Bennett.

16:00 Dwayne Bacon made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Xavier Rathan-Mayes.

All the time FSU spent playing fast last year is paying off. With 28 seconds on the shot clock, XRM is casually bringing the ball up the left side when Michael Ojo jumps out and destroys X’s man with a ball screen. XRM drives hard, collapses the defense, and kicks out to Bacon for the wide open three.

15:23 Dwayne Bacon made Free Throw.

XRM corrals a rebound off a UVA missed three. He pushes to Bacon but UVA’s defense is set. There is a crease though, which Bacon exploits and is fouled. His rainbow rattles around the rim but bounces out. He makes the first and misses the second.

12:00 Dwayne Bacon missed Jumper.

Coach Hamilton tries to sneak a bit of rest for Bacon, but FSU doesn’t score on three straight possessions. So Bacon comes back in. He immediately puts up a three off of a fake dribble handoff to Trent Forrest, and misses.

9:27 Dwayne Bacon made Jumper. Assisted by CJ Walker.

Trent Forrest makes a great up-and-under move but misses, and there is a tie up on the rebound with :02 on the shot clock. FSU ball. For the inbounds FSU runs a box set and has Dwayne Bacon coming off of three screens. He gets the pass on the curl and knocks down a 17’ jumper.

9:07 Dwayne Bacon made Three Point Jumper.

On the next possession, Isaac rebounds and kicks to CJ Walker. CJ gets it forward to Bacon, who - standing about a foot in front of Leonard Hamilton with :26 on the shot clock - sticks a three over Ty Jerome who has no business guarding Bacon at this point.

8:49 Dwayne Bacon Steal.

Kyle Guy drives baseline and tries to kick to the corner, but Bacon steps in and grabs the pass.

8:42 Dwayne Bacon missed Three Point Jumper.

Bacon pushes and heat checks over Marial Shayok, but it’s in and out. Luckily FSU maintains possession as Michael Ojo battles three Cavaliers, one of which tips it out of play. Bacon is clearly winded and Ham sits him to get ready for the stretch run.

FSU fails to score on three straight possessions, and Bacon is back in.

6:42 Dwayne Bacon Steal. Dwayne Bacon made Layup.

Bacon steals the inbounds pass, spins to the rim, and lays it in.

3:33 Dwayne Bacon made Jumper.

FSU screens for Bacon on the weakside left elbow, and then clears. Bacon is ISO’d with the 6-5 Devon Hall, and he drives left and knocks down a fadeaway short-corner jumper.

3:00 Dwayne Bacon missed Free Throw.

3:00 Dwayne Bacon missed Free Throw.

3:00 Dwayne Bacon Offensive Rebound.

2:56 Dwayne Bacon made Jumper.

In my second favorite sequence of the game, London Perrantes mishandles the ball and it’s picked by Trent Forrest. He hits Dwayne Bacon on the break who spins to the rim but misses as he’s fouled. Then he misses both the FTs, but on the 2nd Jon Isaac skies and tips the ball to Bacon, who drills a jumper with five UVA players surrounding him. Then he pumps his fists in a way that could be celebration, but more appears to be frustration over missing the FTs. Either way, the wind comes of the arena for at least a few seconds.

2:09 Dwayne Bacon made Three Point Jumper.

After an incredible defensive possession where FSU funnels the ball into the post (hey, a layup!) the ballhandler finds himself bracketed by Jarquez Smith and Jonathan Isaac. His shot is blocked by one of the two. Isaac rebounds, and kicks it forward to Bacon. He pirouettes while UVA doubles and then abandons. Once abandoned, he’s solo with the 6-5 Devon Hall and he simply goes over him for the jumper.

Then this happens.

0:08 Kyle Guy made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by London Perrantes.

Oh, those fans are so excited!

0:02 Dwayne Bacon made Three Point Jumper.