FSU basketball vs. Clemson: How to watch, preview, point spread, game thread

Another week, another quick turnaround for Florida State basketball. After dropping to 1-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference play last week by dropping road games at Pittsburgh and Boston College, the Seminoles (13-5, 1-4) are back in Tallahassee, where they’ll host the Clemson Tigers (11-6, 1-3) tonight at 7 pm. You can watch the game on ESPNU. FSU opened as a 5.5-point favorite.

Both the ’Noles and Tigers are solid statistically, per KenPom’s advanced efficiency metrics. FSU comes in as the 33rd best team in the country, Clemson 47th. Florida State’s offense and the Tigers’ defense is an especially level matchup, with the former 39th and the latter 34th. The Seminoles should have a slight advantage on defense, where they rank 31st nationally compared to 80th for the Clemson defense. Of course, the numbers suggested that heading into the Pitt game as well. Also of note: Florida State is 94th in the country in adjusted tempo, while the Tigers play at a much slower pace: 233rd out of 353 D-1 teams.

Clemson is led by senior guard Marcquise Reed (6’3, 188), who’s fourth in the ACC in scoring, with 19.7 PPG. The ’Noles have already faced the top three scorers in the league, without much success. Duke’s RJ Barrett (23.8 PPG) hung 32 on FSU, the Blue Devils’ Zion Williamson (21.5 PPG) scored 11 on the Seminoles in 17 minutes before leaving the game due to injury, and BC’s Ky Bowman (20.9 PPG) torched Florida State for 37. Reed is also second in the conference with 2.2 steals per game.

The ’Noles and Tigers split last season’s two matchups, with each team winning at home. Florida State hasn’t lost to Clemson in Tallahassee since February of 2015. Oh, and there’s this, too:

Be sure to hang out here and comment before, during, and after the game. As John Belushi said in Animal House: “Don’t cost nothin’.”