FSU Basketball To Face USF In Orange Bowl Classic In December

The Seminoles are 9-3 in 12 previous appearances in the Orange Bowl Classic.

Florida State will face USF in the 29th AutoNation Orange Bowl Classic on December 9, 2023, at the FLA Live Arena as part of a basketball doubleheader that will also see Florida play the University of Richmond. It will mark the third time the Seminoles will face the Bulls in the Orange Bowl Classic with victories by the Garnet and Gold in both 2014 and 2019. 

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Florida State is 9-3 in 12 previous Orange Bowl Classic appearances with nine victories in its last 11 games played in the event. The Seminoles have played in the Orange Bowl Classic in each of the last nine events since 2012; the doubleheader was not played 2020 or 2021. 

Florida State leads the all-time series against USF by a 22-12 margin with three victories in the last four games played between the two teams. The series between the Seminoles and the Bulls began in 1973 with a 93-53 Florida State win in a game played in Tallahassee. The teams have met seven times at a neutral site with the Seminoles holding a 4-3 advantage in games played away from campus.

The Orange Bowl Classic, which hosts the only Division I basketball games played in Broward County, will welcome fans and families during the holiday season with exciting matchups and entertainment throughout the day, including pregame activations outside of FLA Live Arena that the whole family can enjoy.

Leonard Hamilton's talented veteran group of upperclassmen not only added a year of development to their resumes last season, but they earned playing time against the nation's toughest competition. Darin Green (fifth-year) finished his first season as a Seminole as one of three players in the ACC with 90 or more 3-point field goals made, and averaged 34.1 minutes played per game. Cam'Ron Fletcher (10.8 ppg and 7.5 rpg) was well on his way to an All-ACC type of season before injuring his knee on December 3 at Virginia and missing the remainder of the season. He's healthy. Jaylan Gainey (sixth-year, 65 career games played) was injured in September of 2022 and missed the entire 2022-23 season. He's a two-time Ivy League Defender of the Year. Josh Nickelberry (87 career games played) is a graduate student who has played two seasons in the ACC at Louisville (2019-20, 2020-21) and who averaged in double-figure scoring in the last two seasons (10.7 ppg) at La Salle. Jamir Watkins (third year) is a transfer from VCU who has played in 61 career games and who helped the Rams to the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

"The Orange Bowl Classic is a tremendous event, and one that we enjoy playing in every year," said Hamilton. "Once again we have been paired with an opponent who will push us and make us a much better team. We know USF will circle this game on their schedule, as will we. Our game against USF will be a very important game for our team."

Fans can purchase tickets at orangebowl.org/basketball or by contacting the Orange Bowl ticket office at (305) 341-4701 or tickets@orangebowl.org.

"We are very excited to welcome four talented basketball programs and their fans to South Florida," said Orange Bowl Committee President & Chair Dr. Yvonne Johnson. "Thanks to our partners AutoNation and FLA Live Arena for what is set to be a great day of collegiate basketball and family fun."

*Press release courtesy of Florida State Athletics

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