RECAP: FSU Basketball Fights Hard, Falls to No. 3 North Carolina

A poor second half dooms the Seminoles against North Carolina for the second time this season.

A frustrating basketball game meets a frustrating end. 

The first half was really fun basketball on both sides. UNC started hot, jumping out to an early 19-8 lead just a few minutes into the game. Elliot Cadeau was looking to score while RJ Davis was doing RJ Davis things. Then, Florida State woke up, creating turnovers, hitting 3s, and sprinting out in transition. 

Despite a massive free throw differential in the first half, Florida State took a 41-36 lead into the break by shooting 7/12 from 3 and forcing UNC into a season-high 12 turnovers in a half, turning those into 19 points. They had done a good job of limiting Armando Bacot's opportunities, having just three shot attempts in the first half, but Harrison Ingram was controlling the glass and making timely shots. 

The second half started in massive favor of UNC, as they were in the bonus just 5 minutes into the half. Free throw disparity was a massive story in this game, just as it was in the game in Chapel Hill. On top of the free throws, UNC hit 9 of their first 10 shots from the floor, as well as having a 10-0 second-half run, and they'd lead by as much as 10 with 8 minutes to go in the game. They were doing a much better job of taking care of the basketball as well, with just 5 second-half turnovers. 

Chandler Jackson started to hit some shots though, keeping Florida State in the game. He was big off the bench in a game where Jalen Warley and Jamir Watkins were dealing with foul trouble. Very quickly, they got the lead down to 3 again. 

A few traded baskets and it was all of a sudden a 2-point game after a Primo Spears steal and finish. Jamir Watkins missed a wide-open 3 with 1:51 left that would've given them the lead and was a telling stretch for the 'Noles that included Watkins stepping out of bounds in a transition kick-ahead and Spears getting the ball knocked away by Armando Bacot losing the ball out of bounds, as they closed the final four minutes shooting just 1/7 from the floor, and they were 3/8 from the free throw line in the second half. North Carolina closed the game out with a 75-68 win in a game that could've gone either way. 

I try not to be one to complain too much about the officiating, but in two games against North Carolina, FSU has shot 19 free throws to UNC's 55, despite being the fourth-best team in the ACC at getting to the free throw line. It's so hard to win basketball games with that kind of disparity. That being said, you're not going to win many basketball games going as cold from the floor in the second half as they were, scoring just 27 points while shooting 11/30. It's wild that they still had a chance to win the game despite that poor offensive stretch. 

Still, Florida State forced UNC into 17 turnovers, turning those into 26 points. That and shooting 9/20 from 3 kept them in this game despite the free throw disparity. If Watkins hits that 3 with under 2 minutes to go, who knows how the last two minutes play out instead. 

Primo Spears led FSU in scoring with 15 points, but it took him 15 shots to get there. The 3/4 from 3 looks nice, but 3/11 from 2 isn't ideal. But in a game where Jalen Warley was borderline unplayable for stretches, he did well to provide some offense. 

Jamir Watkins dealt with some foul trouble in the second half which likely kept him from being as aggressive as he wanted, but he was an inefficient 3/12 from the floor for 12 points. He was the only Seminole to shoot more than 2 free throws this game, something that doesn't even feel real to type. His 6 turnovers were killer though. Yes, he had three steals to try and make up for it, but he has to do a better job of taking care of the basketball. 

Darin Green Jr looked like he was on pace for a big game the way he started the second half, but didn't score the last 18 minutes of the game. He still finished with 12 points, but it felt like FSU needed him and he just wasn't getting open. 

Chandler Jackson had a big 10 points off of the bench, using his size to create space in the lane and finish with strength. He's had some big moments in ACC play, and I'd love for him to be more consistent game-to-game. 

For UNC, RJ Davis was simply electric, finishing with 24 points on 9/18 shooting. It certainly didn't feel like he missed 9 shots; it seemed like every time UNC needed a basket, he hit one over tough defense. As of now, he's very easily ACC Player of the Year so far to me. Harrison Ingram was dominant as well in a game Armando Bacot was nowhere to be found, as Ingram finished with 13 points and 17 rebounds (somehow not a career high in rebounds for him). Elliot Cadeau was aggressive hunting his shot to finish with 16 points, while Cormac Ryan added another 10. 

Florida State has a week off before traveling to Louisville, playing a Cardinals team that was down 41-13 at halftime to Virginia at home today. 

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