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Lack Of Big Men Hurts FSU

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By SCOTT CARTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 23, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Following his team's win against Florida State a week ago - snapping a two-game losing streak to the Seminoles - Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski raved about the way FSU played in overcoming a 17-point first-half deficit before bowing out in the end.

"His teams really know how to play good defense," Krzyzewski said of Leonard Hamilton's crew. "I like their team. I just think they play the right way."

If Krzyzewski watched FSU's deflating 74-57 loss at Wake Forest on Sunday, he might want to take his comments back. The Noles dropped their third consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference game, leaving them tied with Georgia Tech in the ACC basement a quarter of the way through the conference schedule.

The season is barely past the halfway mark, and the Noles already appear headed for a 10th consecutive season of missing out on March Madness. The Noles opened ACC play with a surprising win at Georgia Tech, considering they learned the day before that big men Solomon Alabi and Julian Vaughn would be sidelined for an extended period.

The 7-foot-1 Alabi is likely out for the season following leg surgery, and the 6-foot-10 Vaughn has been limited since returning from an unknown medical condition that forced him to spend two days at the Cleveland Clinic. FSU does have 6-foot-8 power forward Ryan Reid back after he served a nine-game suspension for violating team rules, but the lack of a consistent inside presence has cost the Noles entering tonight's game against Virginia.

To help cure what ails the Noles, Hamilton is focused on getting more production out of Vaughn, Reid and freshman F/G Jordan DeMercy to take pressure off the strong guard quartet of Toney Douglas, Jason Rich, Ralph Mims and Isaiah Swann.

"So we don't have to be playing small ball," Hamilton said Monday. "That's not very effective once you get into the league. It seems as though we kind of wore down against Wake Forest. The lack of size has taken its toll."

AD SEARCH: Mary Coburn, head of FSU's advisory committee in the school's search for a new athletic director, said interviews with the first three candidates - former FSU administrator Wayne Hogan, former FSU and Bucs football player Martin Mayhew and former Florida Marlins president Don Smiley - will take place Monday through Wednesday of next week.

Two other candidates supplied by NCAA hiring specialist Chuck Neinas will be interviewed later, likely early next month. Those candidates are unlikely to have ties to FSU.

PAINFUL REMINDER: Wake Forest's James Johnson showed FSU why he is the leading candidate to be named ACC Freshman of the Year. The 6-foot-8 forward scored 21 of his game-high 26 points in the second half of Sunday's victory, reminding Hamilton of his top player a year ago, Clippers rookie Al Thornton.

"It was obvious to us that Johnson was going to be a handful," Hamilton told reporters after the game. "I told our players before the game he was more like an advanced Al Thornton. Al was that way coming in as a freshman, but not quite as skilled and as poised as Johnson is."

SNAP ME UP: Former FSU and Jesuit High player Garrison Sanborn is one of only two players preparing for Saturday's Senior Bowl whose position is listed on the roster as DS (deep snapper). The other is Indiana's Tim Bugg.

Sanborn, who graduated last month with three degrees, wants to see if his snapping skills can earn him an NFL roster spot before he opts to enter the business world. FSU's only other representative in the Senior Bowl is defensive tackle Andre Fluellen.

NOLE NUGGETS: Former FSU basketball player Casaan Breeden, who left the program earlier this season, is expected to transfer to the College of Charleston ... Douglas, Rich and Swann, who surpassed 1,000 career points Sunday, give FSU three players on the same team with 1,000 or more career points for the first time since 1993, when the Noles had 1,000-point scorers Doug Edwards, Bob Sura, Rodney Dobard and Sam Cassell ... FSU is ranked No. 13 in the Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll, which was released Monday.

FSU SHORTS

HONOR ROLL: The women's soccer team will be honored at halftime of tonight's FSU-Virginia basketball game for its first trip to the NCAA championship game. The Noles lost to Southern Cal in the final in December.

SOUND BITE CENTRAL: ''We need to be a little more consistent with winning to keep [the atmosphere] at this level, because when you are winning, it creates enthusiasm.'' — men's basketball coach Leonard Hamilton on the season-high crowd at last week's home loss to Duke.

LOOK OUT FOR: The women's basketball team travels to Miami on Thursday seeking its 11th consecutive win against a state opponent. FSU's last loss to a state foe was a 72-62 defeat to Florida on Jan. 2, 2006.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Do you think the departure of longtime FSU tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator John Lilly will have a negative impact on the program? To vote and monitor results, visit TBO.com, Keyword: Noles.

TBO.COM POLL: Will FSU's basketball team overcome its lack of depth to make the NCAA tourney? No (72.3 percent); Yes (27.7 percent).

BLOG BONUS: FSU recruit E.J. Manuel is considered the top prep quarterback in the country by one recruiting service, while Pennsylvania prep sensation Terrelle Pryor gets top billing by Rivals.com and Scout.com. To read more, go to TBO.com, Keyword: Noles.

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