Florida State now welcomes a three-time NBA champion into the arena, but this time needing to beat Mark Madsen and Cal.
It's an NBA themed night for Florida State basketball.
That's because the son of a roundball legend and another past NBA Finals winner will be facing the Seminoles.
Cal -- led by head coach Mark Madsen and featuring Justin Pippen -- are pulling into Tallahassee. The same Madsen who won three titles as the "Mad Dog" for the Los Angeles Lakers in the early 2000s. He's now coaching the son of Scottie Pippen among others.
This FSU team, meanwhile, aims to shed the loss to SMU. The Seminoles' only Atlantic Coast Conference win was against Miami.
This contest will be aired on the ACC Network at 7 p.m. ET. Here now is Fernie Ruano with your betting preview:
Would you like marshmallows with your hot cocoa?
That’s probably the one question that the Florida State Seminoles men’s basketball team, eight days removed from notching its first ACC victory of the season in balmy Miami, Florida before taking SMU to the wire in Dallas, Texas, where the Seminoles arrived a day early to prevent additional winter storm delays, has probably gotten accustomed to over the last week.
So, a comfortable 41-degrees, or so, today in Tallahassee, Florida is a walk in the park, perhaps, for the Seminoles (8-12, 1-6), starting a two-game stance vs. the California Golden Bears (15-5, 3-4) Wednesday night at the Donald L. Tucker Center.
The young 'Noles (-3.5, -110), 3-7 in their last 10 games but 7-4 at home this season despite their struggles under first-year head coach Luke Loucks, which includes an inability to close out games in which they've had a chance to win -- Saturday vs. the Musangs being the latest example -- are in the rare position of being home favorites against the Golden Bears, who arrive on a two-game winning streak but are 1-3 on the road this season.Florida State, coming off a tough-to-swallow 83-80 loss to SMU, is -180 on the moneyline.
The over/under is 156.5 (o. -110, u -110) for the 7:00 p.m. (ET) tipoff on ACC Network, as per FanDuel Sportsbook. The Seminoles, who beat the Hurricanes as 11.5-point road underdogs last week, for their first true road win, never mind victory over a Power 5 team, missed their first seven shots against the Mustangs, as it appeared they were in for another blowout, road loss against a quality team.
But Steen dropped in two of his nine first half points right before the halftime buzzer to keep the Seminoles in view of the Mustangs. Another of his tip-ins brought the 'Noles to within 49-45 early in the second half and he further closed the gap at 56-55 with 11 minutes remaining in the contest as FSU gobbled up 16 rebounds in the first 29 minutes of play, to stay in the game.
Florida State, after several ties inside the 6-minute mark, took a 72-71 lead with 3:27 remaining. However, the Mustangs outscored the Seminoles 12-8 the rest of the way.
The Seminoles have lost three straight home games -- entering tonight. California (+3.5, -110), on a two-game winning streak, which includes a 78-66 win over rival Stanford, had previously lost three in a row, before upsetting North Carolina, last week.
The Golden Bears, 1-3 on the road this season, are +152 on the moneyline. McCray V, a senior and Florida State's No. 1 offensive weapon at 14.3 points per game, enters tonight with 1,419 points as a collegiate, including 286 with the Seminoles. Justin Pippen is averaging 14.8 points and 4.2 assists for the Golden Bears. Cal forward Lee Dort (left leg/thigh injury), who went down in the second half vs. Stanford, is questionable.
Golden Bears vs. Seminoles betting analysis:
For all their troubles, the Seminoles, at a close glance (Yes, I watch and rewind all their games.), look like a team slowly figuring things out. Especially, when the basketball is McCray V's hands and/or Thomas Vassong is charging towards the rim.
Sophomore guard Martin Somerville (9.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game), who at one point scored seven straight points vs. the Mustangs on Saturday, including on a four-point play, has been special, recently. Steen, who continues to save the Seminoles in and around the rim, has also been valuable, most notably vs. SMU midway through the first half, when Florida State was in danger of being run of the floor, but the big-man had a couple tip-ins, including one to stop a 9-0 SMU run.
The Golden Bears, for their part and who visit Miami next, have already been on an extended road trip and dropped games to both Virginia and Virginia Tech. California has played four - FOUR - true road games out of 20 this season. Additionally, I like the energy showed the Seminoles, diving for loose balls and hitting the boards hard at every chance, showed to start the second half vs. the Mustangs, which is a testament and speaks highly of Loucks and his entire coaching staff.
Give me the Seminoles -- if you can -3.5 right now.