The Seminoles head coach raved about how feisty his team performed despite falling to top-ranked Duke.
Florida State came close to folding in its first basketball season under Luke Loucks. That part the head coach admitted.
But his team chose to end their season deep in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament...and by giving No. 1 Duke a mammoth scare Thursday night.
FSU's Robert McCray V missed what could've been the walk-off three-pointer as Duke escaped 80-79. But it was a game that saw the Seminoles lead at halftime.
Loucks once coached a team that was 1-6 in ACC play. They ended going 10-8 and beating two likely March Madness teams in Miami and Clemson in conference play.
The former Noles player turned head coach couldn't help but love the "grit" of his crew.
"I'm proud to coach this bunch. They have real character. They have real grit," Loucks said after the loss.
This game now serves as new motivation for their future.
"Hopefully, as we build this program, I can continue to bring guys like we had this year on this roster, because it was an absolute joy and pleasure to coach them," Loucks said.
He knows this contest was a winnable one for FSU. But Loucks couldn't help to rave about the tenacity of the Seminoles.
"Obviously a tough way to finish that game, but I'm so proud of these guys, the way they battled throughout this match. But most importantly, the way they battled through the second half of this season, in a season where these guys could have easily folded. They came to work every day and tried to find solutions," Loucks said.
Reporters kept pressing Loucks about the devastating loss to Duke. But the head coach deflected it.
"I'm not talking about tonight's game. I'm talking about this season. I think right now they're beat up. They're hurt. I feel bad," Loucks said. "I felt like obviously we played well enough to have a shot to win and have the last-second shot to win. I'm sure I'll beat myself up for mistakes I made throughout the game, as they're doing currently right now.
"Once you get out of this present moment, hopefully -- I know I will -- all those guys in the locker room will look back at this year and have some pride about it," Loucks continued. "And again, it's a reflection for life of we had some really dark moments this year, and they fought through them."
FSU ends 18-15 overall and will await its next game.
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