AP Voters, Coaches Nod to FSU Basketball in the Latest Polls

The No.8 Florida State men's basketball team split last week, dropping a 70-65 contest at (then) No. 7 Duke and defending its home court against Syracuse. We knew previously No. 5 Louisville would drop below the Seminoles, since the Cardinals went 0-2 vs. unranked squads, but it appeared that the 'Noles would dip as well, since the teams ranked 9th, 12th, 13th, and 15th (Maryland, Kentucky, Penn State, and Villanova, respectively) all went undefeated. But that drop didn't come.

When the AP and Coaches Polls were released on Monday, FSU was still eighth in each. Why?

Let's not overthink this: there's no shame in coming up short at Cameron Indoor against a team as talented and highly ranked as the Blue Devils. Still, losing is losing. 13 ranked teams lost last week, and every one took a hit in the AP Poll except FSU and Iowa. The Hawkeyes climbed a spot after losing at Indiana and then winning at Minnesota. They also benefited by having the three teams ahead of them lose and three of the four behind them falter.

The Terrapins did slide by Florida State, to No. 7, but Penn State and Kentucky only made it up to No. 9 and No. 10.

FSU probably held in the polls because, to begin, people watched. The 'Noles and Blue Devils were the only ranked teams playing that Monday in the 7 pm time slot-- and the game was on ESPN. Unlike a certain conference network, pretty much everyone gets ESPN.

And what did people see when they tuned in? A Florida State team, second in the ACC in three-point shooting, that made an uncharacteristically dismal 3-18 from deep, while Duke hit 7-17. And the Blue Devils still only triumphed by five. The Seminoles appear to have received the benefit of having played Duke so tight, despite that anomaly. FSU went toe to toe with one of the country's top teams, and that's why voters have kept them right there among the nation's elite.

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