Looking at Some of Florida State's Best Basketball Teams
Like most Division-1 college basketball teams, FSU has never won a national championship. The Seminoles have had some really good teams in the last 50 years, but none have been able to take that final step and bring home the gold.
The best four teams in Seminole history are (arguably) the 1970 team lead by Dave Cowens, the 1972 team lead by Ron King, Sam Cassell's 1993 team, and Trent Forrest's 2020 team. So let's take a glance back at those great squads.
Most of us never saw the 1970 team. Not only weren't there nearly as many viewing options back then, most of you weren't even alive to watch the games-- and meaningful video of those games is still scarce.
That team shares a common frustration with the 2020 team in that neither team was able to prove itself in the post season. The '70 team was on a post-season ban for self-reporting a rules violation to the NCAA and, of course, everybody was shut out of the 2020 post season.
In 1970, there was no shot clock and no three-point line, but that team still managed to score 121 at Pepperdine and 112 at Miami. They put 122 on Clemson in Tully Gym to win by 42. But the most impressive part of that team was the two big men. Future NBA Hall-of-Famer Dave Cowens and power forward Willie Williams dominated most games. Cowens lead the team in scoring and rebounding, Williams lead in field-goal percentage, and the duo combined for 35 points and 28 rebounds per game.
The 1972 team was the most accomplished, having made it to the national title game, where it lost a close game to UCLA. The '72 and '20 teams had a lot of similarities. Both came into their seasons with modest media regard, and each exceeded expectations. Both played good defense, didn't rely significantly on the center position for points, and had NBA caliber talent.
Both offenses went through their dynamic point guards (Otto Petty and Trent Forrest). The leading scorer on both teams were the best outside shooters (Ron King and Devin Vassell). Both teams had highly sought-after athletes playing support roles (Roland Garrett and MJ Walker).
The '72 team at least had the opportunity to play in the post season. They know that but for a 3rd foul on McCray that forced the defense to play soft on Bill Walton, or Garrett having a miserable shooting night (1 of 9) that team could easily be FSU's first national champion.
The 1993 team was one of the most talented and experienced teams in Florida State history. The team returned almost everybody from the '92 team. Five players would eventually play in the NBA. Charlie Ward, Sam Cassell, Bob Sura, and Doug Edwards were all drafted in the first round at the end of their FSU careers. Rodney Dobard was one of the most prolific shot blockers in school history and led a team that ranked second nationally in blocked shots.
What made this team so much fun to watch was its ability to score. They were a perimeter-oriented team that averaged 86 points per game and shot two-pointers at nearly a 55% clip. The team also contained an interesting footnote in forward Byron Wells. All Wells did is make the game-winning three-pointer (in overtime) that gave FSU its first win over Duke in the Tucker Center. Freshman center Jonathan Kerner would transfer after his sophomore year and also made it to the NBA.
And that brings us to the 2020 team. This group beat a lot of good teams en route to a 26-5 season. Louisville (twice), Notre Dame, Florida, Purdue, and defending national champion Virginia all fell to the 'Noles. Statistically, they weren't a prolific scoring group, nor were they exceptional defenders.
What they did best was make the opponent think instead of play fluidly on offense by interrupting passing lanes and getting steals. They also had the remarkable ability to play up to the competition and to play well on both ends of the court at crunch time. Devin Vassell, Trent Forrest, and MJ Walker all averaged over 10 points per game, but the trio's total was under 35 PPG-- a testament to Hamilton's “win by committee” philosophy.
What would be the result if those four teams, in their primes, played each other?
Much like any tournament, pairings could determine the winners. Nobody's got an answer for Cowens and Williams inside game, but the three-point shooting of Sura and company could force the 1970 team to defend the perimeter from all five positions.
McCray slowed Walton until foul trouble set in and could temper Cowens. King and Royals with a three-point line could make that '72 team the favorite. Can any of the legacy teams hold onto the ball when facing the turnover-producing 2020 team? Lots of questions and lots of "what ifs." Unfortunately, these questions will go unanswered...
What are your thoughts? Which among these teams would win a four-team playoff and earn the title of best FSU basketball team of all time?
