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Bracketology: Baylor’s struggles open door for Florida State to steal a No. 1 seed

By Rucker Haringey

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JANUARY 28: Head coach Leonard Hamilton of the the Florida State Seminoles watches a play in the first half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on January 28, 2020 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JANUARY 28: Head coach Leonard Hamilton of the the Florida State Seminoles watches a play in the first half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on January 28, 2020 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
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Florida State’s days of being overlooked in the ACC are over. Baylor’s latest loss gives the Seminoles a chance to lock up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Leonard Hamilton has quietly transformed Florida State into one of the premier programs in the ACC. In fact, the Seminoles might be good enough to earn a No. 1 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament thanks to Baylor’s stumbles down the stretch.

No one should bury Scott Drew’s team, but their 76-64 loss at West Virginia to end their regular season has them on the outside looking in at a No. 1 seed at the moment. Kansas, Dayton and Gonzaga are all well-positioned to get No. 1 seeds on Selection Sunday. The fourth spot is still up for grabs after the late-season struggles of the Bears.

The Seminoles will likely need to win the ACC Tournament if they want to secure the fourth No. 1 seed. Heading into Sunday’s action, the Seminoles occupied the No. 10 spot in the NCAA’s Net Rankings. Winning out in Greensboro could easily propel Hamilton’s team into the top give. That would almost certainly be good enough to slot them in as the top seed in one of the Tournament’s four regions.

Of course, winning the ACC Tournament won’t be a cakewalk for the Seminoles. Home court advantage certainly won’t be in their favor. This year’s tournament is held in Greensboro which should give Duke a big advantage if they’re able to make a run. On the flip side, it would also make Florida State’s win more impressive if they are able to top the Blue Devils.

No matter what, Florida State should be considered a serious threat to make a deep run in March Madness. Hamilton’s team is blessed with size and athleticism at every spot in their lineup. Devin Vassell and Trent Forrest may not be household names going into the Big Dance, but both are capable of dominating games against high-quality opposition. Their versatility also gives the Seminoles a unique ability to match up with teams of various styles. At the very least, Hamilton’s squad is going to be a really tough out.

Securing a No. 1 seed would give Florida State a massive advantage in their hopes of reaching a Final Four. It would also be a major statement about just how far the program has progressed under Hamilton. The Seminoles may never have the name recognition of Duke and North Carolina, but they are more dangerous than both of their ACC rivals in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

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