Florida State basketball: 2019-20 season review and 2020-2021 first-look preview

How did they do?

In the simplest terms, the 2019-20 season was a best-case scenario for Florida State basketball. They came into the year not even ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, sitting at No. 30 when looking at the “Others receiving votes”. The book on the Seminoles was that they would be a tough team to beat but, in fact, may not have the alphas on offense to compete at the top of the ACC or on a national level.

To be sure, there were times when doubters of the Seminoles looked to be proven right. Their offensive inefficiencies and lack of a true alpha on that end of the floor showed up at various times, be it the season-opening loss to Pitt, their second defeat of the season at Indiana or especially the loss to Virginia.

However, this group played their brand of basketball more often than not, whether it was traditional or not. Florida State made things hectic on both ends of the floor with their length and athleticism and continuously imposed their physical will. And that, as is obvious, led them to a great deal of success, more than most would’ve ever expected.

The fact that they ended the year being crowned as conference champions, outlasting the likes of Duke, Louisville and Virginia to do so, and as the No. 4 ranked team in college basketball speaks to the success Hamilton’s group had. It’s rare that a team enters the season with the label of “if X, Y and Z go right, then they can compete” actually sees those things happen.

FSU this past season stands as the rare exception.