HONOLULU, HI (seminoles.com) - Florida State, which has won four consecutive games for the second time this season, travels to play Hawaii in the second annual Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sherriff Center on the University of Hawaii campus on Wednesday, Dec 22 at 8:00 HST. The game between the Seminoles and the Rainbows is the fourth game of the first round of the tournament which sees Florida State playing in Hawaii for the fourth time in school history and the first time since playing in the Rainbow Classic in 1998. The Seminoles arrive in Honolulu after defeating Loyola Marymount 74-63 on Saturday night at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles, Calif. Florida State's game against Hawaii is its second of six consecutive games away from Tallahassee - a road trip that doesn't see the Seminoles play at home again until they play host to No. 1 Duke on Jan. 12. The Seminoles will travel nearly 12,000 miles between home games (Dec. 15 against Stetson through Jan, 12 against Duke) as they play in Los Angeles (Loyola Marymount), Honolulu (Diamond Head Classic), Auburn, Ala (at Auburn on Jan, 3) and Blacksburg, Va. (at Virginia Tech, Jan. 8). Florida State is 3-0 in true road games this season with wins at UNC Greensboro (Nov. 14, 97-73), at Florida International (Nov. 18, 89-66) and at Loyola Marymount and will play their first neutral site game of the year in the second round of the Diamond Head Classic against either Utah or Butler on Thursday, Dec. 23.SEMINOLES HAVE WON LAST TWO IN-SEASON TOURNAMENTS
Florida State enters the 2010 Diamond Head Classic looking to win its third consecutive in-season tournament. The Seminoles won the 2008 Global Sports Classic with victories over Coastal Carolina, Western Illinois, Cincinnati and Cal and earned the tournament championship of the 2009 Old Spice Classic with wins over Iona, Alabama and Marquette. Junior All-American candidate Chris Singleton was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2009 Old Spice Classic as he led Florida State to three wins including a come from behind win over Marquette in the championship after the Seminoles trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half.
THE SINGLETON CAMPAIGN
Junior forward Chris Singleton is an All-American candidate and a candidate for the Wooden and Naismith Awards as the nation's top player, the top candidate for the Henry Iba Corinthian Award as the nation's top defender, an All-ACC candidate and the top candidate to win the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season.
LOOK FOR FLORIDA STATE TO...
...Defeat Hawaii and win its season-high tying fifth consecutive game. The Seminoles opened the season with consecutive wins over North Florida (Nov. 12, 75-55), UNC Greensboro (Nov. 14, 97-73), Gardner Webb (Nov. 16, 78-53), FIU (Nov. 18, 89-66) and Mercer (Nov. 23, 79-55); ...Defeat Hawaii and win its eighth consecutive game in an in-season tournament. The Seminoles won four straight games in winning the 2008 Global Sports Classic in Las Vegas and won three consecutive games to capture the 2009 Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; ...Defeat Hawaii and win its fourth true road game of the season. The Seminoles were 6-5 in true road games last season including ACC road wins at Georgia Tech, at Boston College, at Virginia and at North Carolina in finishing with a second consecutive 10-6 record and a second consecutive third place finish in the ACC standings during the 2009-10 season.
FLORIDA STATE IN THE DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC
Florida State opens the 2010 Diamond Head Classic against Hawaii - the tournament host team in a first-round matchup on Wed., Dec. 22 at 8:00 p.m. (HST). Also in the eight-team tournament are Baylor, Butler, Mississippi State, San Diego, Utah and Washington State. Florida State will face either Butler or Utah in the second round on Thurs., Dec. 23. All eight teams in the tournament will play in three games with the championship game on Dec. 25.
FLORIDA STATE MAKING SECOND HAWAIIAN TOURNAMENT TRIP
Florida State is playing in the second annual Diamond Head Classic marking the second time in school history the Seminoles have played in an in-season tournament in the Hawaiian Islands. The Seminoles played in the 1998 Rainbow Classic where they recorded a 2-1 record that included a first round loss to Princeton (50-46, Dec. 28, 1998) and victories over Mississippi State (69-58, Dec. 29, 1998) and Murray State (80-76 (OT), Dec, 30, 1998).
FLORIDA STATE'S NATIONAL AND ACC RANKINGS
Florida State, the nation's best and most active defense is ranked in the top three in three different national defensive statistics and in the top 35 in five different statistical categories. The Seminoles are ranked second in both field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage defense and are ranked third in blocked shots per game. As the best defensive team in the nation, the Seminoles are also the best defensive team in the ACC ranking as the best defensive team in field goal and 3-point field goal percentage defense, as well as blocked shots and scoring defense.
FLORIDA STATE GAINING A BETTER OFFENSIVE UNDERSTANDING
During its current four game winning streak, the Florida State Seminoles have begun to gain a much better understanding of head coach Leonard Hamilton's motion offensive philosophy. During their current winning steak, the Seminoles are averaging 76.5 points per game, an 18.3 points per game margin of victory, are shooting .444 from the field and averaging nearly 17 assists per game. The Seminoles have had a positive assist:turnover ratio in each of their past three games and have outscored their opponent in five of the last six halves of basketball.
FLORIDA STATE'S PASSING THE BALL WELL DURING WINNING STREAK
Florida State enters its game against Hawaii on Wednesday averaging 16.8 assists per game in their last four games as compared to their 12.6 assists average per game in their first seven games of the season. The Seminoles earned a season-high 19 assists in their 74-63 win over Loyola Marymount on Saturday night in Los Angeles.
FLORIDA STATE HAS...
...Outrebounded each of its opponents in its nine victories and been outrebounded in both of its two losses; ...Held six of its 11 opponents under 35 percent shooting from the field; ...Won eight of its nine games by double digits. The only game the Seminoles failed to win by 20 or more points came during its six point win over Clemson (75-69) in its ACC opener on Dec. 12 in Tallahassee.
FLORIDA STATE SHOOTING THE BASKETBALL WELL
Florida State shot an even 50 percent from the field in its win over Stetson (Dec. 15) and made nearly half of its shots in its road victory over Loyola Marymount (.467). The Seminoles have shot 50 percent or better in three of their first 11 games of the season and have shot below 40 percent only three times.
IN THE LAST FOUR SEASONS...
...Since the start of the 2007-08 season only nine teams in the last 111 games have shot 50 percent or better against Florida State. None have come this season, zero occurred during the 2008-09 season, one came (Gonzaga) during the 2009-10 season and eight came during the 2007-08 season.
Florida State enters the 2010 Diamond Head Classic looking to win its third consecutive in-season tournament. The Seminoles won the 2008 Global Sports Classic with victories over Coastal Carolina, Western Illinois, Cincinnati and Cal and earned the tournament championship of the 2009 Old Spice Classic with wins over Iona, Alabama and Marquette. Junior All-American candidate Chris Singleton was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2009 Old Spice Classic as he led Florida State to three wins including a come from behind win over Marquette in the championship after the Seminoles trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half.
THE SINGLETON CAMPAIGN
Junior forward Chris Singleton is an All-American candidate and a candidate for the Wooden and Naismith Awards as the nation's top player, the top candidate for the Henry Iba Corinthian Award as the nation's top defender, an All-ACC candidate and the top candidate to win the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season.
LOOK FOR FLORIDA STATE TO...
...Defeat Hawaii and win its season-high tying fifth consecutive game. The Seminoles opened the season with consecutive wins over North Florida (Nov. 12, 75-55), UNC Greensboro (Nov. 14, 97-73), Gardner Webb (Nov. 16, 78-53), FIU (Nov. 18, 89-66) and Mercer (Nov. 23, 79-55); ...Defeat Hawaii and win its eighth consecutive game in an in-season tournament. The Seminoles won four straight games in winning the 2008 Global Sports Classic in Las Vegas and won three consecutive games to capture the 2009 Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; ...Defeat Hawaii and win its fourth true road game of the season. The Seminoles were 6-5 in true road games last season including ACC road wins at Georgia Tech, at Boston College, at Virginia and at North Carolina in finishing with a second consecutive 10-6 record and a second consecutive third place finish in the ACC standings during the 2009-10 season.
FLORIDA STATE IN THE DIAMOND HEAD CLASSIC
Florida State opens the 2010 Diamond Head Classic against Hawaii - the tournament host team in a first-round matchup on Wed., Dec. 22 at 8:00 p.m. (HST). Also in the eight-team tournament are Baylor, Butler, Mississippi State, San Diego, Utah and Washington State. Florida State will face either Butler or Utah in the second round on Thurs., Dec. 23. All eight teams in the tournament will play in three games with the championship game on Dec. 25.
FLORIDA STATE MAKING SECOND HAWAIIAN TOURNAMENT TRIP
Florida State is playing in the second annual Diamond Head Classic marking the second time in school history the Seminoles have played in an in-season tournament in the Hawaiian Islands. The Seminoles played in the 1998 Rainbow Classic where they recorded a 2-1 record that included a first round loss to Princeton (50-46, Dec. 28, 1998) and victories over Mississippi State (69-58, Dec. 29, 1998) and Murray State (80-76 (OT), Dec, 30, 1998).
FLORIDA STATE'S NATIONAL AND ACC RANKINGS
Florida State, the nation's best and most active defense is ranked in the top three in three different national defensive statistics and in the top 35 in five different statistical categories. The Seminoles are ranked second in both field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage defense and are ranked third in blocked shots per game. As the best defensive team in the nation, the Seminoles are also the best defensive team in the ACC ranking as the best defensive team in field goal and 3-point field goal percentage defense, as well as blocked shots and scoring defense.
FLORIDA STATE GAINING A BETTER OFFENSIVE UNDERSTANDING
During its current four game winning streak, the Florida State Seminoles have begun to gain a much better understanding of head coach Leonard Hamilton's motion offensive philosophy. During their current winning steak, the Seminoles are averaging 76.5 points per game, an 18.3 points per game margin of victory, are shooting .444 from the field and averaging nearly 17 assists per game. The Seminoles have had a positive assist:turnover ratio in each of their past three games and have outscored their opponent in five of the last six halves of basketball.
FLORIDA STATE'S PASSING THE BALL WELL DURING WINNING STREAK
Florida State enters its game against Hawaii on Wednesday averaging 16.8 assists per game in their last four games as compared to their 12.6 assists average per game in their first seven games of the season. The Seminoles earned a season-high 19 assists in their 74-63 win over Loyola Marymount on Saturday night in Los Angeles.
FLORIDA STATE HAS...
...Outrebounded each of its opponents in its nine victories and been outrebounded in both of its two losses; ...Held six of its 11 opponents under 35 percent shooting from the field; ...Won eight of its nine games by double digits. The only game the Seminoles failed to win by 20 or more points came during its six point win over Clemson (75-69) in its ACC opener on Dec. 12 in Tallahassee.
FLORIDA STATE SHOOTING THE BASKETBALL WELL
Florida State shot an even 50 percent from the field in its win over Stetson (Dec. 15) and made nearly half of its shots in its road victory over Loyola Marymount (.467). The Seminoles have shot 50 percent or better in three of their first 11 games of the season and have shot below 40 percent only three times.
IN THE LAST FOUR SEASONS...
...Since the start of the 2007-08 season only nine teams in the last 111 games have shot 50 percent or better against Florida State. None have come this season, zero occurred during the 2008-09 season, one came (Gonzaga) during the 2009-10 season and eight came during the 2007-08 season.