NCAA Tournament drive has a football school buzzing about its basketball team.
By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published February 14, 2004
TALLAHASSEE - At some point during a home game, whether it's after he swishes a long-range jumper or deftly sets up a teammate for a dunk, Florida State's Tim Pickett becomes a conductor in high tops.
He will turn toward the stands and wave his arms to cue the fans that it's time for them to play their part. In unison, they obey, get on their feet, take a deep breath and scream.
And scream some more.
"I used to do that a lot in junior college and high school," Pickett said of his instigating. "I just try to have fun. The crowd gets me going and I get the crowd going. It's a big thing in Tallahassee now."
For the first time in years, the Seminoles are winning with regularity at home, even against nationally ranked powers such as North Carolina, Wake Forest, Maryland and Georgia Tech.
And for the first time in years, not coincidentally, there is a real crowd at Tallahassee-Leon Civic Center to play to, a real crowd to implore to contribute.
"It's everything we've seen in high school as far as watching college basketball (on TV)," senior forward Michael Joiner said of the give-and-take with the crowd. "I'm glad I've had the chance in my last season to experience that."
No one would confuse the 12,200-seat arena with, say, raucous Cameron Indoor Stadium, but there have been far more filled seats than empty. An increasing number of fans paint their faces in garnet and gold or proudly shake rally rags. The roped-off section on the sideline for students to stand, the "'Nole Zone," has been crammed with bodies four deep instead of two neatly organized Disney-like queues.
The atmosphere is more like an FSU football game.
Or a basketball game in places such as Durham, N.C.
"We felt all along that there were an awful lot of serious, passionate basketball fans in Tallahassee," second-year coach Leonard Hamilton said. "The people that we met prior to the season have held true to their words: They have come to the games in tremendous numbers; they have been tremendously supportive."
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Attendance is up about 500 from last season to an average of 6,900, the best since the 1997-98 season, the last time the Seminoles reached the NCAA Tournament (or any postseason tournament, for that matter).
If that doesn't sound like much, consider that's without the benefit of a home game against Florida or any marquee nonconference team. The turnstile average also is sure to jump dramatically with the three remaining games: Clemson today, Virginia on Tuesday and No. 1 Duke on Feb. 29.
School officials expect crowds of about 8,000 for the first two, and Duke, historically the team's biggest ACC draw, is sold out except for the student allotment.
"I know fraternities and sororities are canceling chapter (meetings) to go and camp out," said Allin Hedge, 21, a senior.
Given the fairly modest number of season-ticket holders, about 3,800, the number of students goes a long way toward pumping up the attendance and volume in the building. In recent years, most of the 4,000 tickets held for students went unclaimed or unused.
"I tried to get my friends to go out and it was like, "I don't want to watch a losing team,"' said Weston Dulin, 21, a sports management major who has been a regular in the 'Nole Zone.
That was a familiar refrain around campus and town for years.
"Before, I don't know if anybody knew who we were or even cared very much," junior forward Andrew Wilson said.
That happens when you're losing to Furman and Western Carolina and American, let alone ACC powers.
"My freshman year, you could get there right before the game started, walk down and sit courtside," said Mike McGee, 21, a sports management major and a die-hard fan. "There was no cheering. There was nothing really going on. But this year, you get to the Civic Center an hour before the game and there's a student line."
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Winning can have that effect. In recent weeks at home, the Seminoles rallied from a 24-point first-half deficit to stun then No.7 North Carolina in overtime and followed with an upset of then-No.10 Wake Forest.
The announced crowds for the games, 11,562 and 10,476, were the largest of the season.
"It's created a lot of energy in the building and I'm sure it helps our players," Hamilton said.
FSU enters today's game 13-1 at home. As is the case at places such as UNC and Duke, Seminole fans show up expecting their team to win, not hoping.
"There is a buzz going around that the basketball team is good and we have a good shot at going to the (NCAA) Tournament this year," Hedge said. "With the football program, people take it for granted we have a good team. Now we have that for basketball."
He was among the thousands who rushed the court after the UNC and Wake wins to cavort with the players. Wilson, for one, was hoisted onto the shoulders of some of those giddy fans.
"I just soaked it up," Wilson said of his joyride through the masses. "The difference (in atmosphere) is enormous. It's not even close to how it used to be. In the past, teams weren't intimidated at all. ... Now, I'd venture to say that probably most teams don't want to come here and play us."
