College basketball

Today: FSU men at No.6 Wake Forest

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published February 12, 2005

WHEN/WHERE: 1:30; Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, N.C.

TV/RADIO: Ch. 28; 1470-AM. RECORDS: FSU - 11-12, 3-7 ACC; Wake Forest - 20-3, 8-2.

COACHES: FSU - Leonard Hamilton (44-41, third season; 245-251 overall), Wake Forest - Skip Prosser (87-32, fourth season; 252-110).

NOTABLE: If the Seminoles hope to be playing in mid March (think NIT if they can finish .500 or better), they must end their swoon, and soon. They've lost three straight and four of five. ... They must find a way to win a close game. They've lost seven by three points or fewer, including on a 3-pointer at Georgia Tech in the final seconds Feb. 2 and a buzzer-beating 3 at Virginia on Wednesday. ... Despite a talent and experience disparity, the Seminoles have played the Demon Deacons tough. They beat the then-No. 3 Deacons 91-83 in overtime Jan. 18 in Tallahassee, the second straight upset of Wake at home, and lost 90-87 in OT last season in Winston-Salem. ... FSU's strength is defense, and that continues to be Wake Forest's weakness. Barring a bunch of fastbreak baskets one way or the other, that statistical trend usually means a tight ballgame. ... Wake Forest leads the series 18-13.

[Last modified February 12, 2005, 00:25:13]