Colleges

'Old man' looking sprightly

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published January 26, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - Maybe by now, no one should be surprised by Florida State forward Andrew Wilson's offensive ability.

When the Seminoles needed a basket Tuesday night at Wake Forest, Wilson delivered a clutch 3-pointer. Moments later, he had a layup and two free throws to finish with a season-high 18 points in the 75-68 win that ended a two-game ACC losing streak.

He's no longer merely the old guy on the team or a defensive specialist.

Okay, that is a surprise. For the first time in years, the oft-injured Wilson, 23, a sixth-year senior, was healthy enough in the offseason to work on his shooting.

"I'm just now starting to see the rewards of that," he said recently. "I'm able to get out there and score on somewhat of a consistent basis. I attribute most of it to my conditioning level. I was able to go through all of our conditioning drills this summer and I'm not so exhausted when I catch the ball on offense. That's a big difference."

He's shooting 53.1 percent from the field, including 55.8 percent from 3-point range.

Coach Leonard Hamilton has long ached for a healthy Wilson, not just for him to provide another scoring option to take some of the pressure off junior forwards Al Thornton and Alexander Johnson and sophomore guard Isaiah Swann, but to lead.

"He's a coach kind of on the floor and in the locker room and back in the apartments," Hamilton said. "His voice is one of maturity that the players seem to listen to. ... Even in the huddles or those emotional moments, he's able to look at the game through an experienced set of eyes. I think our players respect his wisdom."

And his shooting touch.

MILLER TIME? GETTING THERE: Women's basketball freshman center Britany Miller says there's nothing easy about the transition from high school basketball in Tallapoosa, Ga., to college basketball in a powerhouse league.

"Everything is tough," she said. "Just knowing you have to go out and play against some of the best players is tough."

Yes, but plenty of folks, freshmen and seniors alike, in the ACC will say the same about her. That even at this early stage of her career, she's tough.

The 6-foot-4 Miller, who gives FSU a true low-post presence for the first time in years, averages 10.4 points on 54.3 percent shooting, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

"The thing that impresses me the most in recent games has been her demeanor," coach Sue Semrau said. "She goes up against an Erlana Larkins (from North Carolina), who I think is a legitimate All-American candidate, one of the best low-block players in the country, and Erlana's getting frustrated with calls and she's getting frustrated with herself. Britany, who very easily could do the same, goes on about her business.

"She doesn't let the frustration bother her like most freshmen. That has helped to accelerate her growth process. She knows she's got to get better, but she has a real desire to get better and she works hard at it. That's what's going to make her an elite-level post player in the ACC."

Miller said the biggest factor for her has been the trust she has earned from the Seminoles and vice versa.

"I feel pretty comfortable because I know my teammates will always be there to help me out even if I do mess up or if they mess up, they know that I'll be there," she said.

FORGET THE FREQUENT FLIER MILEAGE: The Seminoles' 2006 football schedule, released Wednesday, features eight games in Tallahassee and nine of 12 regular-season games in the state; the opener is Labor Day night, Sept. 4, at Miami.

"We've never played that many home games since I've been at Florida State and there is no doubt that playing at home is an advantage," coach Bobby Bowden said.

The home slate includes games against Clemson (Sept. 16), Virginia (Nov. 4) and Florida (Nov. 25, two days after Thanksgiving), teams that beat FSU last season. The other regular-season loss came against North Carolina State; FSU heads to Raleigh for a Thursday night game (Oct. 5).

Season tickets and single-game tickets go on sale at 6 p.m. Friday at FSU's Web site, www.seminoles.com

ODDS AND ENDS: FSU newcomer Myron Rolle, who will be part of the football recruiting class (he's already enrolled), is heading to Washington for a summit hosted by the Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics on Monday. He will be on a panel, along with former Duke basketball star Jay Williams, discussing "Recruiting: Ethics and Athlete Welfare During the Recruiting Process."

Brian Landman covers Florida State athletics. Reach him at 813 226-3347 or by e-mail at landman@sptimes.com

[Last modified January 26, 2006, 01:02:16]