Colleges

Rich elevates game in Seminoles' time of need

The senior guard has become a go-to guy during FSU's NCAA push.

By BRIAN LANDMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published March 4, 2008

ADVERTISEMENT [Associated Press] Jason Rich is shooting 50 percent during FSU's three-game winning streak.

Florida State senior guard Jason Rich figured he had no choice.

Either he would raise his level of play like never before, or his collegiate career and his team's hopes of making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade would end.

"There was a sense of urgency," he said.

With Rich playing perhaps his best basketball, the Seminoles 17-12, 6-8 have won three straight to get back into the conversation for an NCAA bid entering tonight's critical game at top-ranked North Carolina (27-2, 12-2).

During FSU's current streak, Rich has averaged 16.3 points on 50 percent shooting from the field to form a potent combination with junior guard Toney Douglas, helping offset the loss of sharpshooting guard Isaiah Swann to knee surgery.

He had been averaging 13.4 points on 43.6 percent shooting.

Talk about your en-Rich-ment program.

"We were in desperation (mode)," fellow senior guard Ralph Mims said. "He realized that and that, hey, there's no time to hold back. He's stepped up to the plate."

The 6-3, 211-pound Rich credits his increased production to his coaches and teammates, who have shown the confidence to give him more opportunities to be the guy to make plays.

"And I've been able to respond," he said.

"Jason has been one of our most consistent players," coach Leonard Hamilton said. "We've had to make several different adjustments during the course of the year, and he's bright enough to absorb all of that and then go out and execute. We've been very pleased with his progress."

Rich is actually hitting some 3-pointers, at least enough to make the defense wary. He's 24-of-71 (33.9 percent), a huge improvement from his career marks of 28-of-108 (25.9 percent) entering this season.

That has made his mid-range game, his strength throughout his playing days even though it's the dunks and long-range shots that dominate the highlight shows, even more dangerous.

"I've always been a fan of that shot," Rich said. "I look at all the great players and that's something they can do. I feel like that mid-range shot's a lost art. ... I've always felt that (shot) allowed me to be more creative rather than just dunking or shooting 3-pointers."

In addition to working on his outside touch, he has continued to work on posting up.

"We told our guys, one he gets beside you, you're dead because he's strong and powerful when he gets in there," North Carolina State coach Sidney Lowe said. "He's a difficult matchup."

"I have great appreciation for him as a player," added Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt, who recruited Rich, a Pensacola native and former Orlando Dr. Phillips High star. "But I have a greater appreciation for him knowing he's a team guy, that he's going to do whatever the team needs."

If that means defending a power forward or point guard, Rich goes for it. If that means ignoring the fatigue that may come from averaging nearly 37 minutes as he has been doing lately, he does. And if that means he needs to score more, well, he has done that, too.

What was his choice?

Brian Landman can be reached at landman@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3347.

[Last modified March 3, 2008, 23:58:21]