After a week off, Indiana is back on the court for its matchup in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge against No. 20 Florida State, its second game against a top-25 team this season.
Florida State has played just one game thus far, a blowout win against North Florida. Despite that, it was the same look Seminoles that have become one of the top programs year in and year out around the country.
Leonard Hamilton once again has one of the biggest teams in the country and that starts with the length with his backcourt.
M.J. Walker leads the attack for the Seminoles, putting 17 points up in the opener. Last season, Walker averaged 10.6 points per game, including a 10-point performance against IU. He is a very capable shooter from deep, averaging close to 40 percent from deep for his career.
Freshman Scottie Barnes comes in as a the No. 7 overall player in the Rivals150 for the class of 2020. He is a 6-foot-9 point forward who can play nearly every position on the floor. In the season opener, he played a lot of minutes at the point guard spot as the main ball handler. He finished with eight points, six rebounds and six assists.
RaiQuan Gray isn't your prototypical power forward, but is one of the best defensive forwards in the ACC. Built much like Zion Williamson - not in skill but in frame - at 6-foot-8 and 260 pounds, Gray won't light up the scoreboard with points, but he does all of the little things you need to win. He had a team-high four steals in the opener and has a lot of versatility on the defensive end of the floor.
Lastly, Balso Koprivica is a 7-foot-1 big who waited his turn and is now the go-to guy in the Florida State frontcourt. He had 13 points in the opener. Just a sophomore, he still has some overall developing to do, but he is nearly unstoppable around the rim, shooting 70 percent last season.
Florida State Projected Starters:
G - M.J. Walker (Sr; 6-5; 213)
Stats: 17.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.0 apg
G - Scottie Barnes (Fr; 6-9; 227)
Stats: 8.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 6.0 apg
G - Anthony Polite (Rs Jr; 6-6; 215)
Stats: 7.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.0 apg
PF - RaiQuan Gray (Rs Jr; 6-8; 260)
Stats: 8.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.0 spg
C - Balso Koprivica (Jr; 7-0; 230)
Stats: 13.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 bpg
Things To Watch For Indiana:
Indiana's depth could hurt them even more in this matchup as Florida State will rotate through 10-12 guys throughout the entire game. Archie Miller has talked about his bench, and in particular his young players, in needing to step up and learn on the fly. This is a critical game for that unit.
The size and length of FSU will be a factor. We saw against Texas what that size can do to make the Hoosiers uncomfortable. The backcourt for IU will have to play much better in this matchup if the Hoosiers want any chance of winning.
Florida State, albeit one game, is shooting just 29.2 percent from deep this season, so rebounding the ball will be another huge factor in determining the winner. If Indiana can come out even on the boards, that will go a long way in helping them throughout the night.
Game Information:
Who: Indiana (3-1) at No. 20 Florida State (1-0)
When: Wednesday, Dec. 9 @ 7:15 pm ET
Where: Tallahassee, FL
TV: ESPN (Dave O’Brien, Jay Bilas)
Radio: IU Radio Network with Don Fischer and Errek Suhr
Game notes: Florida State / Indiana
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QUICK HITTERS
• Indiana leads the all-time series with Florida State, 5-0. The last win came last season in Bloomington with an 80-64 win.
• Indiana is 8-11 all-time in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and will face its sixth straight ranked opponent in the event on Wednesday.
• Florida State is 66-3 in its last 69 home games, including 24 straight home game wins.
• M.J. Walker was named to the Jerry West Award Watch List. Scottie Barnes was named to the Bob Cousy, Naismith and Wooden Award Watch Lists.
• Florida State ranks 4th in the Nation with an average height of 78.57 inches (6-foot-6). It has three frontcourt rotation players at 6-foot-11 or taller.
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