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Florida State vs. Syracuse: ACC Tournament First-Round Matchup
Florida State and Syracuse meet in the opening round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday night in Charlotte, and while one program is preparing for a coaching transition, the other is doubling down on its current leadership.
The 11th-seeded Seminoles (17-14) just introduced Sacramento Kings assistant and FSU alum Luke Loucks as their next head coach. However, Leonard Hamilton, the 76-year-old veteran coach, will finish out the season before stepping away. Florida State snapped a four-game skid in their regular-season finale, beating SMU 76-69 behind Malique Ewin’s 26-point, eight-rebound performance. Ewin’s return from an ankle injury is a major boost as he and leading scorer Jamir Watkins (18.5 PPG) look to carry the ‘Noles in the tourney.
Meanwhile, Syracuse (13-18) enters as the 14th seed and is coming off an 84-70 win over Virginia. The Orange have had a tough season under Adrian Autry, but the school announced he’ll return for a third year. J.J. Starling (17.5 PPG) remains their go-to scorer, while Eddie Lampkin Jr. (9.6 RPG) anchors the glass. Despite their struggles, Syracuse showed signs of life late in the season, and they’ll need a big effort to extend their run.
Betting Insights & Angle:
Momentum Matters: FSU’s recent win and the return of Ewin give them an edge.
Syracuse’s Defensive Woes: The Orange have allowed 75+ points in three of their last five games.
Hamilton’s Last Ride: The Seminoles may have extra motivation to send their longtime coach out on a high note.
The winner moves on to face No. 6 seed SMU in the next round. Keep an eye on line movement and player props, as Watkins and Starling are both capable of putting up big numbers.
