Four days after robbing the ACC cradle at Boston College, Wake Forest will face the AARP division of the conference ? grizzled Florida State ? today at 7 p.m. at Joel Coliseum.
"Well, they're the most experienced, the oldest team in our league," coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke said of FSU. "And they're as deep as anybody, and they play really good defense.
"You know, they have men."
The Seminoles, coming off Saturday's manly 76-73 victory against Krzyzewski's Blue Devils, have a wealth of one of college basketball's most precious commodities. No team in the league has more experience.
Of the nine available FSU players averaging more than 10 minutes a game, two are graduate students, four are seniors and one is a junior. And one of the seniors, 6-foot-10, 240-pound Bernard James, is a veteran of six years in the Air Force who will turn 27 next month.
The Seminoles were too big, strong and grizzled for the Deacons last season. They're bigger, stronger and more grizzled this season.
"This is a long, athletic team of grown men," said coach Jeff Bzdelik of the Deacons, whose team is coming off a victory against a Boston College team that started four freshmen and played two other underclassmen at least 18 minutes each.
The Seminoles have struggled to score at times but have increased their firepower with the return of sophomore guard Ian Miller.
Miller, who was suspended for the first 11 games for unspecified reasons, is averaging 12.3 points, second on the team to the star at Duke, junior Michael Snaer.
After a period of integrating Miller back into the rotation, FSU has reeled off four straight victories ? against Virginia Tech (63-59), North Carolina (90-57), Maryland (84-70) and Duke.
"Well, I think Miller helps them, his addition," Bzdelik said. "He wasn't there early in the year. I just think that they're very confident right now.
"Confidence is such a fine line, and Miller gives them another threat."
Coach Leonard Hamilton of FSU said Miller's return has helped his team adjust to the loss of junior Terrance Shannon, who was sidelined for the rest of the season after injuring a shoulder against Connecticut on Nov. 26.
"Ian has an air of confidence about him that, when he comes on the floor, he feels that he's more than capable of making a major contribution," Hamilton said. "He's one of those guys who can create shots for himself, but he also can create for his teammates
"So he's coming in in a role we're giving him now, to come in and give us energy off the bench and give us some offensive firepower. And he enjoys that. And our players look forward to him doing that."
A challenge for both teams will be to avoid letdowns from Saturday, although the task might be greater for FSU given the dramatic way it defeated then-No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Hamilton is counting on his experienced team acting like one.
"I don't have any fear right now that we're going to have a letdown," Hamilton said.
"But one reason is because we're giving it our undivided attention."
"Well, they're the most experienced, the oldest team in our league," coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke said of FSU. "And they're as deep as anybody, and they play really good defense.
"You know, they have men."
The Seminoles, coming off Saturday's manly 76-73 victory against Krzyzewski's Blue Devils, have a wealth of one of college basketball's most precious commodities. No team in the league has more experience.
Of the nine available FSU players averaging more than 10 minutes a game, two are graduate students, four are seniors and one is a junior. And one of the seniors, 6-foot-10, 240-pound Bernard James, is a veteran of six years in the Air Force who will turn 27 next month.
The Seminoles were too big, strong and grizzled for the Deacons last season. They're bigger, stronger and more grizzled this season.
"This is a long, athletic team of grown men," said coach Jeff Bzdelik of the Deacons, whose team is coming off a victory against a Boston College team that started four freshmen and played two other underclassmen at least 18 minutes each.
The Seminoles have struggled to score at times but have increased their firepower with the return of sophomore guard Ian Miller.
Miller, who was suspended for the first 11 games for unspecified reasons, is averaging 12.3 points, second on the team to the star at Duke, junior Michael Snaer.
After a period of integrating Miller back into the rotation, FSU has reeled off four straight victories ? against Virginia Tech (63-59), North Carolina (90-57), Maryland (84-70) and Duke.
"Well, I think Miller helps them, his addition," Bzdelik said. "He wasn't there early in the year. I just think that they're very confident right now.
"Confidence is such a fine line, and Miller gives them another threat."
Coach Leonard Hamilton of FSU said Miller's return has helped his team adjust to the loss of junior Terrance Shannon, who was sidelined for the rest of the season after injuring a shoulder against Connecticut on Nov. 26.
"Ian has an air of confidence about him that, when he comes on the floor, he feels that he's more than capable of making a major contribution," Hamilton said. "He's one of those guys who can create shots for himself, but he also can create for his teammates
"So he's coming in in a role we're giving him now, to come in and give us energy off the bench and give us some offensive firepower. And he enjoys that. And our players look forward to him doing that."
A challenge for both teams will be to avoid letdowns from Saturday, although the task might be greater for FSU given the dramatic way it defeated then-No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Hamilton is counting on his experienced team acting like one.
"I don't have any fear right now that we're going to have a letdown," Hamilton said.
"But one reason is because we're giving it our undivided attention."
