Posted by BillFromTampa

The Florida State basketball team improved to 2-0 last night with a solid win over Alcorn State, 85-67. It was a definite improvement considering the start the ‘Noles had last season when FSU lost several inexplicable games starting with the TAMCC Islanders in the second game of the season.

That was not going to happen this time against the Braves as FSU attacked Alcorn with a relentless running game all game long.’,'Star of the show without question was Al Thornton who finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds. It probably could have been more had Leonard Hamilton not pulled him with over three minutes left in the game.

Thornton unleashed a virtually unstoppable dazzling array of moves and shots that had Alcorn looking like they were standing still at times.

The junior forward scored from anywhere he wanted on the floor. He began his scoring onslaught with a three from the top of the key giving FSU its first points of the game. Later Todd Galloway lobbed a beautiful pass to Thornton coming in from the right side for an ala Tar Heel alley oop basketball. He stole the ball taking it the distance, he hit free throws, he put back offensive rebounds, and he had crowd pleasing slam dunks. In short, Thornton mostly did anything he wanted to do on the floor.

His three best plays however just pointed out how difficult a job defenses will have in holding him down. Positioned to the left of the key, Thornton ball faked his defender who bit on it and Thornton just blew right by him with a brilliant first step on his way to the basket. No post player had any chance of stopping him. None.

Also in the first half, Thornton lobbed the ball from the right wing to Isaiah Swan in the right corner. Utilizing again that first step and a screen on the lane, the give and go play for an easy layup was executed perfectly.

The third of his best scores was a reverse left handed up and under layup. What made it so good was Thornton was outside the lane to the right of the basket, made one huge giant step to get by two Alcorn defenders, and put the ball in off the glass.

Thornton was easily the most spectacular person on the floor.

But he certainly had help in FSU’s 18 point victory that could have been more had a few more layups gone in and if the Braves had not thrown in everything they launched from behind the line in the first half.

Also in double figures were Alexander Johnson (and don’t believe everything you read about his one game suspension against Jacksonville) with 14 points and Jason Rich who followed up a strong game against the Dolphins with 10 points.

Johnson’s best efforts though came on defense when in two successive possessions late in the game Johnson got high off the floor to block two shot attempts by the Braves. The second was a great display of what Hamilton likes to see, help side defense as the Alcorn player beat his man along the right baseline.

It was a team effort however as the Seminoles continued to push the ball from start to finish. The starting unit of Galloway, Swann, Rich, Thornton, and Alexander had the most success in the game with regard to the transition game.

Other combinations seemed to struggle at times in holding onto the ball and more importantly cover Alcorn’s transition game. A lineup of Ralph Mims, Jerel Allen Andrew Wilson, Uche Echefu and Johnson had difficulty in communicating and let a 17-7 lead turn into a 17-19 deficit.

That didn’t last long as Hamilton reinserted his starting point guard and Thornton. That halted the 12-0 Alcorn run.

With the score 24-27 in favor of the Braves, it was Thornton’s three, again from the top of the circle, that ignited a 29-9 run over the last 8:25. In fact it was Thornton who scored the bulk of those points scoring 16 over that span.

He had 24 points by the half.

A three pointer by Delvin Thompson ended the scoring of the half giving FSU a 50-36 lead.

Over the first 20 minutes Alcorn could not miss anytime they launched a three ball. The Braves connected 8 of 11 long shots led by Clifton Douglas’ (21 total points all on three pointers) 4 of 5. This coming from a team that combined for 3 of 24 from behind the arc against USF. Florida State simply had difficulty in covering the breakouts by the Braves as Alcorn used what Duke often does on their run outs by pushing the ball to the lane and kicking it out to the trailing three point shooter. Those shooters often had no hands in their face.

That changed in the second half not necessarily because of better defense as Alcorn scored on just 3 of 14 with a number coming when the game was out of reach. Alcorn just could not sustain that torrid shooting pace. It does not alter the fact that far too many of those shots were wide open, an aspect. Hamilton will have to correct before the next game.

FSU held a double digit lead for the rest of the game mostly around a 15 point lead. The closest Alcorn came was 68-58 at the 8:32 mark when the second unit struggled again with some sloppy back to back turnovers.

But the ‘Noles regrouped and Alcorn never challenged seriously again.

Several positives Hamilton has to be pleased with was his team’s pushing the ball helping to contribute to 51.7% shooting form the floor and while free shooting struggled early as it has this season, it corrected itself as the game went on.

Certainly the newcomers showed some promise as well. Although they didn’t post much in the way of stats in the box score, they made some plays on both ends of the floor that had it probably not been for maybe a little case of home opening nerves they would have added to their individual lines.

Casaan Breeden had an excellent steal right in front of FSU’s bench but was so excited he forgot to hold onto the ball properly and was called for traveling. His hands on the pick though indicated he has an instinct for the steal.

Echefu had a great opportunity for a fast break basket only to see it roll off the rim. It did show however that this player can get up and down the floor.

Next up for FSU is a test against the rivals in Gainesville and will have to correct defensive issues on the perimeter. After a 4-0 start with key wins over Wake Forest and Syracuse, all of a sudden the orange and blue are a tough test and now ranked 14th in the country. He contest is set for November 25th at 7:30 PM.