Previewing OSU’s Matchup with the Red-Hot Florida State Seminoles

The Cowboys (7-2) and the No. 19 Seminoles (9-0) will tip off the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic on Saturday in Sunrise, Florida. Directly following the tilt between the Pokes and the Seminoles, Florida will take on Clemson in Game 2.

Let’s hit all the particulars.

How to Watch/Listen

TV: Fox Sports 2

TV crew:Justin Kutcher, Bob Wenzel and Jessica Blaylock

Webcast: FoxSportsGo.com or the FoxSportsGo app

Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb)

Satellite Radio: Sirius 134, XM 194 (FSU radio call)

Let’s take a look at each team by the numbers.

Offense

Oklahoma State comes in ranked 62nd nationally by KenPom in adjusted offensive efficiency and 120th in adjusted tempo. The Pokes are averaging 78.8 points per game, good for 111th nationally.

The Cowboys will have to try to keep up with a Florida State team ranked 28th and 47th in those categories respectively. The ‘Noles are 22nd nationally, scoring 87.1 points per game.

Let’s peak at each team’s Four Factors, courtesy of KenPom.

The ‘Noles hold a decided advantage in both the shooting and offensive rebound departments. FSU has only last the battle of the offensive glass twice this season which is made even more impressive when you look at its field goal percentage.

Four different Seminoles are averaging double-digit point totals, led by junior shooting guard Terance Mann at 15.6 points per game. Mann is also averaging 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and is shooting 64.5 percent from the field. He’s not a great 3-point shooter but Mann’s explosive and the driving force of the ‘Nole’s balanced attack.

Defense

The Seminoles rank 27th in adjusted defensive efficiency and are allowing 67 points per game with the Cowboys coming in at 46th nationally in adjusted efficiency but giving up just 64 on average.

Let’s take a look at the Four Factors on the defensive side of the court.

Florida State is holding teams to just a 42.8-percent effective field goal percentage and 37.5 percent as far as raw shooting goes, good for 12th-best in the nation. Oklahoma State is going to have to try to get easier shots than it has been getting as of late — against a team that doesn’t give up a ton of easy shots.

Both teams are pretty good at forcing turnovers while both offenses can be prone to be a bit careless with the ball. A big key will be which of these two offenses can take advantage of the other’s mishaps. So far, the Seminoles have been better this season.

Additional Notes

• This will be Leonard Hamilton’s first time coaching against Oklahoma State, where he started his head coaching career back in 1986 after leaving Eddie Sutton’s Kentucky staff. Sutton would replace Hamilton after he was hired away to the University of Miami in 1990.

• The 9-0 Seminoles would tie for the best start in school history with a victory over Oklahoma State. They started 10-0 in 2003-04 in Hamilton’s second season in Tallahassee.

• This is just the second meeting between these two schools. The Cowboys beat the Seminoles 60-56 on December 18, 1964 in the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee, almost 53 years ago to the day.

• Cowboy fans should get their first glimpse at St. John’s transfer Yankuba Sima who is now cleared to play after sitting out for the NCAA transfer rules.

• The Pokes are even thinner in back-court depth with the recent dismissal of Davon Dillard and Zack Dawson.