Florida State Basketball

The Florida Senate passed a resolution Friday naming the Florida State Seminoles the 2020 college basketball national champions after the NCAA tournament was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

ESPN reported the measure passed by a 37-2 vote and that it will be presented to Noles head coach Leonard Hamilton and FSU president John Thrasher "as a tangible token of the sentiments of Florida State."

The Seminoles finished the regular season 26-5, including a 16-4 mark in conference play to capture the ACC regular-season title and the top seed in the ACC tournament, which was ultimately canceled before the team could play in the quarterfinals.

Florida State was ranked fourth in the country in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls before the season was halted.

The Noles were given a 2.6 percent chance of winning the NCAA tournament by TeamRankings and a 1.7 percent chance of cutting down the nets by ESPN BPI.

However, ESPN's Dick Vitale said he would have selected Florida State in his bracket:

If the NCAA tourney @marchmadness was to be played I would have picked @FSUHoops to be National Champs . @FSUCoachHam is my National Coach of the Year

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 13, 2020

The Florida Senate's resolution will likely lead to copycat measures around the country. The Kansas Jayhawks, Duke Blue Devils, Gonzaga Bulldogs, Baylor Bears and Dayton Flyers were among the other chief title contenders ahead of Selection Sunday.

The Florida State Seminoles secured one of the biggest recruiting victories of the 2020 class Monday when small forward Scottie Barnes joined the fold.

I am proud to be announcing that next year I will be playing for Coach Hamilton and his staff at Florida State University. To all the coaches, mentors, teachers, and family members that have molded and helped me to get to this point in my journey thank you! pic.twitter.com/rMQDwXLNZf

— Scott Barnes (@ScottBarnes561) October 14, 2019

The 6'8", 210-pound Barnes is a 5-star prospect and the No. 9 overall player, No. 3 small forward and No. 3 player from the state of Florida in the 2020 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

His combination of athleticism and size helps him blow past defenders with an explosive first step and then finish through traffic at the rim. He can also use his speed to fill the lanes in transition and is always ready to be on the receiving end of a lob pass.

While he figures to make an immediate impact as an offensive threat at the collegiate level, his defense makes him a complete playmaker destined for the NBA.

Barnes is versatile enough to defend almost every position on the floor and either bother shooters with his length or keep up with ball-handlers with his lateral quickness. That helps him stay on the floor even if he is struggling with his outside shot when defenders back off him some.

"Defensively, he's a complete game-changer," Rivals.com national analyst Corey Evans told Ben Roberts of the Lexington Herald-Dealer. "He's a playmaking defensive guy that can guard four positions. He has an alpha-dog, super-outgoing personality on the floor. He has a college-ready body already. He kind of is what he is, and that's what makes him great, because what he is is an elite guy."

Five-Star Forward Scottie Barnes is a Florida State Seminole! @ScottBarnes561 pic.twitter.com/uK8wthB82Q

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) October 14, 2019

An elite guy is exactly what Florida State is looking for in a recruit so highly regarded. Barnes is talented enough to spearhead a championship-level run if he lives up to his potential even if he remains on campus for just one season.

The fact the Seminoles were able to keep him in his home state is a significant boost in their ongoing battle to keep pace with the likes of Duke, North Carolina and Virginia in the ACC.

They've reached the Elite Eight and Sweet 16 the last two years but need top-notch playmakers to take the next step as a championship contender. Barnes fits the bill.

The fourth-seeded Florida State Seminoles put an end to the Ja Morant show, defeating the 12th-seeded Murray State Racers 90-62 in the second round of the 2019 NCAA tournament at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, on Saturday.

Mfiondu Kabengele led the way for the Seminoles with 22 points and seven rebounds, and Terance Mann contributed 18 points.

Morant had 28 points, four assists, five rebounds and two steals in a losing effort for the Racers.

After becoming just the eighth player since 1984 to record a triple-double in the NCAA tournament, Morant let it be known that he had more in store for the basketball world.

Early on, he made good on his word.

The Racers star got his team on the board with a trey in the opening minute:

Ja Morant is out of the gates with the early 👌#MarchMadness | @RacersHoops pic.twitter.com/aSsBVaADgw

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2019

He was only heating up, though.

Moments later, Morant would knock down a pair of triples on back-to-back possessions that helped his team out to an early lead before giving himself a heat check from the logo as he started 5-of-5 from deep:

Ja Morant is putting on a SHOW in Hartford. 🔥

The @RacersHoops' PG is 5-5 from 3 at the half.#MarchMadness | #MorantMadness pic.twitter.com/XASroY51tM

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2019

Morant had 17 points in Thursday's 83-64 upset of fifth-seeded Marquette. Thanks to 5-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc, he had 16 points in the first 11 minutes and 30 seconds of this contest.

Ja Morant might be Top 2 and not 2 👀

— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) March 23, 2019

Ja Morant has nine points, one block, one assist, one rebounds and one steal so far. Murray is up 13-7, and Morant somehow keeps exceeding the hype. he's been incredible so far. #JMU

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 23, 2019

Unfortunately for Murray State, Florida State was able to withstand Morant's hot start and put on a three-point barrage of its own. The Seminoles made eight shots from deep in the opening 20 minutes, with Raiquan Gray and PJ Savoy each knocking down three.

Florida State comes out 🔥 to hold the 29-23 lead over Murray State!#MarchMadness | @FSUHoops pic.twitter.com/mOZc9o8GmU

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2019

As Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports noted, Florida State didn't enter the game as much of a three-point shooting team:

Florida State is No. 223 in the country in 3-point field goal percentage. (33.4-percent). FSU is shooting 7-for-10 tonight. Murray is 5-6, with Ja shooting 5-5. FSU's looks are way too easy, as Murray lacks the defensive edge it had against Marquette.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 23, 2019

It wound up shooting 11-of-27 (40.7 percent) from beyond the arc as a team.

And when they weren't making it rain from the outside, the Seminoles were still having their way with the Racers:

A MANN'S JAM! 🔨

Terance Mann extends Florida State's lead to 14!#MarchMadness | @FSUHoops pic.twitter.com/gnmIr8iss9

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2019

The first half was played at an incredibly fast pace, and as a result, Florida State was able to drop a 50-spot on Murray State. That created a 16-point edge heading into the break.

Morant continued to fight in the second half, but the Racers were overmatched in this 4-12 matchup. Murray State players not named Morant shot just 30.0 percent from the floor, while Florida State shot 50.7 percent as a team. That's a recipe for disaster.

     

What's Next

Florida State advances to the Sweet 16, where it will face the winner of No. 1 Gonzaga-No. 9 Baylor in Anaheim, California, next week.

What should have been a day of celebration turned into one of tragedy for Florida State's Phil Cofer. 

Per ESPN.com's Myron Medcalf and Jeff Borzello, Cofer was informed his father died after the Seminoles' 76-69 win over Vermont in the first round of the NCAA tournament. 

"He got a phone call in the locker room after the game that his dad had died," Florida State spokesman Chuck Walsh told Medcalf and Borzello.

Per Ira Schoffel of Warchant.com, Cofer's father had an unspecified illness for "some time."

Cofer didn't play for Florida State on Thursday due to a foot injury he suffered during the ACC tournament last week. 

A fifth-year senior, Cofer appeared in 22 games for the Seminoles in 2018-19. He is averaging 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game this season.

Florida State will play its second game of the NCAA tournament Saturday.