Back to the formula: FSU hoops relying on defensive prowess once again

When the 2019-20 season started, Leonard Hamilton thought his team had a chance to be pretty good on defense.

The Florida State coach was probably not expecting this, though. Not this early anyway. Not with six newcomers on the roster.

And yet here the Seminoles are: Ranked No. 10 in the country, with a 13-2 record and a 3-1 mark in the ACC as they take on Wake Forest tonight in Winston-Salem, N.C. (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports affiliates).

The biggest reason for those lofty numbers?

A defense that is one of the leaders in the nation in blocked shots, steals and turnover rate.

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"I think we're almost at the point where we've settled in on learning our defensive principles," Hamilton said. "The fundamental parts of it. And now as we go into a game, we understand our principles and now we're executing the defensive game plan for that specific team we're playing.

"And so I just see a little better recognition of things we've been working on. And we're not there yet, but I like the fact that our guys seem to respond with the little things that we make adjustments with game to game."

Florida State is currently ranked 15th in the nation (out of 350 teams) in blocked shots, 18th in steals and 12th in turnovers forced.

The Seminoles are also 57th in field-goal percentage defense (opponents are shooting 39.3 percent per game). This team isn't a carbon copy of the ones from 2010 and 2011 -- which led the NCAA in that stat both years -- but it's still really good in that department.

And while FSU might give up a few more buckets per game than great Seminole defenses of the past, it also creates more turnovers, which leads to more transition baskets on the other end.

"We've been able to rotate a lot of guys," guard Anthony Polite said. "You go in and when you get tired, you ask for a sub and go out. Just wear down the other team. In the second half, we play 10 or 11 guys and the other team might have only played seven or eight guys. So they get a lot more tired."

Despite having two 7-footers in the rotation, Florida State doesn't have a traditional shot blocker like Bernard James or Solomon Alabi protecting the rim this season.

Instead, it blocks shots by committee. From every position on the floor.

Devin Vassell leads the team with 16. He's a guard.

Patrick Williams is second with 15. He's a forward who doesn't start.

Three other players -- guard Trent Forrest and forwards Malik Osborne and RaiQuan Gray -- are in double-figures in blocked shots as well.

"Their length is incredible," said Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner, whose team lost 70-58 to FSU on New Year's Eve. "Combine their length with their defensive style of ball, that team is really hard to beat."

Vassell also leads the team in steals with 24. Forrest has 21. Polite has 20. There are six Seminoles in total who have double-digit steals.

It's just how this program functions: Contributions from every player. In every category. And they're all expected to play hard -- and play well -- on that end of the floor.

"We've been locking in pretty good," junior guard M.J. Walker said. "That's kind of our strength right now. And we're trying to, especially on the defensive end, be a better rebounding team. We're making an emphasis on that in practice a lot."

As good as the Seminoles have been overall on that side of the floor, that doesn't mean they've been perfect by any means. They've had a few moments this season where the defense hasn't been completely locked in.

In the Seminoles' loss to Indiana, the Hoosiers shot over 50 percent from the floor and shot 38 free throws.

Mid-majors Western Carolina and North Florida gave the FSU defense fits at certain times. Even in the Seminoles' last two wins -- over Georgia Tech and Louisville -- they allowed an opposing player to hit at least five 3-pointers.

But overall, Florida State's frantic, turnover-inducing, shot-blocking defense has been not only one of the best in the ACC, but one of the best in the country.

"We can't control every shot they're going to make," Walker said. "But we rely on (defense). That's who we are. That's what Florida State basketball is."

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