Florida State University Athletics
Tuesday, January 23
Syracuse, NY
7:00 p.m.
Florida State
at
Syracuse
Florida State At Syracuse: The Dome Effect
1/22/2024 10:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Florida State earned a 76-71 win over Syracuse the last time it played in the JMA Wireless Dome on January 15, 2022. Not only did the win come against one of the nation's most historically successful programs on its home court – one that is among the toughest places to play in college basketball – but its importance was magnified because it was a road victory in ACC play.
Not only are road wins in ACC play hard to come by, but a road win at Syracuse is one to be coveted because the games are played in JMA Wireless Dome (formerly known as the Carrier Dome). The Dome has a capacity 33,000 for basketball, and is always filled by knowledgeable and boisterous fans who rise up on every play by their beloved Orange.
The Orange have won more than 80 percent of its games since the Dome opened in 1980.
Since the Orange began playing in the Dome, the depth perception of the building has been a part of its incredible history. The roof is high and the angle of the bleacher seats are less steep than most basketball arenas. It is said to be a notoriously difficult place for shooters to be successful.
One visiting player likened shooting in Dome to "shooting into outer space."
During Florida State's last game at the JMA Wireless Dome, the Seminoles shot .549 percent from the field (28 of 51) and .600 percent from the 3-point line (12 of 20) and enter Tuesday's game against the Orange having won two consecutive games in the building. In fact, the Seminoles have shot better than 50 percent from the field and the 3-point line in both of their last two visits – both wins – to the Dome.
Entering Tuesday's game, which will be televised on ESPN2, only three current Seminoles have played in the Dome during their careers. Jalen Warley earned 10 minutes of playing time with one assist in the Seminoles' victory during his freshman season. Guard Primo Spears scored 22 points on six of 14 shooting from the field and a perfect nine of nine shooting the free throw line when he led Georgetown against Syracuse on December 10, 2022. Forward Jaylan Gainey totaled four points on one of three shooting from the field and a perfect two of two from the free throw line when he led Brown into the Dome on December 27, 2022.
"I enjoy playing in the Dome at Syracuse," said Spears who will have 12 members of his family in attendance at the game. "I had a good game up there; the crowd showed love to me because I am as close to home as we'll get this season. It's great to have your parents and your family there cheering for you. Having your family at any game makes it easier."
Spears' family will make the roughly four-hour drive from East Hartford, Conn. to watch Spears play for the just the second time as a Seminole.
Gainey, who spent three seasons at Brown, will make his second appearance against Syracuse at the Dome.
"The Dome is a lot bigger and there is a lot more space than most arenas we play in," said Gainey. "As a team, we didn't shoot the ball as well as we (Brown) were used to when we (Brown) played in the Dome, but you have to credit Syracuse with how well they play defense. It's different and it's challenging, but you just have to stick to your shooting principles wherever you play."
For Seminole Head Coach Leonard Hamilton who has faced Syracuse as member of the Big East as the Head Coach at Miami, and now as the Head Coach at Florida State, he'll be taking his Seminoles to the Dome for the sixth time. As the Seminoles' head coach, he has a two-game winning streak in central New York.
"Being in the Big East, I've been there many times over the years," said Hamilton. "I haven't found that playing there is more challenging than any other arena. I think the depth perception sometimes can maybe get inside of a players' head. I have never had any of my players complain about it. It's normally those players (from Syracuse) on the floor that give us the most problems, not necessarily the court or the Dome."
With consecutive ACC road victories at Notre Dame (January 13, 67-58) and at Miami (January 17, 84-75), Florida State arrives at Syracuse looking to win its third consecutive ACC road game for the first time since the month of January during the 2019-20 season when it won at Louisville (January 4, 2020; 78-65), at Wake Forest (January 8, 2020; 78-68) and at Miami in overtime (January 18, 2020; 83-79) in successive games in winning the ACC regular season championship.
The Seminoles have won seven of their last nine games overall (.778 winning percentage) since a 91-75 win over North Florida on December 19 and five of their last six ACC games (.833 winning percentage) since defeating Georgia Tech, 82-71, on January 3. The Seminoles are 5-1 in the calendar year of 2024 and won each of their first five games to start the new year.
Not only are road wins in ACC play hard to come by, but a road win at Syracuse is one to be coveted because the games are played in JMA Wireless Dome (formerly known as the Carrier Dome). The Dome has a capacity 33,000 for basketball, and is always filled by knowledgeable and boisterous fans who rise up on every play by their beloved Orange.
The Orange have won more than 80 percent of its games since the Dome opened in 1980.
Since the Orange began playing in the Dome, the depth perception of the building has been a part of its incredible history. The roof is high and the angle of the bleacher seats are less steep than most basketball arenas. It is said to be a notoriously difficult place for shooters to be successful.
One visiting player likened shooting in Dome to "shooting into outer space."
During Florida State's last game at the JMA Wireless Dome, the Seminoles shot .549 percent from the field (28 of 51) and .600 percent from the 3-point line (12 of 20) and enter Tuesday's game against the Orange having won two consecutive games in the building. In fact, the Seminoles have shot better than 50 percent from the field and the 3-point line in both of their last two visits – both wins – to the Dome.
Entering Tuesday's game, which will be televised on ESPN2, only three current Seminoles have played in the Dome during their careers. Jalen Warley earned 10 minutes of playing time with one assist in the Seminoles' victory during his freshman season. Guard Primo Spears scored 22 points on six of 14 shooting from the field and a perfect nine of nine shooting the free throw line when he led Georgetown against Syracuse on December 10, 2022. Forward Jaylan Gainey totaled four points on one of three shooting from the field and a perfect two of two from the free throw line when he led Brown into the Dome on December 27, 2022.
"I enjoy playing in the Dome at Syracuse," said Spears who will have 12 members of his family in attendance at the game. "I had a good game up there; the crowd showed love to me because I am as close to home as we'll get this season. It's great to have your parents and your family there cheering for you. Having your family at any game makes it easier."
Spears' family will make the roughly four-hour drive from East Hartford, Conn. to watch Spears play for the just the second time as a Seminole.
Gainey, who spent three seasons at Brown, will make his second appearance against Syracuse at the Dome.
"The Dome is a lot bigger and there is a lot more space than most arenas we play in," said Gainey. "As a team, we didn't shoot the ball as well as we (Brown) were used to when we (Brown) played in the Dome, but you have to credit Syracuse with how well they play defense. It's different and it's challenging, but you just have to stick to your shooting principles wherever you play."
For Seminole Head Coach Leonard Hamilton who has faced Syracuse as member of the Big East as the Head Coach at Miami, and now as the Head Coach at Florida State, he'll be taking his Seminoles to the Dome for the sixth time. As the Seminoles' head coach, he has a two-game winning streak in central New York.
"Being in the Big East, I've been there many times over the years," said Hamilton. "I haven't found that playing there is more challenging than any other arena. I think the depth perception sometimes can maybe get inside of a players' head. I have never had any of my players complain about it. It's normally those players (from Syracuse) on the floor that give us the most problems, not necessarily the court or the Dome."
With consecutive ACC road victories at Notre Dame (January 13, 67-58) and at Miami (January 17, 84-75), Florida State arrives at Syracuse looking to win its third consecutive ACC road game for the first time since the month of January during the 2019-20 season when it won at Louisville (January 4, 2020; 78-65), at Wake Forest (January 8, 2020; 78-68) and at Miami in overtime (January 18, 2020; 83-79) in successive games in winning the ACC regular season championship.
The Seminoles have won seven of their last nine games overall (.778 winning percentage) since a 91-75 win over North Florida on December 19 and five of their last six ACC games (.833 winning percentage) since defeating Georgia Tech, 82-71, on January 3. The Seminoles are 5-1 in the calendar year of 2024 and won each of their first five games to start the new year.
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