Florida State University Athletics
Luke Loucks Coaches First Game As Florida State’s Head Coach
11/3/2025 9:24:00 AM | Men's Basketball
TALLAHASSEE – Luke Loucks remembers his first game as a Seminole like it was yesterday.
"I remember our game against Jacksonville because of the toughness we had to display to win the game," said Loucks of the Seminoles' 59-57 win over the Dolphins on the road. "We were up late and had to fight to get the win. If I remember correctly, we were up by about 10 with under two minutes to play and we won by two.
"It's the kind of toughness I want my teams to play with during my coaching career."
Loucks totaled two points and two steals in 12 minutes played for Florida State in his collegiate playing debut as he helped Florida State to seven straight wins to open the 2008-09 season.
As he prepares for his first game as the Seminoles' head coach on Tuesday, November 4, at 7:00 p.m. against Alcorn State at the Donald L. Tucker Center, many of those same feelings he felt as a player are streaming back into his consciousness.
"I remember being really nervous before my first game against Jacksonville," said Loucks. "I'm sure I'll have many of those same feelings as tip off approaches on Tuesday. I'm a competitor; always have been and always will be. I want our team to play well for Florida State University and our great fans. That's why our staff has worked so incredibly hard since the day we took this job."
Loucks is just the second Florida State alumnus to coach the Seminoles men's basketball team. Hugh Durham, a Hall of Fame Seminoles player who also coached Florida State during his career, was the first.
Tickets are available for Loucks' Florida State coaching debut at Seminoles.com. The game will be streamed on ACCNX and can be heard on the Seminole Radio Network with Jeff Culhane and Adrian Crawford. Tickets for Florida State students are free -- they can be claimed here.
As Loucks makes his debut as the eighth coach in Florida State basketball history against Alcorn State, he looks to become the eighth Seminole coach to win his coaching debut. That streak began in 1947 when Don Loucks (no relation) led his first Florida State team to a 39-36 win over Spring Hill College on December 10, 1947, in the first basketball game in Florida State history.
He'll be just the second coach to direct the Seminoles from the sideline in the last 24 years as he took over for the legendary Leonard Hamilton, who coached Loucks as a player from 2009-12.
"There's a lot to be encouraged by," said Loucks. "I want our players to play free. I want them to shoot when they are open, and most importantly I want them to share the ball offensively and create great shots every time down the court."
Loucks has initiated an up-tempo style of play on both offense and defense. The Seminoles averaged 96.5 point scored and limited their opponents to .265 shooting from the 3-point line (17 of 64) in their exhibition games against Alabama and Florida A&M.
"I'm asking a lot of these guys," said Loucks. "This is a pace and a style that most have never played. But it's not just the offense. It's the defense, too. We're speeding teams up. We're constantly trapping. We're running and hitting."
Loucks quickly acknowledges the incredible adjustments his group of 14 players is making as they prepare for the upcoming season.
"Our players are going to have to adjust like you saw in the preseason, or we won't make shots we should be making. I know these guys can shoot. They show it every day in practice. They show it in the drills, they've shown it on their previous teams. But part of that conditioning level is when you feel tired and your lungs are burning to still step up and make open shots."
With 11 newcomers (four freshmen and seven transfers) on his first Florida State roster, Loucks sees incredible improvement every day in practice, and certainly in the first two exhibition games.
"We still have so much room to grow," said Loucks. "I like our pace on offense. I think we've got another notch to how fast we can play. I like that they are embracing their freedom on offense. On defense we have a good level of tenacity; an urgency on defense which I like. I want to speed up the offense and I want to disrupt on defense."
Loucks will count on each member of his roster to provide leadership throughout his first season as the Seminoles are scheduled to play one of the toughest schedules in the nation.
"We don't have a captain and that's by design," said Loucks. "I want this group to win and to learn together."
Loucks, though, was quick to pinpoint his senior class as all taking on a leadership role.
"This is a new group and we've got 11 new players," said Loucks. "All of these guys as seniors – Robert McCray has done a great job, Kobe MaGee has done a great job, Lajae Jones has done a great job, Chauncey Wiggins has done a great job, Alex Steen has done a great job, Shah Muhammad has done a great job.
"All of the seniors are taking that leadership aspect on as a group which I love."
While Loucks will have his team prepared for its season opener against Alcorn State, he is most looking forward to leading his team into a packed Tucker Center on Tuesday night.
"We need our great fans to Pack the Tuck every time we play," said Loucks. "Our fans are the heartbeat of our program and we need them to fill the seats."
"I remember our game against Jacksonville because of the toughness we had to display to win the game," said Loucks of the Seminoles' 59-57 win over the Dolphins on the road. "We were up late and had to fight to get the win. If I remember correctly, we were up by about 10 with under two minutes to play and we won by two.
"It's the kind of toughness I want my teams to play with during my coaching career."
Loucks totaled two points and two steals in 12 minutes played for Florida State in his collegiate playing debut as he helped Florida State to seven straight wins to open the 2008-09 season.
As he prepares for his first game as the Seminoles' head coach on Tuesday, November 4, at 7:00 p.m. against Alcorn State at the Donald L. Tucker Center, many of those same feelings he felt as a player are streaming back into his consciousness.
"I remember being really nervous before my first game against Jacksonville," said Loucks. "I'm sure I'll have many of those same feelings as tip off approaches on Tuesday. I'm a competitor; always have been and always will be. I want our team to play well for Florida State University and our great fans. That's why our staff has worked so incredibly hard since the day we took this job."
Loucks is just the second Florida State alumnus to coach the Seminoles men's basketball team. Hugh Durham, a Hall of Fame Seminoles player who also coached Florida State during his career, was the first.
Tickets are available for Loucks' Florida State coaching debut at Seminoles.com. The game will be streamed on ACCNX and can be heard on the Seminole Radio Network with Jeff Culhane and Adrian Crawford. Tickets for Florida State students are free -- they can be claimed here.
As Loucks makes his debut as the eighth coach in Florida State basketball history against Alcorn State, he looks to become the eighth Seminole coach to win his coaching debut. That streak began in 1947 when Don Loucks (no relation) led his first Florida State team to a 39-36 win over Spring Hill College on December 10, 1947, in the first basketball game in Florida State history.
He'll be just the second coach to direct the Seminoles from the sideline in the last 24 years as he took over for the legendary Leonard Hamilton, who coached Loucks as a player from 2009-12.
"There's a lot to be encouraged by," said Loucks. "I want our players to play free. I want them to shoot when they are open, and most importantly I want them to share the ball offensively and create great shots every time down the court."
Loucks has initiated an up-tempo style of play on both offense and defense. The Seminoles averaged 96.5 point scored and limited their opponents to .265 shooting from the 3-point line (17 of 64) in their exhibition games against Alabama and Florida A&M.
"I'm asking a lot of these guys," said Loucks. "This is a pace and a style that most have never played. But it's not just the offense. It's the defense, too. We're speeding teams up. We're constantly trapping. We're running and hitting."
Loucks quickly acknowledges the incredible adjustments his group of 14 players is making as they prepare for the upcoming season.
"Our players are going to have to adjust like you saw in the preseason, or we won't make shots we should be making. I know these guys can shoot. They show it every day in practice. They show it in the drills, they've shown it on their previous teams. But part of that conditioning level is when you feel tired and your lungs are burning to still step up and make open shots."
With 11 newcomers (four freshmen and seven transfers) on his first Florida State roster, Loucks sees incredible improvement every day in practice, and certainly in the first two exhibition games.
"We still have so much room to grow," said Loucks. "I like our pace on offense. I think we've got another notch to how fast we can play. I like that they are embracing their freedom on offense. On defense we have a good level of tenacity; an urgency on defense which I like. I want to speed up the offense and I want to disrupt on defense."
Loucks will count on each member of his roster to provide leadership throughout his first season as the Seminoles are scheduled to play one of the toughest schedules in the nation.
"We don't have a captain and that's by design," said Loucks. "I want this group to win and to learn together."
Loucks, though, was quick to pinpoint his senior class as all taking on a leadership role.
"This is a new group and we've got 11 new players," said Loucks. "All of these guys as seniors – Robert McCray has done a great job, Kobe MaGee has done a great job, Lajae Jones has done a great job, Chauncey Wiggins has done a great job, Alex Steen has done a great job, Shah Muhammad has done a great job.
"All of the seniors are taking that leadership aspect on as a group which I love."
While Loucks will have his team prepared for its season opener against Alcorn State, he is most looking forward to leading his team into a packed Tucker Center on Tuesday night.
"We need our great fans to Pack the Tuck every time we play," said Loucks. "Our fans are the heartbeat of our program and we need them to fill the seats."
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