Florida State University Athletics
Seminoles Play Host To Georgia In ACC/SEC Challenge
12/1/2025 10:01:00 AM | Men's Basketball
TALLAHASSEE – While Florida State's 3-point shooting numbers have necessarily gained much of the national attention for the Seminoles through the first month of the season, it's another statistic that is turning heads as the team turns up the defensive heat in Luke Loucks' first season as head coach.
Florida State attempted 41 3-point field goals against Texas A&M in its most recent game -- a total which ranks as the third highest for 3-point field goals attempted in school history. Three of Florida State's totals this season (49 vs. Georgia Southern, 47 vs. Alabama State, and 41 against Texas A&M) broke the school record (entering the 2025-26 season) of 39 3-point shots attempted by the Seminoles at Wichita State on March 17, 2004, in the first round of the NIT.
Additionally, the Seminoles made 18 3-point field goals in their 101-64 win over Alabama State marking the third-highest total of 3-point shots made in a game in school history.
But it's in the steals category, too, that Florida State is piling up numbers which have also never been seen before in the history of the program as Georgia comes to the Donald L. Tucker Center for the third annual ACC/SEC Challenge. The game between the Seminoles and the Bulldogs is set for a 9:00 p.m. tip and can be seen on the ACC Network with Evan Lepler, Dan Bonner, and Jim Boeheim on the call.
The game can also be heard on the Seminole Sports Network with Jeff Culhane and Adrian Crawford.
Tickets are available for Tuesday's game at Seminoles.com. Tickets for Florida State students are free; they can be claimed here.
The first 1,000 fans will receive a mini replica of the Seminoles' 2012 ACC Championship banner that hangs in the rafters of the Tucker Center.
Florida State enters its game against Georgia ranked as the ACC leaders in steals with 83 (first) and with an 11.9 steals per game average (first). The Seminoles have totaled at least 10 steals in six of their first seven games, with their season-high of 19 steals coming in their 87-73 win over UT Martin (November 18).
The Seminoles' 11.9 steals per game average leads the ACC as does their turnover margin of +8.6. Florida State ranks as the only team in the ACC with a turnover margin of better than +5.3 per game. Florida State also led the ACC in steals during the 1992 (290 steals/9.4 spg), 2012 (265 steals/7.6 spg), 2020 (273 steals/8.8 spg), and 2024 seasons (305 steals/9.2 spg).
In both 2012 and 2020, the Seminoles won the ACC Championship.
"I go back to the summertime when we were building this team," said Loucks. "I kept saying that we are going to be able to win games on our offense and our shooting the way we constructed this roster."
But assistant coach Gerald Gillion continuously put a bug in Loucks' ear.
"I kept telling Coach Loucks that we were going to be pretty good on defense, too," said Gillion as the Seminoles began their preparations for Georgia. "I told him that in my collegiate experience, we had the potential to be a really good defensive team."
Loucks is a believer in his defensive coordinator.
"Now you are seeing it," said Loucks. "We have positional size and length, and we have guys with great anticipation with their hands. Gerald has a great feel for defense. He was a really good head coach at Chicago State for a reason. His teams have always been good defensively. Gerald is going to be an excellent head coach again really soon because of his approach defensively."
Florida State enters its game against Georgia tied for fourth in the nation with its 11.9 team steals per game average, and tied for 15th in total team steals (83).
The Seminoles are ranked first in the ACC in steals (83), first in the ACC in average steals per game (11.9 spg), first in the ACC in 3-point field goals made (86), first in the ACC in turnover margin (+8.6), second in the ACC in 3-point field goals made per game (12.3 3FGM/game), third in the ACC on offensive rebounds (14.4 orpg), fifth in the ACC in scoring (88.3 ppg), and fifth in the ACC in assists (18.0 apg).
"Everything we do on offense and defense is a group effort by our staff," said Gillion. "We are focused on bringing it on both ends of the court on every possession. The biggest thing that Coach Loucks demands is toughness and discipline on every possession, and that's what we all are concentrating on."
Sophomore Martin Somerville is ranked second in the ACC with a career-high 2.7 steals per game average. He totaled his career-high of five steals in the Seminoles' game against Texas A&M and has earned at least one steal in each of his first seven games at Florida State.
The Seminole newcomer has his own theory about his steals total.
"Getting steals gets us more possessions on offense," said Somerville. "Coach Loucks gives us the freedom to be aggressive on defense. Many of my steals are based off effort. Others are because I have quick hands and keep them active."
Somerville is one of three Seminoles (Robert McCray V, Somerville, and Kobe MaGee) who have all earned at least one steal in each of Florida State's first seven games of the season. All three – Somerville, second; MaGee, seventh; and McCray, eighth are also ranked in the top eight in the ACC for steals positioning Florida State as the only conference team with three players in the top 10 of the individual steals category.
The Seminoles have earned at least 10 steals in six of their first seven games of the season including in each of their last four. During that span of four games, the Seminoles have outscored their opponents by more than double the points (95-47). For the season, Florida State has 83 steals (1.9 spg) as compared to their opponents' steals total of 49 (7.0 spg).
Florida State attempted 41 3-point field goals against Texas A&M in its most recent game -- a total which ranks as the third highest for 3-point field goals attempted in school history. Three of Florida State's totals this season (49 vs. Georgia Southern, 47 vs. Alabama State, and 41 against Texas A&M) broke the school record (entering the 2025-26 season) of 39 3-point shots attempted by the Seminoles at Wichita State on March 17, 2004, in the first round of the NIT.
Additionally, the Seminoles made 18 3-point field goals in their 101-64 win over Alabama State marking the third-highest total of 3-point shots made in a game in school history.
But it's in the steals category, too, that Florida State is piling up numbers which have also never been seen before in the history of the program as Georgia comes to the Donald L. Tucker Center for the third annual ACC/SEC Challenge. The game between the Seminoles and the Bulldogs is set for a 9:00 p.m. tip and can be seen on the ACC Network with Evan Lepler, Dan Bonner, and Jim Boeheim on the call.
The game can also be heard on the Seminole Sports Network with Jeff Culhane and Adrian Crawford.
Tickets are available for Tuesday's game at Seminoles.com. Tickets for Florida State students are free; they can be claimed here.
The first 1,000 fans will receive a mini replica of the Seminoles' 2012 ACC Championship banner that hangs in the rafters of the Tucker Center.
Florida State enters its game against Georgia ranked as the ACC leaders in steals with 83 (first) and with an 11.9 steals per game average (first). The Seminoles have totaled at least 10 steals in six of their first seven games, with their season-high of 19 steals coming in their 87-73 win over UT Martin (November 18).
The Seminoles' 11.9 steals per game average leads the ACC as does their turnover margin of +8.6. Florida State ranks as the only team in the ACC with a turnover margin of better than +5.3 per game. Florida State also led the ACC in steals during the 1992 (290 steals/9.4 spg), 2012 (265 steals/7.6 spg), 2020 (273 steals/8.8 spg), and 2024 seasons (305 steals/9.2 spg).
In both 2012 and 2020, the Seminoles won the ACC Championship.
"I go back to the summertime when we were building this team," said Loucks. "I kept saying that we are going to be able to win games on our offense and our shooting the way we constructed this roster."
But assistant coach Gerald Gillion continuously put a bug in Loucks' ear.
"I kept telling Coach Loucks that we were going to be pretty good on defense, too," said Gillion as the Seminoles began their preparations for Georgia. "I told him that in my collegiate experience, we had the potential to be a really good defensive team."
Loucks is a believer in his defensive coordinator.
"Now you are seeing it," said Loucks. "We have positional size and length, and we have guys with great anticipation with their hands. Gerald has a great feel for defense. He was a really good head coach at Chicago State for a reason. His teams have always been good defensively. Gerald is going to be an excellent head coach again really soon because of his approach defensively."
Florida State enters its game against Georgia tied for fourth in the nation with its 11.9 team steals per game average, and tied for 15th in total team steals (83).
The Seminoles are ranked first in the ACC in steals (83), first in the ACC in average steals per game (11.9 spg), first in the ACC in 3-point field goals made (86), first in the ACC in turnover margin (+8.6), second in the ACC in 3-point field goals made per game (12.3 3FGM/game), third in the ACC on offensive rebounds (14.4 orpg), fifth in the ACC in scoring (88.3 ppg), and fifth in the ACC in assists (18.0 apg).
"Everything we do on offense and defense is a group effort by our staff," said Gillion. "We are focused on bringing it on both ends of the court on every possession. The biggest thing that Coach Loucks demands is toughness and discipline on every possession, and that's what we all are concentrating on."
Sophomore Martin Somerville is ranked second in the ACC with a career-high 2.7 steals per game average. He totaled his career-high of five steals in the Seminoles' game against Texas A&M and has earned at least one steal in each of his first seven games at Florida State.
The Seminole newcomer has his own theory about his steals total.
"Getting steals gets us more possessions on offense," said Somerville. "Coach Loucks gives us the freedom to be aggressive on defense. Many of my steals are based off effort. Others are because I have quick hands and keep them active."
Somerville is one of three Seminoles (Robert McCray V, Somerville, and Kobe MaGee) who have all earned at least one steal in each of Florida State's first seven games of the season. All three – Somerville, second; MaGee, seventh; and McCray, eighth are also ranked in the top eight in the ACC for steals positioning Florida State as the only conference team with three players in the top 10 of the individual steals category.
The Seminoles have earned at least 10 steals in six of their first seven games of the season including in each of their last four. During that span of four games, the Seminoles have outscored their opponents by more than double the points (95-47). For the season, Florida State has 83 steals (1.9 spg) as compared to their opponents' steals total of 49 (7.0 spg).
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