Florida State University Athletics
Tuesday, December 30
Chapel Hill, NC
7:00 PM
Florida State
at
North Carolina
Seminoles, McCray V Begin ACC Play At North Carolina On Tuesday
12/29/2025 10:46:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Florida State's Robert McCray V begins ACC play on Tuesday looking to become the first Seminole to lead the conference in assists. He enters Tuesday's game against the Tar Heels at the Dean E. Smith Center averaging a career-high 7.1 assists per game.
The Seminoles' starting point guard is also chasing history as only 19 players in the storied history of the ACC have led the league in assists with averages of 7.0 assists per game or more. The first to do it was the legendary Tar Heel Phil Ford, who averaged 7.0 assists per game running the Tar Heels' offense for the man whose name is on the building where the Seminoles will play on Tuesday night. The most recent is Markell Johnson of NC State who averaged a league-best 7.3 assists in 2013.
McCray V enters Tuesday's game against North Carolina tied as the ACC leader and tied for seventh nationally with his career-high 7.1 assists per game average. He has 92 assists in his first 13 games as a Seminole.
The Seminoles' game against the Tar Heels begins at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2. Davie O'Brien and Cory Alexander will handle the call for the worldwide leader in sports television. The game can also be heard on the Seminole Sports Network with Jeff Culhane and Adrian Crawford behind the microphones.
McCray V totaled 10 assists in the Seminoles' most recent victory over Jacksonville on December 22. His performance against Jacksonville allowed him to become the first player in Florida State history with four games of double-figure assists in the same season. His other double figure assists games came in Florida State's season opener against Alcorn State (17, November 4 in Tallahassee, Fla.), against Texas A&M (11, November 28 in Tampa, Fla.), and against UMass in the Orange Bowl Classic (11, December 13 in Sunrise, Fla.).
But for the soft-spoken McCray V, it's not about double-figure assists or scoring totals, it's about the love of the game of basketball and playing with his teammates.
"I'm looking forward to continuing to compete against the best teams in the country," said McCray shortly before the Seminoles boarded their team plane for Tobacco Road. "Competing in the ACC and having the joy of playing with my teammates is what I have been focused on throughout this season."
McCray V has built his assists total in the first 13 games of the season against one of the more formidable schedules in the nation. He has built his total against nationally ranked Florida, Georgia and Houston. The Seminoles' upcoming ACC schedule includes North Carolina and Duke (in consecutive games this week) as well as Virginia (which has been ranked in the nation's top 25 in each of the last four weeks) and Cal, Clemson, Miami, and NC State (who are all receiving votes in this week's national polls).
Florida State's record for assists in an ACC game is 13 by Delvon Arrington against Georgia Tech on January 9, 1999. The Seminoles' record for assists in an ACC Tournament game is 13 by Seminole head coach Luke Loucks against North Carolina in the championship game of the 2012 ACC Tournament on March 11, 2012 in Atlanta.
If anybody knows what McCray is facing in his quest to lead the ACC in assists, it's Loucks, his head coach at Florida State.
"I continue to be impressed with Rob's court vision" said Loucks following McCray's 10-assist performance against Jacksonville. "I know he's top 10 in the nation in assists right now. He should be No. 1 by five miles, but we've just got to knock down the open shots that he's creating for our guys. He's doing an unbelievable job putting the ball on time and on target for his shooters around him."
As the Seminoles' starting point guard on Florida State's 2012 ACC Championship team, Loucks knows point guards and how to play the position.
Loucks is ranked 10th in Florida State history with 391 assists. Loucks ranked third in the ACC in assists in leading the Seminoles with 152 assists and a career-high 4.3 assists per game average in 2012.
"Rob is the first player in school history with four double-digit assists games in a single season and we have 18 games remaining," said Loucks. "It shows how well he is distributing the ball, especially for a guy who was considered a score first combo guard coming out of Jacksonville. He's truly taken on that point guard position and run with it."
McCray V will play in his second career game against North Carolina and his ninth career ACC game on Tuesday night in Chapel Hill. He played in eight ACC games while at Wake Forest during the 2021-22 season, including earning three minutes of playing time (one rebound) in the Deacons' 98-76 loss to the Tar Heels at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C.
"During a game, I don't realize what my statistics are," said McCray V. "Unless one of the coaches tells me, my totals aren't anything I pay attention to. I don't play the game for numbers or accolades."
His school record total of 17 assists against Alcorn State is the second-highest total for assists in a single game in the nation this season. Quion Wiliams of Arkansas Pine Bluff totaled 18 assists on December 17.
"I feel like being one of the nation's leaders in assists allows me to show the country that I can be a good point guard," said McCray V. "I feel like I am a good point guard and that I can be good at many other things on the court. What I want to be the most is a leader for my teammates."
Ford, who is considered to be the greatest point guard in ACC history, will have an extra interest in studying Florida State's McCray V in the Smith Center on Tuesday night.
"I'll be there watching," said Ford. "To be the ACC leader in assists will take great teammates and great coaching."
Fortunately for McCray V he has both on his side – a great coach and great teammates.
The Seminoles' starting point guard is also chasing history as only 19 players in the storied history of the ACC have led the league in assists with averages of 7.0 assists per game or more. The first to do it was the legendary Tar Heel Phil Ford, who averaged 7.0 assists per game running the Tar Heels' offense for the man whose name is on the building where the Seminoles will play on Tuesday night. The most recent is Markell Johnson of NC State who averaged a league-best 7.3 assists in 2013.
McCray V enters Tuesday's game against North Carolina tied as the ACC leader and tied for seventh nationally with his career-high 7.1 assists per game average. He has 92 assists in his first 13 games as a Seminole.
The Seminoles' game against the Tar Heels begins at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2. Davie O'Brien and Cory Alexander will handle the call for the worldwide leader in sports television. The game can also be heard on the Seminole Sports Network with Jeff Culhane and Adrian Crawford behind the microphones.
McCray V totaled 10 assists in the Seminoles' most recent victory over Jacksonville on December 22. His performance against Jacksonville allowed him to become the first player in Florida State history with four games of double-figure assists in the same season. His other double figure assists games came in Florida State's season opener against Alcorn State (17, November 4 in Tallahassee, Fla.), against Texas A&M (11, November 28 in Tampa, Fla.), and against UMass in the Orange Bowl Classic (11, December 13 in Sunrise, Fla.).
But for the soft-spoken McCray V, it's not about double-figure assists or scoring totals, it's about the love of the game of basketball and playing with his teammates.
"I'm looking forward to continuing to compete against the best teams in the country," said McCray shortly before the Seminoles boarded their team plane for Tobacco Road. "Competing in the ACC and having the joy of playing with my teammates is what I have been focused on throughout this season."
McCray V has built his assists total in the first 13 games of the season against one of the more formidable schedules in the nation. He has built his total against nationally ranked Florida, Georgia and Houston. The Seminoles' upcoming ACC schedule includes North Carolina and Duke (in consecutive games this week) as well as Virginia (which has been ranked in the nation's top 25 in each of the last four weeks) and Cal, Clemson, Miami, and NC State (who are all receiving votes in this week's national polls).
Florida State's record for assists in an ACC game is 13 by Delvon Arrington against Georgia Tech on January 9, 1999. The Seminoles' record for assists in an ACC Tournament game is 13 by Seminole head coach Luke Loucks against North Carolina in the championship game of the 2012 ACC Tournament on March 11, 2012 in Atlanta.
If anybody knows what McCray is facing in his quest to lead the ACC in assists, it's Loucks, his head coach at Florida State.
"I continue to be impressed with Rob's court vision" said Loucks following McCray's 10-assist performance against Jacksonville. "I know he's top 10 in the nation in assists right now. He should be No. 1 by five miles, but we've just got to knock down the open shots that he's creating for our guys. He's doing an unbelievable job putting the ball on time and on target for his shooters around him."
As the Seminoles' starting point guard on Florida State's 2012 ACC Championship team, Loucks knows point guards and how to play the position.
Loucks is ranked 10th in Florida State history with 391 assists. Loucks ranked third in the ACC in assists in leading the Seminoles with 152 assists and a career-high 4.3 assists per game average in 2012.
"Rob is the first player in school history with four double-digit assists games in a single season and we have 18 games remaining," said Loucks. "It shows how well he is distributing the ball, especially for a guy who was considered a score first combo guard coming out of Jacksonville. He's truly taken on that point guard position and run with it."
McCray V will play in his second career game against North Carolina and his ninth career ACC game on Tuesday night in Chapel Hill. He played in eight ACC games while at Wake Forest during the 2021-22 season, including earning three minutes of playing time (one rebound) in the Deacons' 98-76 loss to the Tar Heels at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C.
"During a game, I don't realize what my statistics are," said McCray V. "Unless one of the coaches tells me, my totals aren't anything I pay attention to. I don't play the game for numbers or accolades."
His school record total of 17 assists against Alcorn State is the second-highest total for assists in a single game in the nation this season. Quion Wiliams of Arkansas Pine Bluff totaled 18 assists on December 17.
"I feel like being one of the nation's leaders in assists allows me to show the country that I can be a good point guard," said McCray V. "I feel like I am a good point guard and that I can be good at many other things on the court. What I want to be the most is a leader for my teammates."
Ford, who is considered to be the greatest point guard in ACC history, will have an extra interest in studying Florida State's McCray V in the Smith Center on Tuesday night.
"I'll be there watching," said Ford. "To be the ACC leader in assists will take great teammates and great coaching."
Fortunately for McCray V he has both on his side – a great coach and great teammates.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballBehind the Mic | FSU Men's Basketball LIVE
Tuesday, December 23
Men's Basketball vs Jacksonville University - Post Game Press Conference
Tuesday, December 23
Women's Basketball South Carolina State- Post Game Press Conference
Saturday, December 20
Men's Basketball vs Mississippi Valley State - Post Game Press Conference
Saturday, December 20