the seminoles. >> rich: we're in hey cma macon georgia. home of the bears. the bears are stone cold right how. >> dan: they're taking poor shots right at the moment. but that's what good defense does, it takes you into taking difficult opportunities. >> rich: 2-21 is her ser. a couple of upsets last year. they had georgia tech on the ropes and lost in overtime down here last keer. bob hoffman's team looking forward to this ball game with florida state. it's homecoming. the place has been sold out for in some time. practice state has shot well. kitchen, alabi. a where he restling match.

and mercer wins it. jenkins pulls it away. blocked. eighth block. alabi got a piece. free throws coming up. bran do th brandon moore challenging alabi. >> dan: when you have that number of steals, you expect to be able to get back and get easy opportunities, but the seminoles doing a great job getting back and set on defense. first the blocked shot and then the foul. leopard hamilton asked for a time-out. i don't think he's pleased with the way his team is playing on the offensive end either. too many turnover, too many difficult shots. >> rich: i would agree. five turnovers. but when you block a shot, that can gloss over many mistakes on the floor. >> dan: and florida state is one of those kind of teams where when they're blocking shots, for the first part, the balls are staying in play and they're going down on the other end with

it. so they've done a nice job with the defense, although as i mentioned, i don't think lenl arrested hamilton is pleased with the efficiency on offense. we mentioned eight blocked shots. alabi has three of them. reid has two. singleton has two. this is a team that is not just one guy who you have to look for blocking shots. keep in mind that al that bi-is 7'1" and reid is 6'8" and singleton is 6'9" and gibson is 6'11". that is really some tough ticket in there if you're trying to get to the basket. >> rich: look at that. first free throw is up from brandon moore. the bear just 1-4 from the free-throw line. and they're in their home gym.

swann, a freshman, with the ball. florence on the bench. >> dan: this and he not a between opportunity right there. >> rich: kitchen. stripped. alabi trailing and he's fouled and goes down hard. >> dan: moore was thought allowed to let him get that ball up to the basket. alabi wieaving his way off the floor. ( thumping ) ( rhythm clappin) ( anting )

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>> rich: 17-7 florida state on top. mercer has gone five minutes without a field got right now. >> dan: they're 2-23. but the amazing thing is,

they're only done by ten points. if they could make a couple of basket, they're right in the game. >> rich: florida state has turned it over five times. seminole basketball. singleton. and kusnver. sipping bell top finds reid. nice look. reid with a couple of buckets. biggest lead of the ball game. james florence is back in. he's handling the basketball. >> dan: oh, my. >> rich: emerson. yikes. that should count for two missed shots. >> dan: the size is simply intimidating. that's all you can say. and now the bear defense has had a couple of break downs. some easy looks for florida state on the last two possessions. >> rich: kitchen with the score.

florence. and they're really pushing it. >> dan: smith should have passed that ball if to corner. you have to move the basketball. you're just not going to get anything putting the ball down and trying to force your way to the basket. the size and athleticism just too much. you have on to make the commission he is commit and find the open man and kusnver was open, but smith didn't see him. >> rich: 2-25 from the field, 2-12 from i don't understand the arc. this is kusnver. florence waits for a screen. and there's a three that goes. >> dan: that will help. >> rich: first of the ball game

for kusnver. now per is he needs a stop. alabi -- >> dan: good heavens. how did he make that shot? >> rich: moore with a hand in his face. >> dan: you take a quick shot against a team like florida state, they come down and they get an easy one. you can't allow florida state to have easy opportunities because i you're impatient on offense. >> rich: and now the lead is 1 . under six minutes left. first half. emerson off the dribble. from the corner. hits the three. and right now, it's a blowout.

29-10 florida state. i don't think anybody saw this coming. with a mercer team that is used to going up against big named teams. used to beating them, used to playing them tough. but not here this afternoon. >> dan: big name teams are one thing and beg teams are another. and this is a huge team it for florida state. their defense has really set the tone and now they're starting to knock down shots from the perimeter in rans six. >> rich: you go back to last year and you look at florida state, they were known as a very good half court defensive team. but so much of the focus was on toney douglas because he was such a great lock down defender. leonard hamilton told us before the ball game, he said, looking douglas is gone, we've moved past that. you'll find that we've got guys that can play defense, you just don't know with it. people didn't talk about them last year because they spent so much team talking about did

douglas. hall back in the ball game for mercer. jenkinss. and hall. hall misses the three. and a walk. foul before the walk? one official had a walk, one official had a foul. >> dan: foul will be against gibson. although it did look like a wall. >> rich: jenkins the beneficiary of the call.

>> dan: bob hoffman questioning why that was not a shooting foul. >> rich: 3-29 from the field for the bears. hits the three. >> dan: that was great ball movement that time. >> rich: on the drive, jor dap demercy is fouled. the odd thing about mercer, they're 4-30. all four of their made field goals are threes. >> dan: they can't get inside

that three point line with all those long, long arms. they take it inside the three point line, they get it blocked. they've had eight shots blocked. >> rich: demercy, the junior. >> dan: but you're right, how often do we see a team go this deep in a basketball game without making a two point field goal. >> rich: five minutes left in the first half. gibson kept it alive. per is he has the loose ball. well, sort of. and now they cough it up. michael snaer. florida state give it is right back. both coaches a little uncomfortable with that sequence. >> dan: not the way the coaches draw it up and not the way they imagined it. a little sloppy to say the least. but it's early. it's early in the basketball

seaso season. >> rich: mercer came in 3-1, played well up at providence. pulkauninkas missed the three. the follow by hall. jenkins. mercer hasn't quit. >> dan: they are playing with a tremendous amount of energy. and it's very hard to maintain that energy when the ball is not going in the basket, so you really have to give a lot of credit to the mercer bears. they just really do a great job and jep kips, michael jenkins, number 15, has come in the game and really helped with an infusion of some passion here. has done a great job at passing the basket.

>> rich: bears still have a lot of big names on their schedule. back to up at georgia tech. 15 point game. 25 point gail. it alive. three. nice. their, the freshman. >> dan: seminole disa great job finding the open map. times they've done a great job with the passing. >> rich: not sure if that will go as a block or just a strip. but sending gel ton in the middle of it.

leonard hamilton has to be happy with his team's defense. they've used defense to fuel the offense. and michael snaer finish this is one with a three.

>> rich: single top ton has had quite a stat line. >> dan: he always has a great stat line. we showed you the blocked shot.

now here's one of the assist. single ton is a guy that has a complete game. two blocked shots, these assists officially. so far. this guy has become a facilitate information florida state. the ball moves through him very effectively. you can find the open man, make plays both on the offensive and defensive end. shall guys when they catch it the ball stops. this by keeps going and finding open guys. >> rich: we'll see what mercer has drawn up. not a full shot clock to work with. jenkins. got his rebound. i think alabi got a piece of it. mercer keeps it alive. alabi runs it down.

demercy. alabi goes down in a heap. mercer ball. >> dan: that was into the good pans on the inside trying to spin that bounce pass in there. got a little complicated. >> rich: pulkauninkas thought about a three. alabi gets the reach. there are three nba scouts in the building here to see alabi. singleton is on the list and a couple of them said they want to's james flr rens play, orenc well, for the mercer bears. kusnver coming back in along teammates and james florence is back on the floor. >> dan: one of the keys for the bears is to make threes and avoid turnovers. >> rich: their two leading scorer, florence and kusnver, who it together are averaging 35 a game, are 2-14 combined.

this is kusnver. and this is florence. not too many guys in the atlantic sun like singleton and him right now. it will stay with mercer. the shot clock at 19. >> dan: kusnver doesn't get any easier. singleton's guard, he switches off, but who winds up on kusnver? that's jordan demercy with long arms, 6'7", very athletic, as well. just very, very tough for the bears to find any room at all to get shots. this is a very, very impressive defensive display by the florida state seminoles. >> rich: kitchen back in. we'll see loucks sit down.

a quiet ball game so far for daniel emerson, as well. mercer coughs it up for the eighth time. good look. and gibson flushes from single top who continue it is to fill up that stat line. fourth assist. >> dan: he threw the ball in a perfect spot for xavier gibson. perfect not only for the catch but to make the lay after the catch. >> rich: kusnver unloads. long on the three. he's 1-8 from the field. kitchen. snaer is fouled and he'll get free throws. >> dan: we've seen florida state effective from the three point range, but gibson does a great job getting position inside. getting position inside is only a small part of it. your guys on the outside have to find you at the optimum moment. that's certainly what chris singleton did on that particular

play. >> rich: snaer gets free throws. >> dan: lots of times big guys are effective inside, not because they get great position, but inside you only have great position for a fraction of a second. you have to get the ball when you have that position before all that highly depends on your guys on the perimeter finding you. >> rich: right in our our crack research staff efforting to find out if this is the worst shooting half in mercer back history. 4-36. make it 5-37. and all 5 have been threes. >> dan: 1:40 remaining in the about first half and the bears haven't made a two point basket. >> rich: smar. gibson. and it stays with florida state.

we saw a guy last night, mill top jennings, a freshman, long and mean and athletic for clemson. and a foul on kusnver on a reach. jennings would fit right in with this bunch with dwib sgibson an singleton. lo long, lean. >> dan: they have enough guyses who can shoot threes. if you want your 6'11" guys down. >> rich: deper is he hdeper is e hits the free throw. >> dan: keep in mind this is a

florida state team that helped set so that get ten points in a half. just smothering defensive effort. >> rich: impressive stuff. jordan in the ball gaem for florida state. florence down the lane. he lost it. it's mercer ball. good hustle by kitchen, the junior out of jark somebodyville. one thing about this florida state team, they went to the ncaa attorney the last year, they have just one senior on their roster. and that's ryan reid. so when leonard hamilton talks about building a program, it's pretty evident. kitchen the lone junior in the starting five. and then you got three kitchen a nice lead pass and blocked from behind was snaer.

he's going back to the free-throw line. >> dan: turnovers start to go beco starting to become a problem for the bears. court very well. tough, tough first half for mercer. >> rich: snaer i guess the surprise recruit of the freshman class for florida state. seminole coaches talked about is. you don't often hear that about guys that come in as great scorers in high school. you see kevin swap come in, with you snaer a very good on-ball defender. mrk donald's almcdone al'ald's

all-american out of so you were california. 20 point lead. final minute. will mercer hit a two point shot before this half expires? they have not done it yet. 5-37 from the field, all five have been three point shots. shot clock running down. jenkins in trouble. and a foul by kitchen bails mercer out at the end of the shot clock. >> dan: the big guys inside for florida state with their eight blocked shots have really taken away any inside play by the mercer bears. they've pushed the ball to the perimeter and now the seminoles doing a great job with pressure. mercer can't really get anything offense. can't get anything set up. >> rich: and mercer can't shoot

free throws either. what a woeful first half. >> dan: 5-37 from the field. 3-8 from the free throw line. >> rich: eight turnovers. they've had eight shots blocked. kitchen. and a foul out high. jeff smith on the reach. >> dan: bears still playing very, very hard trying to turn up the pressure on the ball. they have four steals in the first half, but what they discovered was they weren't able to get easy baskets as a result because the seminoles got down so quickly, blocked a couple shots. >> rich: and kitchen hits both free throws. junior out of jacksonville.

up the floor. and another turnover. 2.6 seconds left. mercer will go the entire half without hitting a two point shot. and a heave from half court. an incredible defensive exhibition from practice state. bb hoffman and the mercer bears are stunned right now. so is this homecoming crowd. they came to watch the bears, they came to see an upset. what they saw is a great first what they saw is a great first ha

what they saw is a great first ha in 1977, in johannesburg, south africa, an 8-year-old boy picked up the game of golf from his father. by the age of 9, he was already outplaying him. the odds of this gentle lad winning the junior world golf championships at the age of 14? 1 in 16 million. the odds of that same boy then making it to the u.s. and european pro-golf tours? 1 in 7 million. the odds of the "big easy" winning the open championship once and the u.s. open championship twice? 1 in 780 million. the odds of this professional golfer having a child diagnosed with autism? 1 in 150.

ernie els encourages you to learn the signs of autism at autismspeaks.org. early diagnosis can make a lifetime of difference. >> rich: university center. it's halftime. florida state up 40-18. and sometimes statistics don't tell the whole story, but evening if you look at the stats

from the first half, great defense from florida state. >> the seminoles have brked eight sh blocked eight shots and it's hard to score if you're having all your shots blocked. eight blocked shots really relate to that field goal percentage from mercer. 14%. we talked about the fact that they needed to make threes and they make five, but those were the only field goals they made and that blocked shot a key stat for florida state. and it's been up and down the board. chris singleton blocked three -- excuse me, two, solomon blocked three. ryan reid blocked a shot. so they've had a number of different guys blocking shots. they've made life very difficult inside for mercer. just a very, very good defensive effort. >> rich: and chris singleton with a couple blocks and eight points, four assists and has

eight rebounds, as well. he's a little bit of everything, mr. singleton. and florida state is up big 40-18. ♪ i always feel like ♪ here, it's easy...rit's rigt ♪ somebody's watching me. ...it's the money you could be saving with geico.

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>> rich: 40-18. florida state on on top of mercer at the half. we thought this was going to be a tight game.

florida state certainly a defensively a terrific first half. i guess if you're an acc coach at home watching this, you got to sit up and take notice of this first half. up and take notice of the fact that you to think of something to do to score against florida state ball inside very well. very interesting year in the atlantic coast conference and i think the florida state seminoles are sort teams in the a acc, a lot of talent but a lot of question marks, as well. >> rich: if you look at the preseason projections, florida state who finished fourth last year has fallen all the way to seventh. >> dan: of course this is just the writers an sports ca sports casters giving their best projections. if you go down the line, let's those teams have lost key guys,

back. roles in the past and have to play increased role. they have receipt good freshmen classes. so, again, these are teams with a lot of question marks, but there. as we've seen in time. >> rich: a good question for you acc fans out there. in the last four year he ises, in acc? i think a lot of people, broadcasters, would realize that florida state is fourth on that list. in the last four year, they are fourth in wins behind carolina, duke and clemson. and i think for leonard hamilton, last year was finally a shvalidation of what he has built. >> dan: and florida state went to the ncaa tournament, have had

some very close call, did a great job upsetting north carolina in the semifinals to advance to the tournament championship game for the first time where they lost to duke. ten wins in the conference the first time since 1993. good year, but a coach the year hamilton. >> rich:ic he's getting tired of the question who will replace toney douglas and he answered it to us probably four or five guys will have to replace him. >> dan: it's one of those things where toney douglas, it's not like he had an outstanding freshman year as then as a surprise turned professional. he was a seen why are. they expected him to graduate. they 45d such a great year. the best record in the ncaa in close games. and toney douglas was a big factor in that particular equation. and they have a lot of pieces, they just have to find out how to put them hogue. >> rich: the pieces were impressive here in the first half especially defensively. and a miserable shooting half by

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>> rich: mercer university, florida state has dominated not only defensively, but they've shot the ball well. 40-18 at the half. florida state 6-9 from beyond the arc. pulkauninkas has hit a kcouple those threes and they've scored inside, as well.

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>> rich: as if a first half where you shoot 4-32 wasn't bad enough for mercer, they got an unsportsmanlike call on their bench at the end of the half. so florida state will open the second half it at the free-throw line. just a nightmare of a ball game so far for bob hoffman and the mercer bears. >> dan: he makes the first one. it'll be charged as one team foul for mercer to begin the second half. and mercer, since it's their ball to start on the possession arrow, they'll get the ball to start the half. >> rich: what in the world can per is he do? >> dan: they have to make some shots. very simply, that sounds really stupid, but they've got to move the ball. we've seen a couple times in the

first half the florida state defense very aggressive on the ball. but once they get the ball movement in and out, side to side, they've been able to get some open jumpers and they've frequently knocked them down. >> rich: the shooting numbers are incredible. 4-17 from beyond the arc for mercer. 5-15 from inside the arc. th haven't hit a two yet. florence. the left hand. that misses. >> dan: there's a case where he had an open jump shot and passed it up and took the ball in to traffic. >> rich: and emerson misses his shot, as well. so the bears open the second half much like they did the first half, missing a kim shots. >> dan: another thing is tighten up on the defensive he said, force some turnovers. but florida state shows you the ball movement we've talked about and they get an easy one inside.

>> rich: 44-18. florida state on top. smith around the screen. kusnver and a whistle away from the ball. and james florence was flattened by kitchen. united states marine corps scoring leaders in this ball game, chris singleton already with ten points. mercer has five with just three. >> dan: five three point field goals made by five different guys. >> rich: florence. another miss on a three. put back. and it might be a goal tend. bob hoffman -- alabi got up. the ball was off glass. whether it was going down toward the cylinder or not, we'll take a look. watch the end of this play.

>> dan: that balm never got above the rim or it would have been a goal tend because if it's above the rim and it hits off the back word -- >> rich: it didn't have a chance to go this. >> dan: see, that's a play by mills where he gets the offense receive rebound and in most games under normal circumstance, you power the ball back up to the basket, but in this game, i'm not sure the best move isn't to kick it out and find an open three-point shooter. sometimes your best opportunity for a three point shot is in a scramble situation where everybody hasn't matched up with his man quite yet. >> rich: kitchen out there with singlet singleton. alabi is triple-teamed. gets sms space and scores. the skills that he has, amazing he did not play basketball until

he was 15. >> dan: he just battle that had one had to the basket. that's not veil. you just simply conditions be so stubborn that if you can't just take the ball and try to drive it to the basket. alabi gets the ball knocked away but stays after it and in spits of a triple-team get it is in the basket. >> rich: florence drawses contact. gave the fake and dulkys knows he's a good a florence trying to create an opportunity. perfect illustrate of their ability with their length and quickness to cover a great deal of area on the court. i talked to leonard hamilton and his concern wasn't with the

defense, his concern was his team he didn't position had done a good job running half court offense in the very two situations where they've had the opportunity to run half court offense. but i think that's simply a coach whose team has won two games by 40 points trying to find something wrong. and he's hit all free throws. coaching i think by definition are a half empty kind of guy. >> rich: that's their job. >> dan: absolutely. >> rich: kitchen lost his dribble. demercy. and a foul on the reach by jeff two minutes in, second half. >> dan: talk about that florida state defense. they've had three games thus far. third.

and then all their game, their opponents have scored 18 or fewer in the first half. >> rich: kitchen's lob was a little too strong for alabi. >> dan: now what? >> rich: kusnver will pick up his third personal. second team foul here in the alabi calling for the ball. you have alabi at 7'1" and echler son at 6'8" leaning on his back. emerson is as tough as you'll find in the atlantic sun conference. >> dan: alabi weighs 250, emerson at 235.

>> rich: kitchen. and there it is, dan. a that's the first two point shot that mercer has made in this ball game. kitchen back down the other he said. alabi. >> dan: that's quite a battle. >> rich: kitchen. >> dan: len hamilton not happy with that. >> rich: and a foul on brian a mills trying to get offensive position. >> dan: too much dribbling. you run a motion tight offense, you can't drib that he will ball that much unless you're going to the basket. picks it up and not too much opportunities in transition like that for mercer today. and florence capitalizes. >> rich: loucks in the ball game for florida state.

oh, finger rolls. and all the nba scouts that are here in attendance just went to their notebook and made a nice little notation about that finger roll. there's a floater. over alabi. singleton. >> dan: great pass. >> rich: demercy. >> dan: singleton has just shown throughout this season such sle excellent understanding of how to play basketball. >> rich: very high basketball i.q. singleton battling mills at the free-throw line. emerson gets by alabi and he's fouled by the big nigerian.

third personal. and they're going bring gibson in and alabi will sit down. >> dan: that's some pretty good depth right there. alabi comes out of the game and gibson comes in. two very athletic, very talented, very tall post players. >> rich: florence a lot of contact. no whistle. mercer will hang on to it. florence. launches the three a. . >> dan: he doesn't need a lot of room, which is good, because he hasn't had very much room. 25 point game. i think he said if you're going to hit one on me, i'm going to turn around and do the same

thing. he has a nice stroke. a sophomore. florence a little out of control. been fouled. scorers in the country. he and mercer have been cold in this one. florida state running away. ( umping ) ( rhytic clapping ) ( chanting ) ( shouting ) gatorade that's "g." now that it has a "thicker" more "chocolatey" shell?

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wakey, wakey. you up? what'd you dream about? me? jk. text me back. i'll keep texting till you wake up. are your parents home later? [overlapping] is it something i did? exclamation point. question mark. this isn't a joke. text me. >> rich: back inside university center. this place was built in 2005 and holds 3200. sold out for homecoming ch, whi so far has been spoiled by florida state. 53-28. mercer has struggled to say the least. look at these numbers. from inside the arc, 1-22. >> dan: that's hard to imagine. >> rich: michael snaer in the ball game for florida state. gibson out there, as well.

he edges the screen. moore. lost it. emerson. kick out. florence had the shot. >> dan: if you have the shot, you have to take it. you can't hesitate. >> rich: singleton gets the steal. singleton gets the lay-up. emerson has it and he'll get by singleton. singleton pokes it loose. good pass up ahead, but demercy cooperate roll it. >> dan: game getting a little sloppy right now. when you talk about hustle stats, one of the stats people always give is you offensive rebounding. mercer in this game has 20 offensive rebounds. he's missed a lot of shots obviously so a lot of rebounds

to be had. >> rich: they're 7-45 from the field. snaer picks up the foul. >> dan: gibson may actually have gotten that one. that would be ten blocked shots. the florida state record is 15. but you know they're driving the ball to the basket and trying to shoot it, that's not working. you have to try something else. moore runs down the loose ball. and pulkauninkas misses the three. that's where you get those offensive rebounds. emerson, beautiful shot. daniel emerson. >> dan: that's what we're talking about. muis the shot, you get the offensive rebound, you throw to

the outside, it forces the defense to react and there they get a nice pass back on the inside. slept ball movement that time by the bears. >> rich: six minutes in second half. loucks. gibson. couldn't follow. moore off to florence. trying to drive and dish. schmidt. >> dan: going to be difficult to get yourself offensive rebounding position. >> rich: snaer draws contact and michael snaer will go it the line. pulkauninkas actually on the contact and he gets the foul. in a state