Seminole Sunday Sauce — March 15, 2026: FSU Drops Heartbreaker to No. 1 Duke in ACC Quarterfinals
Florida State men’s basketball’s impressive finish to the 2025-26 season came up one shot short as the Seminoles fell to No. 1 Duke in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, 80-79.
Eighth-seeded FSU opened the ACC Tournament on Wednesday with a 95-89 win over No. 9 seed California in a contest not as close as the final score would indicate. The Seminoles shot 57% from the field, 13-for-28 from deep and forced 12 turnovers. FSU led by as many as 22 points in the second half.
Third-team All-ACC guard Robert McCray V shined, finishing with 30 points, five rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Lajae Jones, Chauncey Wiggins and Kobe MaGee added 15, 14 and 13 points, respectively. Dai Dai Ames finished with 27 points to lead the Golden Bears.
Against Duke on Thursday, FSU led 44-43 at halftime and by as many as eight points in the second half. Duke used a 19-2 run to take a 70-61 lead, but the Seminoles refused to roll over.
Jones led the comeback, scoring 12 of FSU’s final 16 points. Jones and Wiggins each hit shots to draw FSU to within one in the final minute-plus. After Alex Steen blocked Duke’s Cameron Boozer’s shot with nine seconds remaining, McCray was able to get a decent look at the buzzer to win, but his shot went long.
Jones led the Seminoles with 28 points. McCray added 25 points and four assists. Isaiah Evans led Duke with 32 points. Boozer added 23 points and 10 rebounds.
FSU left Charlotte with an 18-15 overall record and as winners in 11 of 15 games. The Seminoles won’t make the NCAA Tournament, but will find out on Sunday whether or not their season under first-year head coach Luke Loucks will continue in the NIT.
FOOTBALL
Recognitions: None
Commitments: None
Decommitments: None
2027 Recruiting Class Rank: No. 18 nationally, sixth in ACC* (5 total commitments)
Wrap-up: Spring practice is underway in Tallahassee. There will be no spring game this season.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Record: 18-15 (10-8 ACC)
Ranking: No. 8 seed ACC Tournament
Past Week: (1-1), beat California in ACC Tournament on Wednesday, 95-89; lost to Duke in ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, 80-79
Upcoming: TBA
Recognitions: Robert McCray V, G (All-ACC third team)
Commitments: None
Decommitments: None
2027 Recruiting Class Rank: N/A (0 total commitments)
Wrap-up: FSU made a strong impression in Charlotte. The Seminoles learn their NIT fate on Sunday.
WomEN’S BASKETBALL
Record: 10-21
Ranking: N/A
Past Week: Idle
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: Another season is in the books. FSU will look to bounce back from a rough season.
Swimming and Diving
Ranking: Men No. 13 CSCAA
Past Week: Completed in NCAA Zone Diving
Upcoming: NCAA Championships (Wednesday-March 28)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: The NCAA Championships will get underway this week, starting with the women.
Track and Field
Ranking: Men No. 68 USTFCCCA, No. 12 South Region; women No. 33 USTFCCCA, No. 6 South Region
Past Week: Men finished 53rd at NCAA Indoor Championships; women finished 25th
Upcoming: Terry Long FSU Relays (March 26-27)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: Shenese Walker is a national champion in the women’s 60 meters.
Men’s Tennis
Record: 8-9 (0-5 ACC)
Ranking: No. 53 ITA
Past Week: (0-2), lost to Wake Forest on Sunday, 4-3; lost to Clemson on Friday, 4-1
Upcoming: vs. Georgia Tech (Sunday); at Boston College (Thursday)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: A perceived contender when the season started, things have gone from bad to worse for FSU.
Women’s Tennis
Record: 4-9 (0-4 ACC)
Ranking: N/A
Past Week: (0-1), lost at Wake Forest on Sunday, 4-1
Upcoming: at Miami (Sunday); vs. Virginia (Friday)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: FSU is still looking for its first ACC victory.
Women’s Golf
Ranking: No. 24 WGCA Coaches
Past Week: Idle
Upcoming: Old Barnwell Intercollegiate Championship (Monday-Tuesday); Seminole Match Up (Friday-March 22)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: After two strong showings to begin the spring, FSU will head back to South Carolina.
Men’s Golf
Ranking: N/A
Past Week: Idle
Upcoming: Seminole Intercollegiate (Sunday-Tuesday)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: After opening March in Mexico, FSU prepares for its lone home tournament of the spring.
Softball
Record: 24-4 (2-0 ACC)
Ranking: No. 10 USA Softball; No. 11 D1Softball; No. 11 Softball America; No. 9 NFCA Coaches
Past Week: (4-0), beat Coastal Carolina on Sunday, 17-11; beat South Alabama on Wednesday, 8-4; beat Syracuse on Friday in five innings, 12-1; beat Syracuse on Saturday in five innings, 13-1
Upcoming: vs. Syracuse (Sunday); vs. Texas Tech (Wednesday); vs. California (Friday); vs. California (Saturday)
Recognitions: Isa Torres, SS (ACC Player of the Week)
Wrap-up: FSU has rolled to start ACC play. It will go for the sweep on Sunday.
Lacrosse
Record: 2-8 (0-6 ACC)
Ranking: N/A
Past Week: (0-2), lost to Virginia on Sunday, 15-7; lost to Virginia Tech on Saturday, 15-9
Upcoming: vs. Gardner-Webb (Wednesday); at Notre Dame (Saturday)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: FSU is experiencing growing pains as so many first-year programs.
Baseball
Record: 15-3 (2-0 ACC)
Ranking: No. 17 Baseball America; No. 15 Perfect Game; No. 20 D1Baseball; No. 15 USA TODAY Coaches; No. 15 NCBWA
Past Week: (3-1), beat Northern Kentucky on Sunday in seven innings, 17-3; lost at Florida on Tuesday, 6-3.; beat Wake Forest on Friday in seven innings, 10-0; beat Wake Forest on Saturday, 2-0
Upcoming: at Wake Forest (Sunday); vs. Bethune Cookman (Tuesday); vs. NC State (Friday); vs. NC State (Saturday)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: FSU has opened ACC play with a pair of road shutouts over a top-20 team.
Beach Volleyball
Record: 13-1 (0-1 Big 12)
Ranking: No. 7 AVCA
Past Week: (4-0), beat Stetson in Stetson Beach Blast on Wednesday, 4-1; beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in Stetson Beach Blast on Wednesday, 5-0; beat Florida Atlantic in Florida Atlantic Beach Invitational on Saturday, 4-1; beat USC in Florida Atlantic Beach Invitational on Saturday, 3-2
Upcoming: vs. Tampa (Sunday, Florida Atlantic Beach Invitational); vs. TCU (Sunday, Florida Atlantic Beach Invitational); vs. Grand Canyon (Friday, LSU East vs. West); vs. California (Friday, LSU East vs. West); vs. Boise State (Saturday, LSU East vs. West); vs. Arizona State (Saturday, LSU East vs. West)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: FSU notched its most impressive win of the season over No. 3 USC in Boca Raton.
*Recruiting rankings according to the 247Sports Composite rankings
- Mike Ferguson is the lead writer for Double Fries No Slaw. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson. For all of his work, “Like” or “Follow” Mike on Facebook.
