The Bracketology Report: Florida State

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Editor's note: Each week Bracketology Insider will take an in-depth look at teams headed for the NCAA Tournament ... or not.

Week in review
The excitement of an ACC season-opening win over Maryland (No. 38 RPI, No. 42 SOS) has not carried over into the New Year for Florida State (No. 50 RPI, No. 111 SOS to start the week). First came a loss at in-state rival Florida (No. 6 RPI, No. 5 SOS), just two days after the Seminoles football team lost to in-state rival Miami in the Orange Bowl. Then came Sunday's disappointing 58-53 home-court loss to North Carolina State (No. 32 RPI, No. 58 SOS).

Florida State was trying for only its second-ever 2-0 conference start, rallying for a 53-52 lead with 1:34 left on Al Thorton's 3-pointer. Ultimately, those would be the Seminoles' final points. N.C. State's Levi Watkins hit a 3 of his own 30 seconds later, and the Wolfpack finished off its 10th straight win over FSU at the free throw line.

Coming up
Even for mid-January, Florida State faces an important road trip this week, beginning Tuesday night at Clemson (No. 56 RPI, No. 17 SOS). The Seminoles were winless away from home in the ACC a year ago, including a 14-point loss at Littlejohn Coliseum. In fact, the Seminoles haven't won an ACC road game since a March 3, 2001, victory at Clemson. The Tigers have been beaten handily in their first two ACC contests, but that was against Duke and Wake Forest, two clubs in the RPI Top 15.

FSU continues the move north on Sunday when it visits Virginia (No. 36 RPI, No 50 SOS). Tim Pickett scored 21 points in last season's 85-72 loss at UVa, but the Seminoles were never closer than 10 in the second half. Florida State returned the favor a month later, beating Virginia 73-59 in Tallahassee behind 32 points from Pickett, the Seminoles' leading scorer this season.

"Bubble trouble"
The Seminoles are No. 69 this week on The Bracketology Report national seeding chart. This puts Florida State four spots away from the projected NCAA field and among the dreaded "Last Four Out" this week.

At this point, the win over Maryland is the only significant line on the FSU résumé. No NCAA at-large bid comes to Tallahassee until the Seminoles reverse their recent road fortunes in the ACC.

Season breakdown (12-3, 1-1)
All RPI data through Monday, Jan. 12

Date     Opponent              Result    Opp.RPI   Opp.SOS
11/21    Maine                 69-49       252       317
11/24    Georgetown-Ky. (NAIA) 81-67       N/A       N/A
11/26    Nicholls State        99-54       307       245
11/28    So. Carolina St.      81-46       258       270
12/1     Northwestern          71-53       161        149
12/3     Mississippi           66-60       101        135
12/6     Fairleigh Dickinson   83-46       168        185
12/14    @ Miami, Fla.         67-58       151        246
12/18    N-Wagner              83-62       273        201
12/20    N-Chicago St.         47-42       261        137
12/22    @ Pittsburgh          56-63 (L)   24         151
12/28    Maryland              79-75       38         42
12/30    @ Stetson             87-72       215        30
1/3      @ Florida             73-87 (L)   6          5
1/11     N.C. State            53-58 (L)   32         58
1/13     @ Clemson                         56         17
1/18     @ Virginia                        36         50
1/22     North Carolina                    4          3
1/25     Wake Forest                       12         107
1/29     Duke                              9          34
2/1      Savannah State                    286        153
2/3      Georgia Tech                      22         40
2/8      @ Maryland                        38         42
2/10     @ N.C. State                      32         58
2/14     Clemson                           56         17
2/17     Virginia                          36         50
2/21     @ North Carolina                  4          3
2/25     @ Wake Forest                     12         107
2/29     Duke                              9          34
3/6      @ Georgia Tech                    22         40
3/11     ACC TOURNAMENT

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Charlie Creme | email

Women's College Basketball

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Charlie Creme projects the women's NCAA Tournament bracket for ESPN.com.