ESPN Men's Basketball

1. Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton has no interest in the Illinois job, according to a source with direct knowledge of his plans. Hamilton declined to publicly comment. The source said Hamilton wants to stay at Florida State where he believes he will have a better team in 2013 than he had when he won the ACC tournament in 2012. The Seminoles, which lost to Cincinnati in the third round of the NCAA tournament, do lose key seniors Xavier Gibson, Luke Loucks, Deividas Dulkys and Bernard James. But the return of Michael Snaer and Ian Miller will secure the backcourt. Still Hamilton is firmly committed to staying at FSU where he has said he can finish his career in Tallahassee.

2. Butler coach Brad Stevens is enjoying the CBI and anticipates a semifinal matchup against Pitt that would be likened to an NCAA tournament game. “Pitt is healthy right now and playing well,’’ Stevens said Tuesday night. Stevens, who coached in consecutive national title games, said the CBI has done wonders for his team. “I look out on the court and see three freshmen and six guys in our top eight who are freshmen and sophomores,’’ Stevens said. “That’s why we’re not in the NCAA tournament. But we’re getting better and growing.’’ Still, it’s not easy for Stevens to watch the NCAAs. “It’s really hard,’’ Stevens said. “It’s never easy to watch.’’

3. A number of sources close to Northwestern’s Bill Carmody have wondered throughout the year if Carmody would return after the exhaustion of trying to get the Wildcats to the NCAAs. Still, the Wildcats have improved dramatically under Carmody and are always competitive. If he were to resign then the Wildcats would have to look at Duke associate coach Chris Collins, who is from Northbrook, Ill. Collins is ready to make a break from Duke and would do wonders back in his hometown.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Taking a look at the NCAA tournament third-round games on Sunday at Bridgestone Arena:

No. 12 seed South Florida (22-13) vs. No. 13 seed Ohio University (28-7), 7:10 p.m. ET

The long shots are always the best stories this time of year, the tiny universities that come out of nowhere to make a run in the NCAA tournament.

South Florida’s hardly a tiny university. But when you start thinking hoops and USF in the same breath, and then throw the Big East into the mix, it’s hard to find anybody who really thought the Bulls would be here.

Well, they’re here, and they face Ohio University on Sunday night for a chance to make it to their first Sweet 16.

Not bad for a team that was squarely on the bubble when the NCAA pairings came out and a team that lost to Penn State and Auburn earlier this season.

For that matter, it was hard to see any of this coming before the season. The Bulls finished 10-23 a year ago under Stan Heath, his third losing season at USF, and there were a lot of people wondering if this might be his last season.

The Big East coaches picked USF to finish 14^th out of 16 teams in the preseason.

Heath, who was fired at Arkansas after five seasons, had other ideas, and so did his team.

The Bulls scrapped their way to a 12-6 record in the Big East, their first winning conference record since joining the league in 2005. They squeezed into the NCAA tournament as one of the final teams in, and as a No. 12 seed, had to play in the first round in Dayton, Ohio.

They beat California late Wednesday night, traveled to Nashville on Thursday and then polished off Temple a day later, giving them their first two NCAA tournament wins in the program's history.

Even when their seed came out, the Bulls’ players were oblivious.

The only thing that mattered to them was that they were playing on college basketball’s biggest stage -- and they’re still playing.

“We’re just happy to be here, and we’re going to go out and play basketball, and regardless of what team we have in front of us, whatever the seed may be, that’s just a number,” USF senior forward Ron Anderson Jr. said. “At the end of the day, it’s just five guys going against five guys.”

Heath is no stranger to deep runs in the NCAA tournament. He worked under Tom Izzo at Michigan State and made three Final Four trips with the Spartans. Then as head coach at Kent State, Heath took the Golden Flashes to the Elite Eight in 2002.

That magical run got him the job at Arkansas, but he was ousted after five seasons.

He’s proving now in his fifth season at USF -- with the Bulls’ black-and-blue brand of defense and their unselfishness on offense -- that he hasn’t forgotten how to navigate his way through March.

“The kids are so excited to be here,” Heath said. “They’re so excited to be a part of the NCAA tournament, and now we’re in the third round. I just don’t see them not seizing this moment. I just don’t see it.”

Who to watch: Ohio junior guard D.J. Cooper. You might want to loosen up the old neck muscles, because Cooper is an absolute blur on the basketball court. He’s a 5-11, 165-pound left-hander who can shoot it from deep and beat pretty much anybody he wants off the dribble. When his outside shot is going, he’s almost impossible to defend. He doesn’t shoot a great percentage from the field (35 percent), but he's fearless when it comes to taking the ball to the basket and also knows how to get his teammates involved. If you haven’t had a chance to watch Cooper play much this season, do yourself a favor and keep your eye on No. 5. He’s a treat to watch play.

What to watch: The scoreboard. With the way these two teams play defense, it’s not a stretch to think that the first team to 55 may win. South Florida is big and physical, and the Bulls swarm opponents any time they get close to the paint. They held California to 13 points in the first half of their opening-round game and then suffocated Temple 58-44 on Friday. Ohio doesn’t have South Florida’s size or length, but the Bobcats are one of the best teams in the country at turning teams over. They forced an average of 17.7 turnovers per game during the season and held Michigan to 40.7 percent shooting on Friday in their 65-60 win over the Wolverines.

No. 3 seed Florida State (25-9) vs. No. 6 seed Cincinnati (25-10), 9:40 p.m. ET

One team came within a game of winning its conference tournament.

The other team did win its conference tournament.

Both teams will tell you that they play in the toughest hoops conference in the land.

It’s the ACC versus the Big East on Sunday night in the third round of the East Regional, and while their styles may not be exactly the same, Cincinnati and Florida State have the identical mentality when it comes to living to see another day in the NCAA tournament.

“You’ve got to train your guys to play with tremendous toughness,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said. “If you let some of these teams run their offense, they’re so good. The coaching is so good. The skill level is so sky-high. You’re going to give up baskets.

“You’ve got to be able to take people out of what they’re doing to try and create some easy baskets for your team, because it’s so hard to score on the other end.”

It’s a way of life in the Big East, according to the Cincinnati players.

“Every game, it’s like you’re playing for your life,” Cincinnati senior guard Dion Dixon said. “That’s why you see so many games come down to the end, and it’s not always pretty.

“But what it does is prepare you for this. One bad game, and you’re gone. Your back’s to the wall as soon as you step onto the court. That’s OK with us because we feel like we’re at our best when our backs are to the wall.”

The Bearcats’ only two losses since the middle of February were to a pair of teams still playing. They lost in the Big East tournament championship game to Louisville (50-44) and at South Florida (46-45) back on Feb. 26.

“You’ve got to be able to grind, and when you get good looks, you’ve got to be able to make clutch shots, especially in the second half,” Dixon said. “We’ve been able to do that.”

As equipped as the Bearcats think they are to advance to the second week of the tournament, the Seminoles are equally nasty on defense and took down both Duke and North Carolina en route to winning the ACC tournament championship.

And consider this: They won their second-round NCAA tournament game on Friday over St. Bonaventure despite their leading scorer, junior guard Michael Snaer, going scoreless for the first time in his career.

“We lean on each other and don’t have to depend on just one player or one aspect of our team,” Florida State senior forward Bernard James said. “That’s something that we’ve emphasized, being able to win games in a lot of different ways. But the constant with us is always going to be our defense.”

Who to watch: Michael Snaer. He was 0-for-7 against St. Bonaventure and didn’t score a point. Snaer averaged 14.5 points during the season and shot 42.1 percent from the 3-point line. The chances of him going scoreless again are about as good as Steve Spurrier showing up behind the Florida State bench with his face painted up in Seminoles colors. Snaer’s too good of a player not to bounce back, but the Bearcats will work hard to keep him from getting into any kind of groove early.

What to watch: The zone. Cincinnati has been able to change up its defenses and again had some success with the 2-3 zone on Friday. Cronin was pleased with the way the Bearcats rebounded out of the zone in their second-round win over Texas. He also thinks the zone helps get senior forward Yancy Gatessome rest. The 6-foot-10 James is Florida State’s main threat inside, but the Seminoles also start 6-11 center Xavier Gibson.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Now that’s more like it.

This city is known for its music, specifically the country variety.

But it was compelling basketball that had Bridgestone Arena rocking in the two afternoon games Friday, and after a pretty flat day Thursday in the NCAA tournament, we needed a little drama.

The start to the Cincinnati-Texas game didn’t look like much. The Longhorns had more air balls than points midway through the first half.

But after managing just four field goals in the first half, Texas dug itself out of a 19-point hole early in the second half and actually had a pair of chances to take the lead in the final minutes before falling 65-59 to Cincinnati.

“You know nothing’s going to be just handed to you in this tournament,” Cincinnati senior guard Dion Dixon said. “We’ve got a veteran team. We’ve been here before. We know that it takes 40 minutes.”

Friday's second game in Nashville was the essence of what makes this tournament the spectacle it is.

St. Bonaventure, a small Franciscan Catholic school located about an hour from Buffalo, N.Y., took No. 3 seed Florida State to the wire before losing 66-63.

The Bonnies led the whole way, and their passionate fans were as much the story as the team itself. The school has only about 2,400 students, and it sounded like just about all of them were in the arena for most of the game.

“A week ago, we were planning on playing in the CBI [College Basketball Invitational], and here we are in the Big Dance with a chance to tie the game up,” St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt said. “You couldn’t ask for more.”

Even after Florida State showed tremendous resolve and finally took its first lead with about five minutes to play, the Bonnies had their chances to pull off the shocker.

“That’s the ACC [tournament] champs. We’re the little Bonnies, and we’re going toe to toe with them,” Schmidt said. “That’s a credit to my guys.”

But therein lies the beauty of this tournament, and why people skip work and skip school every year for what’s now the second round of this hoops extravaganza.

“That’s why they call it March Madness,” Schmidt said. “Can the underdog compete with the big dog and have enough to knock them off?”

In this case, the Bonnies didn’t have enough, but that had more to do with Florida State than it did with anything St. Bonaventure didn’t do.

More precisely, it had everything to do with the Seminoles’ 27-year-old senior forward, Bernard James, whose story already has been an inspiration to hoops fans and non-hoops fans all over the country. James served six years in the Air Force, with three deployments to the Middle East.

On Friday, he was an inspiration to his teammates, and at times, put them on his back and carried them.

“The finality of it all hits you," James said. "Nobody wants to go home.”

There were stretches in the game during which James was screaming at his teammates and telling them to simply get him the ball. He finished 8-of-11 from the field with 19 points and nine rebounds.

“As a point guard, when a 6-foot-10 Army veteran, or an Air Force veteran, is screaming at you, you listen,” Florida State guard Luke Loucks said. “So, you know, a few plays we weren’t even running any plays. I was kind of waiting people out, giving him the ball, and obviously you look at the stat sheet and he was producing all night long.”

It also says something about Florida State's resolve that the Seminoles could win with their leading scorer, guard Michael Snaer, going 0-for-7 and failing to score a point.

"We've been kind of a resilient team all year," Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said. "We've been in a lot of these close games, and this was another typical ACC blowout by three points."

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Breaking down No. 3 seed Florida State’s 66-63 win over No. 14 seed St. Bonaventure in the second round of the NCAA tournament at Bridgestone Arena:

Overview: Florida State, after trailing the entire game, took its first lead at 55-52 with 5:19 remaining on Ian Miller's 3-pointer. The Seminoles never trailed again, but had to fight off a St. Bonaventure team that looked and played a lot better than your typical No. 14 seed.

The Bonnies led by as many as 10 points in the first half and were seemingly in command the whole way. But the Seminoles made clutch 3-pointers down the stretch and were able to slow down the Bonnies’ star player, Andrew Nicholson, for much of the second half. Nicholson finished with 20 points, but went nearly 16 minutes without a basket in the second half.

Turning point: St. Bonaventure was leading by four points with a little more than eight minutes to play when sophomore guard Charlon Kloof drove the baseline and missed a dunk. It could have put the Bonnies up by six and taken an already pro-St. Bonaventure crowd to another decibel level. Instead, the Seminoles came back and scored, making it a two-point game.

Key player: Florida State senior forward Bernard James was 8-of-11 from the field with 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots. His dunk after the Seminoles missed a layup in transition tied the game at 52-52.

Key stat: Nicholson made all five of his shots in the first half for the Bonnies, but picked up his third foul with 16:34 left in the game. His 3-pointer pulled St. Bonaventure within three points with just under two minutes to play. It was his first basket since the 17:23 mark, as he made just 3-of-12 shots in the second half.

Miscellaneous: The Seminoles got key contributions off the bench from Okaro White and Miller. White drained a 3-pointer with a second left on the shot clock with a minute to play. But his biggest play was a tap-out after a missed free throw by Deividas Dulkys with 25.2 seconds remaining and the Seminoles clinging to a 65-63 lead. Miller also made two of his four 3-point attempts. … Florida State’s bench outscored St. Bonaventure 22-11. … The Seminoles have now won six in a row.

What’s next: Florida State (25-9) advances to the third round to face Cincinnati on Sunday. The Bearcats won earlier Friday over Texas in the second round.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Breaking down the Friday afternoon games in the Music City:

No. 6 seed Cincinnati (24-10) vs. No. 11 Texas (20-13), 12:15 p.m. ET

What to watch: Seeing the way Cincinnati scrapped its way into the Big East Conference championship game, it’s hard not to peg the Bearcats as one of those teams in the field playing its best basketball right now. They’ve won seven of their past nine games and lead the country with seven victories over ranked teams. Texas, on the other hand, enters the tourney trying to find some consistency after losing four of its past seven games. There’s no better time to find that mojo than right now. There were a lot of people who wondered if the Longhorns would even make the tournament. Here’s their chance to prove that they belong.

Who to watch: Texas guard J'Covan Brown can score points in bunches, and when he gets it going, he’s a headache to defend. The 6-foot-1 junior has averaged 24.8 points over his past four games and has scored at least 21 in each of those four. He leads the Big 12 in scoring at 20.1 points per game, but hasn’t shot it particularly well from 3-point range coming into this game. In his past five outings, he’s just 6-of-30 from behind the arc. Brown takes 28 percent of his team’s shots.

Why to watch: The Bearcats have been one of the turnaround stories this season in college basketball, but it goes much deeper than just hoops. The ugly scenes from their fight with Xavier on Dec. 10 remain etched in a lot of people’s minds, but Cincinnati recovered from multiple player suspensions -- and showing a new resolve along the way -- and played its way into the Big East tournament final. One of the catalysts has been senior forward Yancy Gates, who was suspended six games for his role in the brawl. When he returned, the Bearcats tweaked their offense to better utilize Gates’ offensive rebounding prowess, and they took off as a team -- winning seven of their nine games against ranked foes.

What they’re saying: “We had a chance to win the Big East tournament, which nobody expected us to do, and hopefully, we’ll do the unexpected and win games here, which nobody probably expects us to do. We’ll just do what we’ve been doing and keep playing against the odds and trying to prove people wrong.” -- Cincinnati forward Yancy Gates

“I’ve told my team all year if we would work as hard on the offensive end as we do on the defensive end, we’d be a much better team. And at times where I don’t think we’ve improved or shown the improvement is with our offense.” -- Texas coach Rick Barnes

Around the rim: This is the sixth time that Texas has been a double-digit seed in the NCAA tournament. Each of the previous five times, the Longhorns won at least one game in the tournament. … The Cincinnati-Texas game will tip off at 11:15 a.m. local time in Nashville, and the Cincinnati players haven’t been crazy about playing early games this season. Nobody was complaining Thursday, though. “It’s the NCAA tournament. If you can’t get up at whatever time the game is, you shouldn’t be here,” Cincinnati guard Cashmere Wright said. … Before Cincinnati boarded the bus for Nashville, coach Mick Cronin took the players into the UC Arena and had them look up at the Bearcats’ national championship banners. “I just think you’ve got to believe that you can win it, and I think my guys need to realize that it’s possible and that it’s happened at the University of Cincinnati. We’ve got to believe that it’s going to happen again,” Cronin said.

No. 3 seed Florida State (24-9) vs. No. 14 St. Bonaventure (20-11), 2:45 p.m. ET

What to watch: Is Florida State as good as it looked last weekend in gunning down Duke and North Carolina in back-to-back days to win the ACC tournament title? Granted, Duke and North Carolina didn’t have a lot to gain in Atlanta, but it’s not the first time the Seminoles have turned Tobacco Road upside down this season. Leonard Hamilton’s club beat North Carolina 90-57 at home Jan. 14, then won at Duke 76-73 a week later. It’s the first time in 16 seasons that somebody has recorded two victories over both Duke and North Carolina in the same season. That’s some pretty heady stuff. The trick now for Florida State is playing that way in the March tournament that counts.

Who to watch: Florida State senior forward Bernard James served six years in the Air Force, including deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Qatar. Now 27, the 6-10 James has been as valuable to his basketball team as he was to his country. An All-ACC Defensive Team selection, James ranks third in the ACC with 76 blocked shots, while averaging 10.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He will be honored at the Final Four along with Tennessee women’s coach Pat Summitt and presented with the Most Courageous Award by the United States Basketball Writers Association.

Why to watch: St. Bonaventure is back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since a scandal rocked the university during the 2002-03 season. The Bonnies played an ineligible player that season after a junior-college transfer was admitted to the university with a welding degree and no associate’s degree. The fallout included the firing of coach Jan van Breda Kolff and the resignation of the athletic director and school president. A few months later, Bill Swan, the president of the university’s board of trustees, committed suicide and left a note apologizing for the pain he caused St. Bonaventure as well as his family and friends. The next four seasons saw the Bonnies win a combined 24 games, but coach Mark Schmidt was hired in 2007 and has steadily led the program back to respectability. St. Bonaventure won its first Atlantic 10 tournament championship last Sunday.

What they’re saying: “Andrew (Nicholson) is the player of the year, so he does what players of the year do, and that’s put the team on their back and kind of sail the ship.” -- St. Bonaventure guard Matthew Wright

“We’re definitely expecting a punch right out of the gate. We’re going to throw one ourselves.” -- Florida State forward Bernard James

Around the rim: Florida State is ranked sixth nationally in field goal percentage defense (.381) and seventh in blocked shots (5.9 per game). … In the Seminoles’ past four games, they’re shooting 50 percent (34-of-68) from 3-point range and keeping their opponents to 29.2 percent (26-of-89) from behind the line. … The Bonnies received quite a send-off before leaving their campus in western New York. Schmidt said it seemed like 15,000 of the 20,000 people who live in the Allegheny community lined the roads. “They let the kids out of schools, and we had our bus go through all the little towns, by all the elementary schools, all the businesses, and it was special,” Schmidt said. … Nicholson, a senior forward and the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, has been on a tear. He averaged 25.3 points and 11.5 rebounds in his final eight conference games.

ATLANTA — Florida State forward Bernard James has a simple message for those who dare to doubt his basketball team.

“You should be a believer now,” he yelled as the last specs of championship confetti floated down around him from the Philips Arena ceiling.

Guard Ian Miller wasn’t so reserved with his response.

“I guess they believe now,” he said.

“If they don’t, tough luck because we’re getting a ring for this one.”

It’s hard not to believe in this FSU team after the Seminoles knocked off top-seeded North Carolina 85-82 in the ACC tournament final. The Seminoles captured their first ACC tournament championship and became the first team since Georgia Tech in 1995-96 to beat both Duke and North Carolina twice in the same season.

The same team that lost 6 of 10 games from the end of November to the beginning of January, suffering losses by 20 and 18 points along the way, went 4-1 against Duke and North Carolina, proving that FSU’s successes were no accident.

“This is not a fluke,” Miller said. “You can’t win a championship on a fluke. Today, by winning this championship, our coaches told us it ain’t a fluke no more. People know we’re real now.”

Added James: “We silenced a lot of the doubters who say we don’t belong in the same breath as Duke and Carolina.”

Sunday, FSU stood alone, again, but only because it was above Tobacco Road’s giants.

Now, the Seminoles, turn their attention to the NCAA tournament and are looking to take their high-flying act to the top of the college basketball mountain.

“We have five or six more wins until the national championship,” Miller said. “We’re trying to get there now.”

The notion of FSU making such a run in the craziest of months is no longer laughable. This team is legit. It went from trouble to tremendous in a few months and now has tons of momentum to thrive off of.

Plus, it’s going to be hard for teams to keep up with the Noles. FSU’s up-tempo offense frustrated its victims throughout the ACC tournament. UNC, which desperately wanted to slow things down, was left zonked after its uncomfortable foot race.

With such a deep bench, FSU was able to keep its motor going and the legs churning.

“We were all coming off a third day of playing so we wanted to impose our will and try to let them know that they couldn’t outrun us,” forward Xavier Gibson said.

That sort of thing will come in handy during the Dance.

This team can shoot, too, with guards like Michael Snaer (ACC tournament MVP), Luke Loucks and Deividas Dulkys lighting it up from the floor. The Noles shot just under 60 percent against the Heels and shot no worse than 42 percent during its current five-game winning streak.

FSU is also hot from beyond on the arc after hitting 25 of 49 3s in the ACC tournament.

With as fast, physical and athletic as the Noles are, this will be a formidable group for any team to face in the coming weeks. Physically, this team is ready, but players want to make sure that once the celebration of Sunday’s win has subsided that this team is in the right frame of mind for another championship run.

“We can’t get satisfied with this,” James said.

For as sweet as Sunday’s win was, this team is still hungry.

“The ACC was just to let people know that we’re not a game, there’s no jokes no more,” Miller said. “We wanted to make a statement and today we did that.”

ATLANTA -- Florida State survived a vicious rally and a last-second 3-point attempt from top-seeded North Carolina to capture its first ACC tournament championship with a 85-82 win Sunday.

With the win, the Seminoles became the first team since Georgia Tech in 1995-96 to beat both Duke and North Carolina twice in the same season.

The Seminoles' up-tempo offense was too much for the Tar Heels to handle for most of the afternoon, but it also helped that FSU shot 58.9 percent from the field (33-of-56).

UNC matched FSU well in the second half, but a nine-point halftime deficit was too much for the Heels to overcome. Florida State also connected on 11 of 22 3-point shots, including four from both Michael Snaer and Deividas Dulkys.

Four Seminoles players -- Snaer, Dulkys, Luke Loucks and Ian Miller -- were all double-digit scorers.

Without forward John Henson, who was out with a sprained left wrist, UNC failed to have a consistent down-low presence on both ends of the floor.

Turning point: With UNC down one with 10 seconds left, point guard Kendall Marshall chucked a deep 3 that rimmed out and was rebounded by Dulkys. He was fouled and converted two free throws to put FSU up three with five seconds remaining.

Key player: Snaer scored a team-high 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting and hit 4 of 5 3-point attempts. He was also named the tournament MVP.

Key stat: Florida State shot 58.9 percent from the field Sunday and hit 11 of 22 3s.

Miscellaneous: This was North Carolina's ACC-leading 31st appearance in the ACC tournament championship game. ... Since Dulkys scored a career-high 32 points in the regular-season win over UNC, his best point total had been 14 points. He scored 16 Sunday. ... UNC's P.J. Hairston hit three 3s Sunday. Since hitting four against Monmouth on Jan. 1, Hairston had made only eight 3s heading into Sunday. ... FSU's Bernard James recorded five blocks. ... Both teams each scored 40 points in the paint. ... FSU's bench outscored UNC's 28-14.

What’s next: FSU's tournament chances were never in doubt, but with the win, it earned an automatic bid to the Big Dance. Now, the Noles will sit back and wait for their seeding fate. FSU could now be seriously considered for a No. 3 seed. UNC likely locked up a No. 1 seed with Duke's loss to the Noles on Saturday, but there could be some worry with Missouri capturing the Big 12 championship Saturday night.

ATLANTA – Florida State hasn’t looked at any of the film from its 33-point victory over North Carolina on Jan. 14.

“When you get big blowout wins like that, it’s probably not the best idea to go back and watch; you might get a sense of comfort, or forget that we have to play hard – or what got us that 33-point lead,’’ forward Bernard James said. “So we just put that one behind us, and chalked it up to Carolina not being ready.”

He knows the Tar Heels will be this time.

The Seminoles downright embarrassed the UNC two months ago, beating the Tar Heels on the boards, holding them to 37 percent shooting. The 90-57 rout marked the most lopsided loss of the Roy Williams era, and it was so irritating/befuddling/maddening that Williams and most of the team left the court early – leaving three walk-ons and two reserves to finish the game.

Since then, the Tar Heels have lost only once, to Duke on a buzzer-beater.

Since then, the Seminoles have lost three times, but won three games with last-second heroics.

"We can't necessarily worry about the games that we've played prior to this game coming up,’’ FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. “Each game takes on a different personality and I'm sure the team that we played in Tallahassee will not be the team we play on Sunday."

UNC will be competing for its first ACC title since 2008; FSU will be vying for its first ACC title, period.

A few things to watch in the 1 p.m. EST showdown at Philips Arena:

WILL UNC’S JOHN HENSON PLAY?

The ACC Defensive Player of the Year sat out Saturday’s semifinal victory over NC State after spraining his left wrist during Friday’s quarterfinal win over Maryland.

His status will once again be a game-time decision – and his potential absence will hurt.

James, a former Air Force sergeant and all a member of the ACC’s All-Defense team, is a load for anyone to handle, and if Henson can’t go, James would probably match up with UNC’s James Michael McAdoo. The Tar Heels freshman has been more confident and aggressive lately, but got he into foul trouble during Saturday’s game against the Wolfpack.

3-POINTERS

One of the reasons FSU was so successful against UNC last time was Deividas Dulkys, who shot 8-for-10 from behind the 3-point arc and scored a career-high 32 points.

The Seminoles senior hasn’t approached anything close to that since (with 12 points being his high), but you get the point: UNC (which also lost to Duke at home when the Blue Devils shot 14-for-36 on 3s) can’t afford to let an opposing team get hot.

The Seminole to watch: Michael Snaer. He’s shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point land for the season, and buried two of those aforementioned game-winners this season.

THAT COMPETITIVE FLARE

One of the reasons UNC lost so badly – and looked so listless in doing so – in the last meeting, according to players, was that they bought into their own preseason No. 1 hype and didn’t compete as hard as necessary. That shouldn’t be a problem Sunday.

The last time UNC was looking for revenge was last weekend, when it went into Cameron Indoor Stadium and pasted the Blue Devils, building a 24-point lead by halftime en route to the ACC regular-season title.

FSU, though, has plenty of motivation, too. Lots of folks wrote the Seminoles off when they lost to two Ivy League schools, then opened the ACC season with a 20-point defeat at Clemson. Since then, they’ve beaten UNC and Duke, but winning the league tournament would prove that the conference is more than a two-team league.

“This has been our goal since the beginning of the season, and we want to accomplish it,’’ Dulkys said.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

ATLANTA -- About 45 minutes after Florida State's thrilling 62-59 win over Duke in the semifinals of the ACC tournament, Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton shared a special moment with one of his most well-respected counterparts.

While standing outside FSU's locker room, Hamilton was greeted by a smiling Mike Krzyzewski, who had just watched Hamilton's Seminoles best his Blue Devils in a tournament he basically owns. Coach K congratulated Hamilton and praised his team.

As Hamilton delivered his thanks, Krzyzewski briefly paused, giving Hamilton one last look that read, "Hell of a team."

That look was nothing new for Hamilton. He's been getting it from opposing coaches for a few years, it's just taken those outside of the ACC some time to acknowledge them.

Interestingly enough, national respect isn’t exactly flowing for the third-winningest ACC program over the past seven years.

A Florida State team that won a school-record 12 conference games during the regular season and is line for a top-4 seed in this year's NCAA tournament shouldn't be overlooked like it is.

"Because we have not been at the top -- been No. 1 or No. 2 -- we haven't gotten a lot of recognition," Hamilton said. "We've been moving our program along for quite some time, it's just that you guys have just started to notice."

As FSU prepares to capture its first ACC tournament title (in only its second championship appearance), it does so in a totally different place than it was months ago. FSU has won 17 of 20 games and is looking to take the season series against tournament top seed North Carolina -- an improbable thought midway through the season.

FSU struggled to find itself and players say there was a disconnect between guards and bigs. Forward Bernard James said selfishness ruled at times, destroying the "team" and leaving individuals.

"We'd go out and try to make spectacular plays one-on-one and that didn't work for us and that's why we got drummed by teams early in the season," James said.

Drummed as in losing by 18 to Florida and 20 to Clemson and losing 6 of 10 games from the end of November to the beginning of January.

The Clemson whooping changed everything, James said. Players and coaches gathered shortly after to speak candidly about how things weren't working. Slackers were called out and even coaches received constructive criticism from players.

Guards were told they were shooting too much and big men were called lazy in the ultimate open forum.

"Everybody knew what the other guy next to him was thinking," James said. "We identified our problems and everybody worked toward fixing them. That's what brought us to the point we are now."

Two games after the catastrophe at Clemson, FSU pounded UNC 90-57. Two games later, the Noles shocked Duke at Cameron Indoor.

Now, Florida State is a win away from breaking new ground … again.

Even if FSU loses Sunday, it's obvious that the Noles aren’t going away in the ACC. Behind the UNC-Duke current, FSU has been tirelessly working to demolish the notion that the ACC is a two-team league.

"At Florida State, we haven't thought that way in a long time," James said. "It's been about four or five years since they thought that the ACC was a two-team conference.

"This year, we've put ourselves in a really good position to show the rest of the world that the ACC is not a two-team conference."

Added forward Xavier Gibson: "We're coming in there and breaking Tobacco Road up a little bit -- mixing it up -- and that's what we came to do."

A win Sunday will likely bring more onto FSU’s bandwagon, but the Seminoles aren't worried about that because they don’t have time to worry about impressing outsiders.

For Hamilton, it’s all about getting the best out of his players and making sure they play and win for themselves.

"We have to consistently keep doing it and maybe we'll crack into that area that you guys call respect," he said.

After Florida State's 82-71 victory over Miami, Edward Aschoff caught up with FSU forward Bernard James, who had 14 points and 7 rebounds against the Canes.

ATLANTA -- Florida State took the season series with Miami and advanced to the semifinals of the ACC tournament with an 82-71 victory Friday.

The Seminoles out-ran, out-muscled and outplayed the Hurricanes in the first half, outscoring the Hurricanes by nine and connecting on 7 of 12 3-pointers. FSU got a bit sluggish to start the second half, but never let its lead dip below three points in the second frame.

For the second consecutive game, Miami was awful shooting the ball in the first half, but unlike their first-round win over Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes were unable to go on a scoring spree in the second half, allowing FSU to keep a consistent lead.

One reason for Miami's shortcomings offensively was the fact that the Canes were without leading scorer Durand Scott, who was ruled ineligible before the game for receiving impermissible benefits.

Turning point: Poor first-half shooting doomed the Hurricanes. Miami shot 28.1 percent from the field (9-of-32) to Florida State's 42.9 percent (12-of-28). In the second half, Miami started hot, but never gained a lead against the Noles, who outscored Miami by two in the second frame.

Key player: Michael Snaer kept FSU moving throughout the game. He led the Noles with 8 points at the half and finished with a game-high 20. He hit 5 of 7 shots, including going 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. He also had 4 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block.

Key stat: FSU's defense frustrated Miami all night, especially in the paint. FSU altered a number of attempts and blocked 10 Miami shots in the process. FSU also turned the ball over 11 times after turning it over 33 times combined in the first two games against the Canes.

Miscellaneous: This was the first meeting between the two schools in the ACC tournament ... Miami held Georgia Tech to a tournament-low 36 points in the first-round game, but gave up 36 points to the Noles by halftime. ... FSU forward Bernard James dislocated his finger early in the second half, but he returned with 9:37 remaining. ... The last time FSU was in Atlanta for the ACC tournament, the Seminoles played in the championship game for the first time in school history. The Noles lost to Duke; FSU plays Duke on Saturday.

What’s next: With the win, FSU is still in the hunt for a No. 4 seed or better in the NCAA tournament; the Seminoles are likely a 4 or 5 seed right now. A win over the Blue Devils on Saturday and the Noles could be in a fight for a 3 seed if they were to win the championship game Sunday. Miami is back on major bubble watch. The Canes entered the tournament on the outside looking in and while they helped their cause with a victory Thursday, the Canes will surely be sweating it out until Selection Sunday.

In the moments that followed a 79-59 road loss to Clemson on Jan. 7, Florida State’s coaching staff accosted players in the locker room about the multiple gaffes that had led to the lopsided score.

The Seminoles’ stubborn defense had failed them as the Tigers shot 49 percent from the field. They committed 16 turnovers. And their 24 fouls led to Clemson’s 28-for-33 mark from the charity stripe.

But as Leonard Hamilton and his staff pointed out the team’s flaws, Bernard James stirred in his seat, especially when coaches questioned players’ collective effort.

James, who scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in that game, felt a need to speak. With a declarative tone, he told everyone in the room that he had played hard. And he asked his teammates, who’d just suffered their sixth loss in 10 games, if they’d done the same.

“I just kind of snapped right there. I kind of defended myself,” James told ESPN.com. “I felt like I played hard that game. I placed the blame on certain individuals. It wasn’t to tear anybody down. I just felt like somebody needed to take responsibility for the loss.”

That moment broke the ice for a Florida State squad that turned a postgame discussion into an intervention. James said the Seminoles expressed their frustrations with one another. They talked about the missed assignments that had led to their poor start. They vowed to implement more accountability.

“We pretty much had to let the frustration out to start off on a new foot,” said junior Michael Snaer.

They’ve won 10 of their past 11 games, a mark punctuated by wins over North Carolina and Duke. Tickets for Thursday night’s home game against Duke sold out in 15 minutes.

The Seminoles’ evolution was evident on the final play of their 76-73 road win at Duke on Jan. 21. After Austin Rivers tied the game on a late drive, the Seminoles didn’t panic. They just executed.

James said he “knocked the snot out of” Seth Curry on a screen as Luke Loucks drove up the floor and found Snaer in the corner for the winning 3-pointer.

“Something would have went wrong [if that had happened before the Clemson loss]. Something would have been out of place,” James said. “The reason why that play worked was because everything happened the way it was supposed to.”

Hamilton could see the surge coming. Even after the Clemson loss, the coach said he believed his team was struggling because it hadn’t jelled yet. Xavier Gibson had switched positions. Loucks was still getting comfortable as the starting point guard. Ian Miller was unavailable at the start of the season, but he’s averaged 10.5 points per game since his Dec. 22 return.

But Hamilton agrees that the Clemson loss jolted a team that needed a midseason wake-up call.

“That game just brought us back to reality,” he said. “It kind of refocused us.”

Here’s a list of the other squads that have managed to turn things around this year:

Drexel -- The Dragons lost four of their first six games. But they’ve lost just one game since Dec. 3 and are riding a 14-game winning streak. They’re on top of the CAA with a 15-2 record.

George Mason -- Paul Hewitt endured some early struggles in his first season at George Mason. Nonconference losses to Florida Atlantic and Florida International seemed to spell trouble for the Patriots. But the Patriots found some poise as the season progressed. At 14-3 in the CAA, they’re tied with VCU for second place.

Iowa State -- The Cyclones suffered from the chemistry issues that come with being a team that relies on transfers. Despite possessing talented players such as Royce White and Chris Allen, the Cyclones lost at Drake, to Northern Iowa at home and at Michigan in their nonconference season. Would they find a way to click and extract the full potential from their roster? Yep. The Cyclones are fourth in the Big 12 with a 10-5 record, and they’re probably headed back to the NCAA tournament.

LIU Brooklyn -- The Blackbirds own the Northeast Conference right now (15-1). But they lost six of their first 11 games.

Notre Dame -- It all started with Tim Abromaitis suffering a season-ending injury in November. The Fighting Irish’s 65-58 road loss to Rutgers on Jan. 16 was their eight defeat of the year. But that’s the past. The new Fighting Irish have won nine games in a row.

South Florida -- The Bulls are on the bubble with a 10-5 record in the Big East. In late December, that would have appeared to be a misguided forecast. From Nov. 19 through Dec. 28, the Bulls lost seven of 11 games.

UNC Greensboro -- The Spartans are on top of the Southern Conference’s North division with a 10-7 record. Somehow, this team recovered from a 2-14 start to its 2011-12 campaign. Now that’s a turnaround.

VCU -- Shaka Smart’s Rams look dangerous again. After losing most of the starters from last season’s Final Four team, the Rams lost three of their first six games. But Bradford Burgess (12.9 ppg) has embraced his role as a leader on and off the floor. They’re tied with George Mason for second place in the CAA at 14-3.

Washington -- There’s a lot of bad in the Pac-12. But the Huskies are one of the struggling league’s success stories. They lost to South Dakota State 92-73 at home Dec. 18. It was their fifth loss in seven games. But the Huskies have lost just three games since that disaster. They’re 12-3 in the Pac-12 and making a legitimate push for an at-large berth.

These are the “locker room guys.” Some of them fill up the stat sheets. Others don’t. But if you’re a coach, you want these guys on your roster because of their undeniable leadership skills.

1. Draymond Green (Michigan State) -- Last season, the Spartans lacked the continuity and toughness that fueled back-to-back Final Four runs in 2008-09 and 2009-10. This year, however, Green has demanded that style of play from a young roster. Tom Izzo’s team looks like his past Final Four squads because it’s playing the rugged basketball that he’s coached for years. He can get through to this team because Green has bought in, so the others don’t have a choice. When Green suffered an ankle injury toward the end of a recent loss to Illinois, he hopped on one leg to join his teammates during timeouts. Prior to this past weekend’s road win at Ohio State, he asked Izzo for a light practice. Izzo acquiesced to his request. That’s a leader who was looking out for the best interests of the program, not seeking a day off.

2. Ronald Nored (Butler) -- Nored might be in the wrong business. He talks like a Southern preacher (his father was a pastor). He’s an elementary education major at Butler but if that’s the path he ultimately chooses, he’ll end up running the district before long. And he’s a coach on the floor for the Bulldogs. Nored is a senior now. But during Butler’s back-to-back national title game appearances, he was as mature as any player on the floor, even though he was just a sophomore and junior, respectively. Butler hasn’t duplicated its success from the past two seasons. But Nored is leading a young roster (six freshmen, three sophomores) that’s four wins away from a 20-win season. And with Nored in charge, don’t dismiss the possibility that these Bulldogs will end up in the NCAA tournament again.

3. Scott Martin (Notre Dame) -- The Fighting Irish had every reason to make excuses. In November, the program lost its best player when Tim Abromaitis tore his ACL and was lost for the season. But as the team’s co-captain and only other senior, Martin stepped up to lead Notre Dame to a surprising stretch of success. The Fighting Irish are nationally ranked, despite losing five out of eight games from Nov. 21 to Dec. 17. Martin leads a balanced Notre Dame team that’s managed to climb the Big East standings with a feisty defense and an absence of egos. This crew could have fallen apart once it lost Abromaitis. But Martin has helped Mike Brey put the Fighting Irish in a position to make a lot of noise in March.

4. Bernard James (Florida State) -- Before the Seminoles destroyed North Carolina by 33 points Jan. 14, James commenced a dialogue among coaches and players that forced all involved to own up to their personal contributions in Florida State’s 20-point loss at Clemson a week prior. When James talks, even coaches listen. Yes, he’s one of the oldest players in college basketball (he’s 28). But the 6-10 forward has been a steadying force for Leonard Hamilton’s squad, one that’s still a legit contender for the ACC title. Three tours in Iraq certainly helped him develop the leadership qualities that he’s implemented in Tallahassee.

5. Jorge Gutierrez (California) -- His teammates say he’s quiet off the floor. But Gutierrez is one of the most expressive and emotional players in the Pac-12 when he’s on it. The guard has taken Cal to the top of the league standings with his game (13.7 ppg, 4.3 apg). But his on-court fire has rubbed off on his teammates, too. He never backs down. He can’t. He grew up in poverty. He lived with other adolescents in high school, all trying to fend for themselves without much adult supervision, after his parents returned to Mexico shortly after they’d brought him across the border. He’s also anemic, a condition only worsened by his financial challenges in high school. There’s no quit in Gutierrez. And the Bears are feeding off of that right now.

6. Darius Miller (Kentucky) -- He could be pouting right now. He could be whining about playing time. He could be tweeting about coming off the bench even though he’s a veteran. But that’s not Darius Miller. The senior has embraced his reserve role, as the most talented group of underclassmen in America have led the Wildcats to the top of the national rankings. When Miller played with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins two years ago, egos clashed as vets tried to mesh with newcomers. But this Kentucky team has avoided that season-killer. Miller has a lot to do with that. A lot of guys say, “I’ll do whatever coach wants me to do.” Miller is actually doing that. He’s the glue for this talented assembly.

7. Drew Gordon (New Mexico) -- After the senior transferred from UCLA and sat out two semesters prior to the 2010-11 season, he came off the bench in his first seven games. But he didn’t complain. This is a guy who earned a multitude of national honors in high school. He was one of UCLA’s top recruits. But Gordon accepted his position with his new team and didn’t demand anything. That’s why he’s a crucial piece on a New Mexico team that’s on top of the Mountain West right now. He’s also very active in the community. He’s leading by example.

8. Ramone Moore (Temple) -- He’s the leading scorer for Temple (18.8 ppg). But players and coaches call him selfless. That’s rare. Moore gets the points, but he produces within Fran Dunphy’s scheme. This season, he changed his number in memory of a young cousin who lost his life in a summer car crash. His teammates were not surprised. That’s just Ramone Moore, they say. His humility and leadership have helped the Owls snag first place in the Atlantic 10.

9. Thomas Robinson (Kansas) -- Most know his story. He lost his mother in the middle of last season. He had a little sister to care for. Robinson had every reason to go pro. But he returned to Lawrence, Kan., because he wanted to get better and go after a national title. He’s one of the top candidates for national player of the year honors and he’s displayed bravery and maturity that some people twice his age don’t have.

10. Tyler Zeller -- By now, it’s just The Shot. Austin Rivers. Over Zeller. Buzzer. Pileup. The senior was blamed when Rivers hit that game winner last week to seal Duke’s come-from-behind victory at rival North Carolina. But Zeller didn’t shy away from questions about his last-second defense. That’s what leaders do. They confront those tough moments. And they bounce back. In his next game, a Saturday victory over Virginia, Zeller scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Remember earlier this season, when it looked as though the ACC might not get more than three NCAA tournament bids? As many as six are making cases now. My attempt at this week’s power rankings:

1. Duke: The Blue Devils beat Maryland over the weekend, but it will be their come-from-behind victory at UNC on Wednesday -- rallying from 10 points down in the final 2:38 -- that will linger in the annals of the rivalry. Freshman Austin Rivers, who scored 29 points (including the winning 3-pointer) in the victory, averaged 20 points, three rebounds and three assists for the week -- and shot his team back to the top of these ratings.

2. North Carolina: The Tar Heels -- led by forward Tyler Zeller -- bounced back from the Duke loss with a double-digit win over Virginia. But they’ve hit only 2 of their past 16 3-pointers and will be thin on the bench until freshman P.J. Hairston (who missed Saturday’s win with a sore foot) returns.

3. Florida State: Forward Bernard James scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half to help beat Miami, but the loss at Boston College has to burn. Guard Michael Snaer, who had been shooting better than 57 percent from 3-point range during his team’s seven-game winning streak, managed only one 3 against the Eagles, proving again how key he is to this team’s success.

4. Virginia: Coach Tony Bennett was able to rest star forward Mike Scott for a long second-half stretch in a blowout victory versus Wake Forest. But Bennett would have liked to have used him more at UNC, where the senior was in foul trouble early and his team lost by double figures. The Cavs have lost two of their past three games, both to Top 25 foes.

5. NC State: Junior Scott Wood finally missed a free throw, ending his ACC-record streak at 66. But the Wolfpack won their only game last week, at Georgia Tech, avenging their loss to the Yellow Jackets last month. They have won three in a row.

6. Miami: Reggie Johnson was held to four points as FSU halted the Hurricanes’ winning streak at five. Next up: a home rematch with UNC.

7. Maryland: With players moving in and out of the lineup early on, first-year coach Mark Turgeon said it felt as though he had coached several different seasons in one. Add another. Starting point guard Pe’Shon Howard, who missed the first nine games with a stress fracture in his foot, is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his knee. The Terps lost their first game without him (again), at Duke.

8. Clemson: After losing three straight games by four points or fewer, the Tigers got a 20-point blowout win at Wake Forest. Forward Milton Jennings, back from his second suspension of the season, scored 15 points.

9. Virginia Tech: The Hokies followed a sloppy 16-point loss at Miami with a one-point win over Boston College on Sunday when Dorian Finney-Smith hit a tip-in with 1.8 seconds left.

10. Boston College: Eagles coach Steve Donahue said he doesn’t put great emphasis on wins and losses, considering the youth of his team. But he had to be thrilled with the Eagles’ upset win over Florida State, its third ACC victory of the season. They followed that with a one-point loss to Virginia Tech.

11. Georgia Tech: Tech made only 1 of 17 3-point attempts against NC State and has lost seven of its past eight games.

12. Wake Forest: The Deacons’ 20-point loss to Clemson marked their sixth straight defeat. "Obviously we are embarrassed," coach Jeff Bzdelik said, according to the Winston-Salem Journal. "Obviously we have some limitations on this team. ... What we have to do is be stronger and tougher to stay the course with great energy in those areas we can control -- like defending and rebounding and running the court."

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

Florida State couldn’t contend for the ACC title if it didn’t knock off North Carolina and Duke.

The Seminoles did just that in an eight-day stretch that will long be remembered in Tallahassee.

“We have a chance,’’ said Michael Snaer, who hit the buzzer-beating 3 in FSU's 76-73 win at No. 4 Duke on Saturday. “But we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We knew this was a big game for us, but now every game after is even bigger and we’ve got to bring it.’’

That's true. But the Seminoles have changed the game in the ACC with a season-altering week.

Florida State stunned North Carolina last Saturday by 33 points. The Seminoles then handled Maryland by 14 before traveling to Cameron Indoor Stadium, where the Blue Devils had won 45 in a row and 64 straight against unranked opponents.

That all ended when Snaer hit a 3-pointer on a feed from Luke Loucks at the buzzer, after Duke’s Austin Rivers had tied the game on a layup with 4.9 seconds left.

“I just made a wide-open shot, anyone could do it,’’ Snaer said. “[The pass] was on point. [Loucks] did a great job of pushing the ball up the court.

“This has just been a great week for our program. We’re playing our best basketball right now. Guys are finding their roles and we understand what it takes to win a game. We’ve gained some momentum.’’

Remember, this is the same FSU team that lost to Princeton at home and to Harvard in the Bahamas. To start ACC play, the Seminoles lost by 20 at Clemson.

And that’s why FSU coach Leonard Hamilton was reluctant to get too excited about his team even after beating UNC. He said last Saturday he needed to see how the Noles would handle success against Maryland and Duke.

The answer pleased him.

“We have a chance to be pretty good if we keep understanding how we have to play together,’’ Hamilton said. “We’re trying to take advantage of our strengths and weaknesses. We’re not there yet.’’

The Seminoles have a power player evolving in Bernard James (12 points, eight rebounds Saturday), a shooter in Deividas Dulkys (32 points against the Tar Heels), a heady point in Loucks and a confidence now that is soaring.

“In order for us to be a program of significance in our league and nationally, we have to be somewhere close to the two premier programs in the country and if you’re going to do that, today was a tremendous step in that direction,’’ Hamilton said.

He added that the Seminoles didn’t feel the pain of the early losses until recently.

“We had them watch those games to see what it felt like,’’ Hamilton said. “There is a different focus now. I don’t feel we’ve slid back. We dug a hole for ourselves and we’re still trying to get out of it.’’

But the scheduling is now in FSU's favor. Florida State doesn’t play Carolina again. Duke has to go to Tallahassee on Feb. 23. The only other contender may be Virginia, which does play the Seminoles twice (Feb. 4, March 1).

Florida State next faces Wake Forest on the road Wednesday.

“If we lose the next game," Snaer said, "the Duke game goes away.’’