Florida State Aims to Capitalize on ACC Tournament Momentum Against Cal

Seminoles coach Luke Loucks knows the value of winning the conference title after being part of the team's only ACC tournament championship in 2012.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 5:49am

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Eighth-seeded Florida State enters the ACC tournament as one of the hottest teams in the league, having won nine of their last 11 games. The Seminoles will face ninth-seeded Cal in the second round, with the winner advancing to face top-seeded Duke. Florida State is led by Robert McCray V, who averages 15.6 points and 6.1 assists per game. Cal has been identified as a bubble NCAA Tournament team and is looking to secure a berth, potentially by winning the ACC tournament.

Why it matters

This matchup features two teams fighting for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, with the winner potentially earning an automatic bid by winning the ACC tournament. Florida State's recent surge has them flying under the radar, while Cal is looking to solidify its tournament resume.

The details

Florida State's turnaround has been led by Robert McCray V, who paces the team in scoring (15.6 points per game) and assists (6.1 apg). Cal has been identified as a bubble NCAA Tournament team and entered the week at No. 64 in the NET rankings, while Florida State was five notches lower. The Seminoles' only ACC tournament championship came in 2012, when first-year coach Luke Loucks was a player on that team.

  • The ACC tournament second-round matchup between Florida State and Cal will take place on Wednesday night.
  • The winner of the Florida State-Cal game will face top-seeded Duke in the quarterfinals.

The players

Robert McCray V

Florida State's leading scorer (15.6 points per game) and assists leader (6.1 apg).

Luke Loucks

First-year head coach of Florida State, who was a player on the Seminoles' only ACC tournament championship team in 2012.

Dai Dai Ames

Cal player who scored a career-high 31 points in a recent loss to Wake Forest.

Mark Madsen

Head coach of the Cal Golden Bears.

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What they’re saying

“They're long, they're athletic, they try to force turnovers. They do a lot of things really well.”

— Mark Madsen, Cal head coach

“This is the greatest opportunity if you just perform for one week of your life. You get 20, 30, 40 years of benefits out of it.”

— Luke Loucks, Florida State head coach

What’s next

The winner of the Florida State-Cal game will face top-seeded Duke in the ACC tournament quarterfinals.

The takeaway

This matchup between Florida State and Cal is a crucial one for both teams' NCAA Tournament hopes, with the winner potentially earning an automatic bid by winning the ACC tournament. Florida State's recent surge and coach Luke Loucks' experience winning the ACC title in 2012 could give them an edge, but Cal will be looking to solidify its tournament resume.