Florida State set a school record this year with 27 wins and made it all the way to the ACC tourney title game on Saturday before losing to Duke. They will try to get win #28 on Thursday afternoon when they travel to Hartford to face America East tourney champ Vermont in the 1st round of the NCAA tourney. The Seminoles made the Elite 8 last March before losing to Michigan by 4 PTS and are back in the NCAA tourney for the 7th time in the past 11 years. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with FR SG/SF Devin Vassell about making a huge shot in the ACC tourney and playing in 1 of the best conferences in the country.
You grew up in Georgia: what made you choose the Seminoles? The coaching staff told me what I could do and how I could help the program.
You have a wingspan that is almost 7’: how much of an advantage is your length on the basketball court? It definitely helps, especially on the defensive end. It makes it easier for me to get a steal/contest a shot.
You play for Coach Leonard Hamilton: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He is always encouraging and has confidence in all of his players. Just know that he has faith in us is great.
Last year your team made the Elite 8 before a 4-PT loss to Michigan: what is your favorite memory of their incredible postseason run? All of it: just watching them go out there and excel. Now that I am part of the team I cannot wait to contribute!
You played several fellow NCAA tourney teams this year in non-conference play (including Florida/LSU/Purdue/St. Louis/Villanova): which of them impressed you the most, and why? All of those teams were great, especially the defending champs in Villanova. I cannot pick just 1: they have all made us a better team.
Earlier this month SO PF Mfiondu Kabengele was named ACC 6th Man of the Year: what makes him such a great player coming off the bench? He just brings a lot of energy and does everything that we need. He is always in the gym and I am glad to see his hard work paying off.
In the ACC tourney quarterfinals you scored a team-high 14 PTS/4-7 3PM and made a 3-PT shot with 4 seconds left in regulation en route to a 2-PT OT win over Virginia Tech: did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the highlights of your career so far? It was a great play drawn up by our coaches and my teammates set some great screens. I felt it was going in, and it is the best moment I have had here so far.
Your father Andrew played basketball at Stony Brook: who is the best athlete in the family? I would say that it is me now but back then he had some great highlights. He has taught me some tricks and passed on the torch.
The ACC received 3 #1 seeds in the NCAA tourney (Duke/North Carolina/Virginia): how do you explain the level of competition in your conference to people who have never seen an ACC game in person? It is a league like no other. Every night you face some of the best teams in the country, which has helped us grow closer and become a better team.
What do you think about getting a #4 seed, and what do you know about Vermont (besides the fact that your teammate David Nichols scored 14 PPG in 2 games vs. the Catamounts last year when he was at Albany)? We are just excited to be in the tourney: we do not know too much about Vermont right now but when we tip it off we will be ready to play.