Virginia vs. Florida State: Preview, Prediction

The top team in the ACC, the Virginia Cavaliers, will host the Florida State Seminoles at John Paul Jones Arena on Sunday evening. Virginia continues to roll through the ACC, still with the ability to win without their best player, Justin Anderson.

What to Watch:
Freshman guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes is an elite shot maker and elite shot taker. Inconsistent at times, Rathan-Mayes hasn’t found a shot he doesn’t like. The Canadian has the ability to catch fire at any point (See 35 point performance against North Carolina). It will be interesting to see if Florida State’s leading scorer can get going against one of the best defenses in America.

Virginia ranks first in the nation in defensive points allowed at 50.8 per game. Much has been said about Tony Bennett’s pack-line defense this season. Virginia likes to crowd its defense inside the three point arc — this will force Florida State to take tough, contested jump shots. Florida State will likely struggle offensively, as they shoot a pedestrian 31 percent from long range. This could be a game where Devon Bookert finds open shots. He’s Florida State’s best shooter from long range.

Contrary to popular belief, Virginia is not a poor offensive team. Virginia is very efficient on offense — the Cavaliers slow the game down, which results in fewer possessions and consequently, fewer shots. The Cavaliers connect on 46 percent of their field goal attempts. They do, however, miss Anderson’s shooting and offensive abilities; Virginia has struggled in his absence, scoring 56.25 points in their four games without him. The Cavaliers’ offensive woes will be allayed upon the return of Anderson, which is expected during the first or second weekend of the NCAA tournament.

Prediction:
This game will be played at Virginia’s pace. The Cavaliers will make Florida State work hard on offense, forcing the Seminoles to eat up the shot clock. Conversely, Virginia will move the ball and continue to be efficient on offense.

Virginia wins easy at home in a defensive clinic, 59-47.

James Szuba is a college basketball writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesSzuba.