Pennsylvania vs Florida State Odds and Picks (Nov. 10)
- No. 20 Florida State tips off the new season against Pennsylvania on Wednesday, November 10th, at 9:00 pm ET in Tallahassee
- The ‘Noles are coming off their third straight Sweet 16 appearance, while the Quakers are looking to get back to the Big Dance for the first time since 2018
- See the current moneyline, point spread, and game total, plus predictions for the 2021
Florida State Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton has quietly been building one of the elite programs in college basketball over the last five seasons. Beginning with the 2016-17 campaign, FSU has never finished with an overall winning percentage below .657 and played in the NCAA Tournament every season it was held. The year the Big Dance was not held — 2020, due to the pandemic — Hamilton’s program was ranked No. 4 in the final AP poll and won its first and only ACC regular season title in program history.
Now, bolstered by a group of incoming freshman ready to make an impact in the ultra-competitive ACC, Florida State hopes to keep the momentum going against Penn Wednesday as big home favorites. Tip time is 9:00 pm ET at the Tucker Center.
Pennsylvania vs Florida State Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread at DraftKings | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | +1000 | +19.5 (-110) | O 148 (-110) |
| Florida State | -2000 | -19.5 (-110) | U 148 (-110) |
Odds as of November 9th, 2021.
New Bloods
The ‘Noles may have lost the likes of Scottie Barnes — who’s now a member of the Toronto Raptors and one of the early favorites for NBA Rookie of the Year — and the versatile RaiQuan Gray among others. But like conference blue bloods North Carolina and Duke, Florida State appears to be immune of rebuilding. Replacing lottery picks and Swiss Army knifes becomes less daunting when you can attract the likes of Jalen Warley and Matthew Cleveland.
“Matthew Cleveland has a chance to be something special. He's long and a terrific athlete. Never seen him in person before, but there's a smoothness and a flow to his game. Just seems natural. I did watch him make 12 out of 15 3's during one drill. So, it's in there.” Corey Clark pic.twitter.com/yiQuA8ng9T
— Ralph Cleveland (@RClevelandJr) October 31, 2021
Several recruiting gurus think the 6-foot-7 Cleveland might be the best finisher in the 2021 class. It’s easy to envision him being a terror in transition, as most rookie phenoms who come through Tallahassee are.
While Warley may not have Cleveland’s head-turning athleticism, he’s another long-limbed weapon at Hamilton’s disposal. He’s touted as a heady point guard with an advanced feel for the game, making him the best option to be an extension of the 73-year-old head coach on the floor and hand over the offensive keys to.
Talented Returners
While the freshman may make a big splash, the cupboard if far from bare when it comes to returning talent. Anthony Polite and RayQuan Evans headline this portion of the rosters.
Evans is Mr. Dependable — a fringe full-time starter a year ago — and a player capable to ramping it up a few notches. Meantime, Polite is the super glue that holds it all together. The lanky lefty will be asked to spearhead the ‘Noles transition attack and orchestrate the half-court offense in a more permanent role this season. He plays well beyond his years, akin to the departed Gray. Gray transformed his game in the blink of an eye last year, a leap Polite is capable of replicating in a similar context this season.
Another interesting piece of the puzzle is Cam’Ron Fletcher. The Kentucky transfer and former four-star recruit screams impending breakout. After being part of UK’s disastrous 2020-21 season, Fletcher left Lexington and landed in Tallahassee. Without the intense microscope all Wildcats play under, the St. Louis native should be freed of expectations and live up to his potential in the Sunshine State.
With this group on full display Wednesday — not to mention FSU’s now-normal group of tall trees in the frontcourt — the Quakers will be hard-pressed to stay within the spread.
The State of Penn
Wednesday’s tilt against the Seminoles marks the first outing for Penn since March 7, 2020 (and 85-65 win over Columbia) after the entire Ivy League sat out last season due to COVID concerns. Head coach Steve Donahue’s club was picked to finish fourth in the league preseason poll behind Yale, Harvard and Princeton.
Junior transfer Michael Moshkovitz is an intriguing player. The forward from Jerusalem played on the Israeli Under-20 National Team and with future NBA players overseas. His international experience gives the Quakers a unique perspective.
In the backcourt, sophomores Jordan Dingle and Max Martz are expected to build off the success of their great freshman campaigns; Dingle won the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in the 2019-20 season. And senior captain Jelani Williams is finally expected to make his debut on the court after multiple seasons marred by injuries and COVID-19.
Will the hungry group be able to hang with clearly-superior ‘Noles? These are the kind of games can be close for the first half — and maybe into the first part of the second — but, ultimately, roster talent wins out and I suspect that will be the case in this one.
Pick: Florida State -19.5 (-110)
Blair Johnson is a veteran journalist and seasoned sports content creator. He has been writing and producing content as long as he can remember, with such familiar names as CNN, NFL Media and Yahoo. Blair currently lives and works in the greater Los Angeles area.
