Florida State’s matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs on Wednesday night is more than just a non-conference matchup — in addition to being part of the 2023 ACC-SEC Challenge, Hall of Fame coach and player Hugh Durham (who took both Florida State to the national championship and Georgia to the Final Four) will be honored ahead of the game, with former players from both UGA and FSU set to attend.
From FSU Sports Info:
He started his playing career as a guard for the Seminoles under coach Bud Kennedy in 1956. He played three seasons and scored 1,381 points and averaged a staggering 18.9 points a game. Durham is one of the most prolific scorers in school history scoring 43 points against Stetson on January 19, 1957. This is the second-best single-game scoring mark in school history. His career scoring total is still, after 64 years, ranked as the 18th highest in school history, while his scoring average is the ninth best in school history.
Durham served Florida State as its head coach for 12 seasons leading the Seminoles to the 1972 NCAA Championship game and three NCAA Tournaments. In the 1972 season, Durham led the team to the best season in school history with a record of 27-6. The Seminoles defeated North Carolina in the NCAA Final Four, before falling to UCLA in the national championship game.
The 1977-78 season would be Durham’s last in garnet and gold before moving to Athens, Ga. to become the new head Men’s Basketball Coach for the Georgia Bulldogs. Durham led the Bulldogs through a transformation from never winning an SEC regular title or tournament championship, along with neither appearing in an NCAA or an NIT tournament to leading the team to five NCAA tournaments, four NIT tournaments and two SEC tournament championships.
Durham is the only coach in the history at the University of Georgia in Men’s Basketball to lead them to the NCAA Final Four.
After such a successful career spanning five decades as both a player and coach, he has been enshrined into six different Halls of Fame: the Florida State University Hall of Fame, Kentucky High School Hall of Fame, Florida Sports Hall of Fame, Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Collegiate Hall of Fame.
The matchup between his two former schools feature a 4-1 Florida State coming off a Sunshine Slam championship win over Colorado and a 3-3 Georgia who snapped a two-game losing streak with a 78-69 win over Winthrop last Friday.
Georgia has had three matchups vs. Power 5 opponents so far, beating Wake Forest but losing to Miami and Oregon. The Bulldogs have struggled offensively in the majority of their matchups this season, which is good news for a Florida State squad that’s starting to find its footing after a blowout loss to Florida earlier in the season.
According to DraftKings, FSU is favored by 9.5 over Georgia with an over/under of 154.
FSU vs. Georgia: How to stream
Date
Wednesday, November 29
Time
9:30 p.m.
Watch
ACC Network
Listen
Seminoles Radio Network, SiriusXM RADIO FSU Broadcast: CH. 119 or 193
Game notes, via FSU Sports Info
SEMINOLES TO HONOR HALL OF FAMER HUGH DURHAM AGAINST GEORGIA IN ACC/SEC CHALLENGE
Florida State, which won the championship of the Sunshine Slam with victories over Central Michigan, UNLV, and No. 18/21 Colorado last week, plays host to Georgia in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge. The game is the first meeting between the Seminoles and the Bulldogs in basketball since the 1981 season. Florida State will honor Hugh and Melinda Durham – who will be present at Wednesday’s game in a halftime ceremony. Durham, who was elected into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016, coached both the Seminoles (in 1972) and the Bulldogs (in 1983) to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. He was elected into the Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1980, the Kentucky High School Hall of Fame in 1994, the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2009 and to the Kentucky Sports Hal of Fame in 2016. Following Florida State’s game against Georgia, the Seminoles begin ACC play at No. 19 North Carolina at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C, on Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
FLORIDA STATE VS. GEORGIA CONNECTIONS
Florida State plays host to Georgia in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at the Donald L. Tucker Center. The Seminoles lead the all-time series against the Bulldogs and have won two of the last three games in the series. The game between Florida State and Georgia marks the first between the two teams since a 70-67 Bulldog win on December 1, 1981 in a game played at the Donald L. Tucker Center. The Seminoles are 9-3 against Georgia in games played in Tallahassee. Florida State Hall-of Famer, Hugh Durham, was a standout guard at Florida State before becoming the Seminoles’ head coach in 1966. He was 229-96 over 12 seasons and led Florida State to three NCAA Tournaments, including a national runner-up finish in 1972. Durham became Georgia’s head coach in 1979 and compiled a 297-215 record in 17 seasons. He led the Bulldogs to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1983, which culminated with a trip to the Final Four in Albuquerque. As Florida State’s head coach, Durham was 1-1 against Georgia. As Georgia’s head coach, he was 1-1 against Florida State. Georgia is coached by Mike White, who is in his second season as the Bulldog’s head coach. White is 2-7 against Florida State during his career with a 1-2 record against the Seminoles while he was at Louisiana Tech (two NIT games) and was 1-5 as the head coach at Florida against the Seminoles. HUGH DURHAM’S CAREER AT FLORIDA STATE Hugh Durham led the Seminole basketball teams as a player in the 1950’s (1957-59) and as a coach in the 1960’s and 1970’s (1966-78). As a player, Durham scored 1,281 points and averaged 18.9 points scored per game. Durham is ranked 18th all-time in scoring, ninth in career scoring average, fourth in career free throws made (441) and is tied for ninth in school history among the fastest players in school history to score 1,000 career points. Durham became Florida State’s head coach in 1960, earned a 230-95 record and led three Seminole teams into the NCAA Tournament including the 1972 squad that played in Florida State’s first Final Four and advanced to the first National Championship game. SEMINOLES’
WATKINS NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK (CO)
Jamir Watkins, who averaged 18.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in leading the Seminoles to the championship of the Sunshine Slam, has been named the ACC Co-Player of the Week in a vote by a Blue Ribbon panel and announced by the ACC Office. Watkins was named the MVP of the Sunshine Slam as the Seminoles defeated UNLV and No. 18 Colorado to win the championship of the tournament.
FLORIDA STATE WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE SUNSHINE SLAM
Florida State defeated Central Michigan (November 13, 94-67), UNLV (November 20, 83-75) and No. 18 Colorado (November 21, 77-71 in overtime) to claim the championship of the Sunshine Slam at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. Redshirt junior Jamir Watkins was named as the tournament MVP as he averaged 18.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and shot .700 from the field. Junior Jalen Warley, who averaged 8.0 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.3 steals was named to the Sunshine Slam All-Tournament team along with Watkins. LOOK FOR FLORIDA STATE TO… …Defeat Georgia and gain a win over the Bulldogs for the first time since December 20, 1980 when the Seminoles took a 64-62 win over Georgia at The Omni in Atlanta, Ga., in the championship game of the Inaugural Cotton States Insurance Basketball Classic; …Defeat Georgia and gain a win against an SEC Team for the first time since an 83-71 win over Florida on December 12, 2020. The Seminoles have an all-time record of 109-127 against the 14 current member of the SEC.
SEMINOLES’ NCAA RECORD OVERTIME STREAK IS AT NOW AT 14 STRAIGHT WINS
Florida State enters Wednesday’s game against Georgia having won an NCAA record 14 consecutive overtime games. The Seminoles’ streak began with a 101-90 win in double overtime against Syracuse on January 13, 2018. Florida State defeated Duke, 79-70, in overtime on January 18, 2022, in Tallahassee for its all-time college basketball record 13th consecutive overtime victory. Florida State has defeated 12 teams during its overtime streak, including nine ACC teams.
FLORIDA STATE ENTERS WEDNESDAY’S GAME AGAINST GEORGIA AS THE ACC LEADER IN STEALS
With double-digit steals in three of its last four games (13 against Central Michigan, 12 at Florida and 17 in its overtime win over No. 18/21 Colorado), Florida State enters play in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge against Georgia as the ACC leader In overall steals with 59, and in average steals per game with an 11.8 per game average. The Seminoles have ranked in the top five in the ACC in steals in four of the last five years, average 7.0 steals per game and are 36 steals shy of 900 steals since the start of the 2019-20 season.
FLORIDA STATE VS. GEORGIA – A SERIES HISTORY
The Series: Florida State leads the all-time series, 19-10
First Game: December 27, 1951; Georgia 79 vs. Florida State 50
Last Game: December 1, 1981; Georgia 70 at Florida State 67
Last Florida State Win: December 20, 1980; Florida State 64, Georgia 72
Last Georgia Win: December 1, 1981; Georgia 70 at Florida State 67
Last Florida State Win in Tallahassee: March 5, 1966; at Florida State 87, Georgia 69
Last Georgia Win in Tallahassee: December 1, 1981; Georgia 70 at Florida State 67
Current Streak: Georgia has won 1
Current Streak in Tallahassee: Georgia has won 1