In 2004, Leonard Hamilton brought in the nation's 11th-best recruiting class to play alongside the nation's top-ranked sophomore class.
Florida State appeared to be a program on the rise, having increased its win total in each of the four previous seasons. The Seminoles had even knocked off a top-five team in each of the previous three years.
And when Florida State shocked No. 3 Wake Forest, 91-83, Jan. 18, 2005 in Tallahassee, Fla., it seemed that Hamilton's recruiting efforts were beginning to pay dividends.
But the season took a dramatic turn for the worse after that game, as the Seminoles dropped 11 of their final 13 games on their way to a disappointing 12-19 record and a tie for 10th place in the ACC. Even more frustrating for Hamilton was the fact that six of the team's 12 conference losses came on the final possession.
"I've watched them 100 times," Hamilton said of the six games his team lost by a combined 10 points. "So you say, 'Were we almost that good or were we just that bad?' Well I know the answer."
Hamilton blamed some of his teams' late-game struggles on the inexperience of his Florida State squad, but he added that the difficult losses will teach his players how to deal with those situations.
"Experience-I think that is the biggest factor," senior guard Todd Galloway said. "We have four or five guys who have been there and been through those tough battles, when those things come around we have some leadership."
Galloway, along with juniors Al Thornton and Alexander Johnson, will be counted on for their experience and for the offensive production the team lost by Von Wafer's departure. Florida State's leading scorer last season, Wafer left for the NBA after his sophomore season and was drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Wafer had the ability to create his own shots, and although Hamilton said his team still has a number of good spot-up shooters, the Seminoles, who were ranked 11th in the ACC during the preseason, will have to execute better to get them open looks.
"I definitely see the scoring being a little collective-somebody stepping up one night and another guy stepping up the next night." Galloway said. "I think there's definitely going to be 4 to 6 guys who are going to score every night in league play."
In addition to the returning players, Hamilton continued his hot recruiting streak by bringing in the 15th-ranked recruiting class in the country, according to scout.com. Its highlight is Nigerian native Uche Echefu, the 6-foot-9 Maryland Player of the Year. The four-star recruit is expected to make an immediate impact.
But despite Hamilton's stockpiling of talent, the fourth-year head coach has yet to produce a consistent program-a problem he hopes to rectify this season with a more balanced attack.
"I think when you watch our team play you will be turning your program asking, 'Who is that?,'" Hamilton said. "All three of our seniors have made tremendous improvement, our two juniors, our freshmen. You'll be evaluating us more as a team because on any given night, any of the players can step up."
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