The FSU men’s basketball team took the court in the 1947–48 season, just months after Florida State University returned to coeducational status. Don Loucks, who coached the institution’s women’s sports since the 1930s, served as the inaugural men’s basketball coach. On December 10, 1947, the cagers recorded the first men’s athletic win in modern school history, a 39-36 victory over Spring Hill College.
J.K. “Bud” Kennedy became head coach ahead of the 1948–49 season, serving in the role for 18 seasons. Under his leadership, the Seminoles rose from a small program in the Dixie Conference to a worthy competitor in independent play. Kennedy guided FSU to a 237-208 overall record, along with a Dixie Conference Championship in 1952 and the Florida Intercollegiate Conference Championship in 1955.
The Robert H. Tully Gymnasium was dedicated on campus in November 1956. Known for its loud environment with an intimate capacity of 3,000, the Seminoles called Tully home for 26 seasons.
Hugh Durham, a former Seminole star player and coaching disciple of Bud Kennedy, became head coach ahead of the 1966–67 season. Over 12 campaigns in Tallahassee, Durham guided FSU to their most successful era to date, making three NCAA Tournament appearances, a trip to the 1972 National Championship Game and a transition to the Metro Conference. His .705 winning percentage remains the best in program history.
On December 1, 1966, Lenny Hall made history as FSU’s first Black men’s basketball player. The forward from Camden, New Jersey, recorded four points and two rebounds in a win over Valdosta State. Unfortunately, his playing time was limited to just four minutes, as a devesting injury sidelined him for the rest of the game and his career. Despite his limited playing time, Hall opened the door for future Black athletes to participate in Seminole basketball.
FSU made its greatest postseason run in the 1972 NCAA Tournament. After dispatching blue bloods Kentucky in the Elite Eight and North Carolina in the Final Four, the Seminoles faced the dynastic UCLA Bruins in the 1972 National Championship Game. Though FSU came up short, their appearance elevated the program to national status and attracted star talent over the coming decades.
After more than two decades playing in historic Tully Gym, the Seminoles had a new residence for the 1981–82 season: the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. The state-of-the-art arena had an expanded capacity and would host an array of community events, in addition to FSU men’s and women’s basketball. The Seminoles continue to call the Tucker Center home today.
Following 15 seasons with the Metro Conference, FSU officially joined the ACC in 1991. It was a bold move for the program, elevating the Seminoles to compete in the nation’s most dominant college basketball conference. Since then, FSU has claimed four ACC Coach of the Year awards, four ACC Sixth Man of the Year awards, three ACC Defensive Player of the Year awards, two ACC Rookie of the Year awards and two Anthony J. McKelvin Awards for ACC Male Athlete of the Year.
Leonard Hamilton became head coach in 2002, steering the program to a 460-296 record over 23 seasons. Under Hamilton’s leadership, the Seminoles made regular runs in the NCAA Tournament and captured the team’s first ACC regular season and ACC Tournament championships. He remains the all-time winningest coach in program history and the fifth-winningest coach in ACC history.
Behind the efforts of F Bernard James, G Luke Loucks and ACC Tournament MVP G Michael Snaer, the Seminoles captured the first ACC Tournament Championship in program history in 2012. No. 17 FSU dispatched Miami in the quarterfinals before upsetting No. 6 Duke in the semis. With an 85-82 victory over No. 4 North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game, the Noles were crowned kings of the conference.
In 2018, FSU returned to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 25 years. The No. 9 Seminoles downed No. 8 Missouri in the first round before shocking first-seeded Xavier in the second round. After a decisive 15-point win over No. 4 Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen, FSU advanced to face No. 3 Michigan in the Elite Eight. The deep postseason run was part of a series of frequent tournament appearances that decade.
Competing in the ACC is no easy task, but the Noles were up for the challenge in the 2019–20 season. FSU finished with a 16-4 record (including 10-0 at home) against conference opponents that campaign, winning the ACC regular season championship for the first time in program history. No. 1 FSU was also named the conference champion when the 2020 ACC Tournament was cancelled midway through due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
