FSU coach Leonard Hamilton remained stoic on the sideline even as Xavier sank three-point baskets and his offense saw shots spin in and out of the rim.
But as the final buzzer sounded and his No. 3 seed Florida State team left the court of Orlando’s Amway Center with a 91-66 loss to 11th-seeded Xavier, his players were dejected as they walked off the court.
After a 20-2 start to the season and second-place finish in the Atlantic Coastal Conference, Florida State’s first NCAA Tournament since 2012 ended after just two games and with its largest margin of defeat this season.