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A member of the Florida State college basketball staff went viral for his reaction when the Seminoles successfully contested a play at his suggestion during the team’s 95-89 win over California in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday.
Michael Rubin, student manager and video manager of the men’s basketball team, participated in the March Madness chaos this week after suggesting a challenge to head coach Luke Loucks that resulted in an overturned call in favor of the Seminoles.
Florida State Seminoles guard Martin Somerville (1) dribbles as California Golden Bears guard Nolan Dorsey (21) defends in the second half at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 11, 2026. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
The ACC released a video of Rubin partying with another staff member, resulting in a viral moment. Loucks can also be seen in the video turning towards Rubin to punch him after the successful challenge.
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“Go away, king,” one person wrote on X.
“The conviction to tell your HC to challenge the play takes a lot of courage… then do it right!!! that’s building trust here,” added another.
Rubin’s role this season stems from the NCAA’s Playing Rules Oversight Committee, which approved a new rule — the coach’s challenge — in June. According to the rule, coaches can challenge “out-of-bounds calls, basket/goalie interference and whether a secondary defender was within the arc of the restricted area.”
Florida State Seminoles head coach Luke Loucks during the ACC men’s basketball tournament between the California Golden Bears and the Florida State Seminoles at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 11, 2026. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Teams must be given a timeout to request an instant replay, and if the challenge is successful, they are entitled to another video review challenge for the remainder of the game. This includes overtime. But if a team’s first exam challenge fails, then they are not allowed to challenge for the rest of the competition.
Florida State tapped Rubin and assistant director of operations Ryan Shnider to take advantage of the new rule change. According to the team’s website, the two men sit behind Loucks “and carefully study every play of every game.”
Florida State Seminoles forward Alex Steen (25) reacts in the first half at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 11, 2026. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
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“These guys (Ryan and Michael) work their tails off every day,” Loucks said earlier this month, via the the team’s website. “They do it because they love the game and the program. They put a lot of time and effort into it, and they’re in a tough situation. It’s a really tough job because I’m asking them whether I should challenge or not. They have to make a split-second decision that can make you win or lose a game.”
Rubin is in his third season as a crew chief and is a third-year sports management major. Before Florida State’s quarterfinal game against Duke on Thursday night, Rubin had a farewell message on X after his viral moment.
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“I’m moving on, I’m grateful for every moment.”
