No. 1 Florida leaned on Thomas Haugh’s all-around night and a clear edge on the glass to stay unbeaten, knocking off Florida State 81-72 on Tuesday in Tallahassee.
Haugh finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, giving the Gators a second double-double in his senior season. He was efficient from everywhere, hitting 3 of 6 from 3-point range and 10 of 12 at the line.
Florida also got a strong interior effort from Alex Condon, who posted eight points and 10 rebounds as the Gators improved to 3-0. The rebounding margin told a big part of the story: Florida finished with a 41-29 advantage and used that extra possession work to win its sixth straight in the series.
Florida State had its chances, especially after halftime. Sebastian Rancik scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half, shooting 8 of 17 overall, though he went just 1 of 7 from deep. Anthony Robinson added 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting and buried a pair of 3-pointers late as the Seminoles tried to chip away.
But Florida’s perimeter defense held firm for most of the night. The Seminoles managed just 4 of 21 from 3-point range, and Florida’s free-throw shooting helped keep the lead intact even when the game tightened. The Gators went 30 of 41 at the stripe and shot 41.2% overall, while Florida State finished at 27 of 62 from the floor and 14 of 18 from the line.
The first half was tight throughout, with Haugh already up to seven points and six rebounds as Florida took a 31-29 lead into the break. The Gators also found some early rhythm from outside, going 6 of 19 from 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes while Florida State missed all nine of its first-half attempts from beyond the arc.
Florida hosts Merrimack on Friday.
In Other News...
FSU Heads To Pitt With Bowl Hopes And A Growing Availability Problem
Florida State heads to Pittsburgh for its second straight road game carrying more than just the usual late-season pressure. The Seminoles are still trying to keep their bowl hopes alive, and the latest ACC availability report adds another layer to the challenge, with several players unavailable on both sides of the matchup. For Florida State, the backfield picture is especially important after Quintrevion Wisner was ruled out, leaving more of the workload to Amari Thomas.
It is the kind of spot where depth matters as much as momentum, and the Seminoles will need to sort through a thinner rotation while trying to handle a Panthers team dealing with its own absences. Pittsburgh listed eight players as unavailable, so both staffs are working around missing pieces as the game approaches. For Florida State, the bigger question is how well it can absorb the losses and still stay on track in a game with plenty riding on it. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Heads Into Pitt With One New Roster Concern
Florida States latest injury report added another layer of uncertainty as the Seminoles get ready for Pitt, with several players landing in various categories and running back Tre Wisner ruled out. Linebacker Blake Nichelson was listed as probable, giving the defense at least one encouraging note as the team works through the usual late-week roster sorting before a conference road game.
The off-field news was busy, too, with Jeff Purinton introduced as the schools new athletic director and weighing in on the football coaching search. Around the program, the mens basketball team dropped its game against Florida, while the womens team was preparing to host West Florida in a Military Appreciation game, keeping Florida States athletic department in the spotlight on multiple fronts. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Faces An Immediate Test After Its Much Needed Breakthrough
Florida State finally got a needed lift by snapping a three-game losing streak with a win over Boston College, a result that gave Rick Stockstill a much cleaner starting point in his new role. It was the kind of response the Seminoles had been waiting for, especially after a rough stretch that had put plenty of pressure on the program to show some life again.
Pittsburgh arrives Friday with a similar sense of relief after ending its own skid, which makes this next matchup feel less like a reset and more like an immediate stress test. The numbers suggest there are real contrasts to sort through, and with both teams trying to turn one good result into something more durable, this one should say plenty about whether Florida States breakthrough was the start of a climb or just a brief pause. [Read more 🡒]