Florida State got the response it needed on Friday night, but it came in a game that was messy from start to finish.
The Seminoles opened fast against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, ripping off the first 10 points before the Islanders called timeout. After that, though, the game turned into a slog. Florida State spent most of the first half grinding for points at the line, while the half-court offense never really found a rhythm and even the easy looks were hard to come by.
By halftime, FSU had a 40-28 lead, but the numbers told the real story. Seventeen of those points came at the free-throw line, eight more came in transition, and 10 points were created off 10 turnovers.
The Seminoles shot 11/30 from the field and just 1/11 from three. Even with the lead, it was a rough watch.
The second half brought a little more life, especially in transition. Florida State made a clearer effort to push the ball after misses and get to the rim before the defense could set.
That helped the Seminoles stretch the margin to 20, and from there the game never got close again. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi struggled to generate much of anything, settling for midrange shots while FSU kept mixing up its defense.
Florida State finished with an 84-60 win, and 36 of its points came at the free-throw line. That kind of production can carry a night like this, but it also feels hard to bank on every time out.
The bigger concern remains the shooting. FSU is now 21/94, or 22.3%, from three-point range this season after going 2/21 in this one.
The Seminoles can score by attacking the rim and drawing fouls, but anything outside about 6 feet has been a struggle. That has to improve if this team wants to be more than just hard to play against.
One area where Florida State absolutely delivered was on the glass. The Seminoles controlled the boards 56-25 and grabbed 25 offensive rebounds, matching Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s total rebound count by themselves. The Islanders had been one of the better rebounding low-major teams early this season, but FSU took that away.
Sebastian Rancik was part of that effort, finishing with eight rebounds after a game where his rebounding was a point of emphasis.
Still, Florida State needs more from Martay Barnes and Brandon Bass Jr. Neither has been able to give the Seminoles much consistency, and that showed again here.
Barnes went 0/6 and finished with two points, while Bass had eight points, with a late three-pointer helping his final line. With AJ Swinton still recovering from injury and suspended, FSU would love to trust one of those two for more minutes, but that trust just isn’t there yet.
Florida State is back home Tuesday against Ball State.
In Other News...
Florida State Won Again But A Bigger Problem Is Already Emerging
Florida State kept rolling with an 84-60 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, moving to 3-1 under first-year coach Luke Loucks, but the box score did not exactly read like a clean offensive breakthrough. Sebastian Rancik led the Seminoles with 17 points and eight rebounds, giving them a steady presence inside while the rest of the attack worked through another uneven night.
The bigger concern was the perimeter game, where Florida State connected on just 2 of 21 three-point attempts. Loucks has already pointed to the need for sharper offense as the season moves forward, and while the Seminoles have the record they want for now, the shooting numbers suggest there is still plenty to sort out before the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Suddenly Has Life Again Under Rick Stockstill
Florida State found a way to steady itself in a 16-10 win over Pittsburgh, and it did so with the kind of formula that can keep a season from slipping away. Ashton Daniels managed the offense for 163 passing yards, Gabe Panikowski supplied three field goals, and the defense did its part by making the game uncomfortable from start to finish, including a key interception by Rylan Kennedy.
For a team that needed a response, this was the sort of performance that can change the mood around a program, even if it did not come with much flair. Pittsburgh never got comfortable against Florida States defense, as Corey Dailey finished 16 of 34 for 157 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and the Seminoles walked away with a win that felt bigger than the scoreboard alone. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Has A Postgame Travel Concern Fans Will Want To Watch
Florida State made its trip to Pittsburgh a day early, and that timing may end up mattering more than usual. The Seminoles charter flight to get to the game was not affected by Fridays nationwide ground stop, which the FAA put in place after a communications failure hit Air Route Traffic Control Centers and halted departing flights until further notice.
The immediate concern now is the return leg after the game, with the team monitoring whether the travel disruption could spill into its postgame plans. For a program on the road for a conference matchup, even a delay on the back end can turn a routine trip into something worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]