Florida State’s home opener against Troy had its rough patches, but the Seminoles still found a way to separate late and leave the Tucker Center with a 91-68 win on Friday night.
The first half was more grind than glide. Troy spent most of it in zone, and Florida State never looked fully settled against it.
The Seminoles drove into traffic, forced some shaky looks, and didn’t exactly make life easy on themselves. Even so, they kept the pressure on by getting to the line early and often.
FSU was in the bonus six minutes into the game and went 15-for-18 at the stripe before halftime, which helped them build a 38-27 lead.
The rebounding edge was there too, as expected against a smaller Troy team. Florida State grabbed 11 offensive boards in the first half, though that only turned into four second-chance points. Both teams were cold overall, combining to shoot 9-for-28 with four made threes by the break.
The offense looked a little cleaner to open the second half. FSU hit 6 of its first 12 shots after halftime, with Anthony Robinson II getting a few good finishes at the rim.
Troy, though, kept hanging around. Jacoi Hutchinson’s tough and-one trimmed the margin to nine with about 13 minutes left.
Troy found some rhythm through the pick-and-pop game with Sam Walters, the former four-star recruit, as Marcis Ponder was content to sit in drop coverage and was a step slow getting back to the pop. That opened the door for a few Trojans threes. On the other end, Shon Abaev kept answering with hard drives to the basket.
Then Florida State started to pull away. Back-to-back and-ones from Ponder pushed the lead to 15 with about 11 minutes remaining. Troy was still trying to stay in the game with drives, kick-outs, and quick slips after screens, but it never could put together the run it needed.
The margin reached 20 after a three that bounced around every part of the rim and backboard, and Kam Taylor added a pair of free throws to help put it away. From there, Florida State cruised to the finish.
The final line was hard to argue with: 91 points, a comfortable win, and another game where the Seminoles leaned heavily on getting downhill and drawing fouls. FSU shot 39 free throws against Troy after taking 34 in the opener against Florida A&M, and that approach has clearly been a big part of the early game plan. The shots won’t always come that easily, though, and the Seminoles know they’ll need more consistent scoring from the floor.
Abaev was the headliner. He finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and he looked dangerous everywhere on the court. He also continued to show off his playmaking touch, with 12 assists and just one turnover across two games despite never having played point guard.
Sebastian Rancik also gave Florida State a productive night with 18 points, while Kam Taylor added 15 and Ponder finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Florida State now turns to a much bigger test on Tuesday evening, when top-ranked Florida comes to the Tucker Center.
In Other News...
Brian Kelly Just Added Intrigue To Florida States Coaching Search
Florida States coaching search has already carried plenty of weight because of where the program has been and how often the chair has turned over since 2017. Now Brian Kelly has put his name into the conversation, saying during a radio interview that he has interest in the job and pointing to the Seminoles history and tradition as part of the appeal.
Kelly arrives with a long rsum from Notre Dame and LSU, but also with the baggage that comes from his exit in Baton Rouge in October 2023. His track record makes him an obvious name to watch, yet the fit is not so simple, with questions already surfacing about whether his personality would mesh with what Florida State is looking for as it tries to steady the program. [Read more 🡒]
Florida States Coaching Search Faces One Question Fans Cant Ignore
Florida States coaching search is unfolding against a financial backdrop that has drawn plenty of attention, but university officials say the numbers are not nearly as alarming as some outside reports have suggested. Chief Financial Officer Kyle Clark said the school carries $306 million in debt, most of it tied to stadium renovations, and he pointed out that figure is lower than what has been circulating elsewhere. The athletic departments budget has also climbed sharply over the past decade, rising from $76 million in 2014 to a projected $265 million for fiscal year 2027.
For Seminoles fans, the bigger question is whether all of that translates into real flexibility as the school pursues its next football coach. Interim athletic director Bruce Warwick has said the finances should not stand in the way of landing a top-tier hire or giving that coach the resources needed to compete. In other words, the money conversation is not about whether Florida State can participate in the market, but how aggressively it can move when the right candidate emerges. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Heads To Boston College With A Roster Question They Can't Ignore
Florida State heads to Boston College this week with more than just a road game on its mind. The Seminoles are trying to snap the longest road losing streak in program history, and the trip comes with a different feel as well, since it will be their first game under an interim head coach. Both teams have already released injury reports, and there were no changes from the first report to the second, leaving the Seminoles to keep an eye on a few key names as they sort through the week.
Among the players Florida State is monitoring are running back Quintrevion Wisner and cornerback JaBril Rawls, two pieces whose availability could matter in a game that already carries plenty of pressure. With the injury picture holding steady for now, the focus shifts to how the Seminoles handle the setting, the new sideline leadership and the challenge of trying to break a streak that has hung over the program for too long. [Read more 🡒]