TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (Seminoles.com) — Senior Valencia Myers scored 15 points in leading the No. 17 Florida State women’s basketball team (3-0) to a 64-39 point victory against Jacksonville University. The Seminoles upped their record to 3-0 in coming back from a 10-point deficit early in the first half.
The Seminoles were down 13-3 early on and the Dolphins led 22-19 going into the locker room at half.
“We didn’t do what we do,” said Head Coach Sue Semrau regarding the first half. “Offensively, we weren’t the aggressor.”
After the half-time period, they came out with a new mindset as senior Morgan Jones put the Seminoles ahead for good with their first lead of the game at 23-22. This set the tone for the remainder of the game as the ‘Noles kept a strong lead and outscored Jacksonville 27-7 in the third period alone.
“As our defense picked up, everything offensively was able to open up,” said Myers. “Our first half was not Florida State Basketball. We came out [for the second half], we were aggressive, we were ready to attack. We had better intensity and we put pressure on the ball on defense and that just allowed everything to open up.”
Myers pulled down seven rebounds and was 6-of-8 shooting from the field. Jones and freshman Makayla Timpson contributed 12 points each and pulled down eight rebounds apiece.
“She [Timpson] is so willing to do all of the little things; to run, to rebound, to save people when they throw a terrible pass. I thought she and Sara Bejedi were the sparks, they were the difference makers off the bench here tonight,” said Semrau.
The ‘Noles outscored Jacksonville 24-20 off the bench and out-rebounded the Dolphins by a 42-26 margin. FSU also led 14-2 in second-chance points.
The Seminoles shot 46.8 percent from the field and held Jacksonville to 28.1 percent shooting. In the second half, Florida State shot 66.7 percent (16-of-24) and had its best shooting quarter of the season in third at 75 percent.
“We’ve got to learn how to play with aggression throughout the entire game, regardless of what we feel like,” Semrau stated.
Jacksonville’s Taylor Hawks had a team-high 14 points and Shynia Jackson contributed 12 points and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.
No. 17 Florida State looks to continue their perfect record at home on Sunday, November 21, against Grambling State. The game tips off at 2pm and will be aired on ACC Network Extra.
