TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (Seminoles.com) –The Seminoles ended their season-opening four-game homestand unbeaten (4-0) with another resounding 76-53 victory against Grambling State in front of an engaged crowd at the Tucker on Sunday afternoon.
Morgan Jones had her best outing of the season thus far leading the Noles with a game high 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting. It was Jones’ fourth career 20-point game and the third-highest scoring performance of her career.
“She took really good shots today. She’s been working on those shots for years and years,” Head Coach Sue Semrau said about Jones’ offensive game.
Guards Sara Bejedi and freshman O’Mariah Gordon pushed the pace for the Noles all afternoon long, dealing out three and five assists respectively. As a team, the Noles finished with 21 assists on 26 buckets. It marked their second straight game finishing with 20+ assists.
Freshman Makayla Timpson sunk a pair of free throws late in the first quarter to put the Noles up 20-18 and they never looked back. River Baldwin had another strong outing in the paint with 10 of her 12 points coming from the restricted area.
“Our guards get out fast. Our coaches constantly remind us that we are best in transition,” said Baldwin about the Noles’ offensive aggression.
The Noles were persistent offensively throughout the game, with Jones getting to the line 14 times. The Noles turned up the heat defensively in the second half, holding their opponents to just five points in the third quarter. Led by Valencia Myers, who had a game high 10 rebounds, the Noles out-battled the Tigers on the glass by a margin of 13 (39-26).
Myers’ 10-point, 10-rebound double-double marked the fifth of her FSU career.
Amaya Brown and O’Mariah Gordon got the crowd on their feet with back-to-back blocks in the fourth quarter. The team finished the game with 11 blocks versus their opponent’s 1.
“We talk about being solid. The fact that our players are so athletic and can get up to block shots, is always fun for the crowd,” said Coach Sue about her team’s defense.
The Noles forced 20 turnovers from the Tigers, scoring 24 points off those turnovers.
The Seminoles begin their three-game road trip at the St. Pete Showcase against BYU on Thanksgiving at 7pm live on FloSports. The tournament takes place at Eckerd College and also includes No. 22 West Virginia and Purdue.