TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State Women’s Basketball freshman guard Ta’Niya Latson punctuated another high-octane offensive performance for the Seminoles by pouring in 34 points in a 108-51 win over Texas Southern on Sunday afternoon at the Donald L. Tucker Center.
“I’m really proud of our team today,” FSU Head Coach Brooke Wyckoff said. “They really responded to the challenge of ‘Let’s play four quarters.’ They did that and they did it in a big way, and we were led by Ta’Niya again with her 34 points. But I thought she did a great job on the defensive end as well, really locking in and creating havoc like she knows she can. That was our big goal defensively – to lock down for four quarters, and we did that.”
Latson finished 12-of-19 from the floor and went 9-of-10 from the free throw line in what was her third 30-point game of the season. The Miami, Fla., native picked up her third 30-point performance, the most by a Seminole in a season since Natasha Howard had five 30-point games in the 2013-14 year. She tied her career high of 34 set against Kent State.
“It’s been really fun,” Latson said postgame. “I feel like I’m picking up where I left off at high school. Obviously, the game is more intense, but I’m just having fun out there and taking what the defense gives me. In practice, I learn from my mistakes. Like coach said, today was a defensive day, and I feel like I have picked up on that and that was a real focal point for me. Scoring-wise on the offensive end, that’s how we play.”
Fellow Florida Gatorade Player of the Year O’Mariah Gordon had a career performance, registering a career-best 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting while adding two assists in just under 22 minutes of action. Gordon got to the rim at will and also had her mid-range jumper working, providing an instant boost for an FSU offense that shot 52.1 percent from the floor.
Redshirt senior Erin Howard tied her season high with 15 points, while sophomore forward Makayla Timpson added 12 points and six rebounds. Timpson had recorded a double-double in each of her previous four games played.
In the second half, the Seminoles out-scored the Tigers (0-8) 55-16 after taking a 53-35 halftime lead. FSU converted 58 points in the paint and also added seven 3-point field goals. The Seminoles got to the free throw line in their aggressive offense, going 27-of-34 from the charity stripe.
FSU’s second 100-point game of the season was highlighted by a smooth-shooting third quarter when it shot 68.4 percent (13-of-19) from the floor. All nine active Seminoles got into the scoring column in Sunday’s win.
Taniya Lawson led Texas Southern with 18 points, while Andriana Avent had 16.
Florida State finishes its three-game homestand when it hosts Presbyterian on Thursday, Dec. 15, at 6 p.m. on ACC Network.
