Shon Abaev scored 20 points and added seven rebounds and six assists as Florida State pulled away from Troy with a strong second half to win 91-67 on Friday night in Tallahassee. The Seminoles outscored the Trojans 57-41 after halftime, shooting 53 percent from the field and converting 19 of 21 free throws.
Florida State opened the game with a 12-2 run within the first five and a half minutes, extending that advantage to 17-5 soon after. A 7-0 streak capped by Sebastian Rancik’s three-pointer pushed the Seminoles’ lead to 37-23 with just under two minutes left in the first half. The half ended 37-26 in Florida State’s favour.
Marcis Ponder, the 7-foot freshman, recorded his second double-double in as many games, with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Ponder had 15 points and 11 boards in the Seminoles’ 112-69 win over Florida A&M on Monday. Rancik contributed 18 points, while Kameron Taylor added 15 for Florida State, who improved to 2-0.
Troy, now 0-2, saw Caden Diggs and Sam Walters each score 11 points, but they could not keep pace with Florida State’s offensive surge in the second half. The Trojans managed only 41 points after the break, unable to overcome the Seminoles’ efficiency from the line and the field.
Florida State converted 34 of 39 free throws overall, a sharp contrast to Troy’s performance at the charity stripe. The Seminoles’ ability to maintain pressure and execute in the final 20 minutes proved decisive in the outcome.
The Seminoles prepare to host No. 1 Florida on Tuesday, while Troy will face Loyola Marymount on the same day.
According to Yahoo Sports.
