Field Level Media
Dec 17, 2019
Seven Florida State players scored in double figures, and the 19th-ranked Seminoles easily handled North Florida 98-81 on Tuesday night in Tallahassee, Fla.
Center Balsa Koprivica scored 15 points to lead the Seminoles (9-2), and guard M.J. Walker produced 12 points. Forward Raiquan Gray, guard Devin Vassell, center Dominik Olejniczak, forward Patrick Williams and guard Trent Forrest all added 11 points apiece in Florida State's second straight win since a defeat at Indiana.
North Florida was led by guard Ivan Gandia-Rosa with 23 points, and guard Garrett Sams dropped 20 points in the loss. Guard Ryan Burkhardt was the Ospreys' only other double-figure scorer, finishing with 12 points.
The Ospreys (7-6) are three games into a stretch of seven consecutive road contests, with their next home appearance not coming until Jan. 9 against Florida Gulf Coast.
The defeat left North Florida with an 0-25 record against ranked teams since the program moved to Division I.
The Ospreys entered the night leading the nation with 149 3-pointers made, and they added 13 to that total, though they attempted 34 shots from behind the arc.
The Seminoles led just 26-23 with eight minutes left in the first half before going on a 10-3 run that began with a Walker basket followed by a Walker three-point play.
Florida State went into halftime up 48-39, then scored nine of the next 11 points to pull away.
Florida State's win Tuesday was marked its 37th straight at home against a nonconference opponent -- a streak that began December 6, 2014, with a 96-73 victory over Central Florida. The Seminoles also improved to 5-0 all-time against North Florida.
Next up for the Ospreys, they travel to Syracuse on Saturday, while Florida State next faces South Florida in Sunrise, Fla., on Saturday.
--Field Level Media