Battle-tested: FSU women's hoops built to succeed in ACC play

Brooke Wyckoff and the Florida State Women’s Basketball team are surging at the beginning of conference play, rising to No. 15 in the AP Poll after a strong week where they knocked off No. 20 UNC (70-62) and No. 11 Virginia Tech (89-81).

The Seminoles are now 14-4 and 5-1 in the ACC with a road trip to Syracuse (14-2) on tap for Thursday (7 p.m., live stream on ACC Network Extra). Here are some thoughts on the Seminoles’ rise and why they’ve impressed:

Wyckoff intentionally scheduled a murderer’s row of opponents to test her team in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Matchups against No. 11 Tennessee, No. 4 Stanford and No. 2 UCLA signaled an aggressive approach to expose her roster to quality teams. FSU lost two of those three games to the Cardinal and Bruins, but competed well and more than held their own against two Final Four-caliber teams.

Knocking off the Lady Vols was a statement that the Seminoles had what it took to win against elite competition. The hope was that once ACC play started FSU would have experience and a sense of calm taking the floor against the league’s best. It has more than paid off so far for the team. Pushing No. 3 NC State to OT in Raleigh was another example of belonging on the same floor as one of the nation’s best, setting the scene to beat UNC and VT.

Senior guard Sara Bejedi has played her best basketball in her last season with the Seminoles. The native of Finland has long been known as an excellent defender and tone-setter, with flashes of offensive ability. She is averaging 24.3 points per game over her last three games with a career-high 31 points against the Hokies. Bejedi has also hit 15 threes in that stretch, shooting 60% (15 of 25) from beyond the arc. The senior has upped her season average to 39% from three, the best mark of her career. Against VT, Bejedi was dynamic getting the basket and leading the break in transition.

The Seminoles want to play fast and with tempo, Bejedi is one option on a team full of versatile guards. Her knack for getting to the free-throw line (37 attempts in the last five games) shows her aggressiveness and confidence, and she is also shooting 82 percent from the line on the season.

In addition to Bejedi, Ta’Niya Latson, Makayla Timpson and O’Mariah Gordon have elevated their contributions this season and especially in conference play. Latson is a household name, known for her athletic ability to score the ball. However, she’s shown a maturity this season in getting her teammates involved, as evidence of the 21 assists over the last three games.

Latson can still put the ball in the basket with the best of them, but drawing defenders and putting others in good positions to score has created even more pressure on opposing defenses. Her eight assists against Virginia Tech were important in the second half as she picked apart the Hokies’ defense while also contributing 20 points in the game offensively. Latson also reached the 1,000-point club in just 48 games, tying for the fastest ever to reach the milestone at FSU.

Timpson and Gordon continue to be important, with “KK” scoring double figures in eight consecutive games and adding eight double-doubles on the year. Timpson had 18 points and four blocks against VT and now has 52 blocks on the season, which leads the ACC and is Top 5 in the NCAA. Gordon’s health has been the biggest key to her rise. The former Florida Gatorade Player of the Year in high school has always had immense talent. Battling injuries the first few years of her career derailed her development in Tallahassee.

Associate Head Coach Bill Ferrara’s offensive scheme is tailor made for Gordon to thrive in. She’s quick with the ball, protects it and can create for her teammates and herself. Gordon leads the team in double figure scoring games (16) and is the ACC’s leader in assist to turnover ratio (4.1-to-1.5). She’s able to get Latson and Bejedi involved and has shown a penchant for big shots this season. She’s shooting 40% from beyond the arc this season and her 17 points against VT were critical as she out-dueled Georgia Amoore of the Hokies.

Brianna Turnage’s insertion into the starting lineup has been a major aid to the Noles. FSU is +70 in ACC play with “Snoop” on the floor. Her length, rebounding ability and defensive pressure make her a Swiss Army knife type of player and she has range from beyond the arc. Snoop is a very instinctual player that has won a High School National Championship in her career and that IQ makes everyone around her better.

Florida State boasts the ACC’s top scoring offense in conference play at 80.8 points per game. Overall, the Seminoles rank 13th nationally averaging 83.8 points per game.

Carla Viegas has made at least one 3-point field goal in 15 consecutive games.

The Seminoles are averaging 37.7 points in the paint during ACC play, out-scoring four of their first six opponents.

FSU is averaging 21.5 points in the fourth quarter in its six conference games, its highest scoring quarter. Against No. 11 Virginia Tech, the Seminoles shot 61.5 percent (16 of 26) in the second half.

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