Florida State's glass-half-full approach wasn't good enough again on Saturday.

The Seminoles' energy and fight was better in the second half, but FSU couldn't overcome a 14-point first-half deficit in an 89-81 loss at No. 25 Louisville.

FSU (16-11, 7-9 ACC) made 12 baskets but had 12 turnovers in the first half, continuing a trend of hot-and-cold halves in 2024-25. The Seminoles were 20 of 33 (60.6 percent) from the floor in the second half with just two turnovers.

"We’ve been consistently inconsistent," FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. "That’s who we’ve been. But I’m proud of the fight that our guys had in the second half."

Jamir Watkins misfired early from 3-point range, as did the Seminoles, but he finished with 23 points on 7 of 16 shooting. Watkins surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his FSU career, three days after he crossed the 1,500-point mark in his career (including his years at VCU).

Malique Ewin had 19 points on 9 of 10 shooting, while pulling down nine rebounds in 28 minutes. He was in foul trouble early — picking up foul No. 2 with 13:10 left in the first half — and sat for a long stretch. But he played well in the second half with 12 points.

The Seminoles played far better in the second half, trimming the deficit to six points a number of times. In the final minute, an AJ Swinton drive cut the Louisville lead to 87-81 before the Cardinals made a few free-throw attempts to seal it up.

Alier Maluk was a bright spot for FSU with six points and two rebounds in 12 minutes.

Daquan Davis fouled out but had 10 points and three steals. Taylor Bol Bowen struggled on the offensive end, shooting 1 for 4 from the floor and had had three points, three rebounds and three steals.

Chucky Hepburn scored 29 points on 5 of 13 shooting but drove the lane and made 17 of 19 free-throw attempts. Hepburn also had five steals for Louisville (21-6, 14-2).

FSU plays host to North Carolina on Monday at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

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