FSU women's basketball shoots the lights out in rout of No. 11 NC State

The Florida State women's basketball team bounced back from its first conference loss of the season exceptionally well.

After falling 77-71 in overtime at Boston College Sunday, the Seminoles had no easy bounceback opportunity on their hands with No. 11 NC State coming to Tallahassee.

What should have been a tough task, though, proved quite easy for the Seminoles. FSU (16-3, 5-1 in ACC) ran its pace-and-space offense to great effect Thursday night, routing the Wolfpack (13-4, 3-3) 91-72 at the Tucker Civic Center.

“I did not know that they would respond this well. I mean, my goodness," FSU head coach Brooke Wyckoff said after the win, her hair still wet from a locker room celebration. “But that is what they do. When we have a down moment, when we face adversity, they come back stronger. I am proud of who they are.”

The game was won, especially so comfortably, by remarkably fast starts to both the first and second halves. FSU opened up a 14-5 lead less than four minutes into the game and led for the rest of the first half, taking a 10-point margin into halftime.

The Seminoles then started the second half on an 11-0 run to balloon that lead up to 21 points. They scored 31 points in the third quarter, growing their lead as large as 27 points.

Freshman standout guard Ta'Niya Latson had perhaps as much reason as any FSU player to want to bounce back from the BC loss. Against the Eagles, she made just 4 of 17 shots, scoring 10 points to snap her streak of 14 consecutive 20-point games.

Against NC State, Latson was exceptionally efficient, making 13 of her 16 shots -- including two threes -- to rack up a game-high 31 points. It's her sixth 30-point game of the season, setting a new program record by breaking the tie with Natasha Howard, who had five 30-point games in the 2013-14 season.

“After that (Boston College) game, I felt like I was a little out of whack,” Latson said. “So I tried to come out here in attack mode. But I really was not worried about it. It was a reset button for me and the team.”

Senior guard Sara Bejedi built on her strong showing at Boston College, putting up her second straight 20-point game. She tallied 21 points with three threes and six free throws against NC State.

Facing an NC State defense which entered Thursday holding opponents to 59.7 points per game and 35.8% shooting this season, FSU shot 55.6% from the floor, its best shooting percentage in an ACC game this season.

On the other side of the ball, FSU held an NC State offense which came into the game shooting 46.4% to 37.7% shooting. The Seminoles forced just four turnovers, but dominated the glass with a 45-31 rebounding advantage. This was anchored by a 14-point, 10-rebound showing by Makayla Timpson, her 10th double-double of the season.

FSU stays at home this weekend for another game against a high-profile ACC opponent. Louisville (13-5, 4-1 in ACC) and former FSU player Morgan Jones will play at FSU Sunday at 1 p.m. on RSN.