The Florida State women’s basketball team returned from their California road trip after dropping two to Cal and Stanford. The Seminoles looked to get back to their winning ways when they welcomed Clemson to the Tucker Center.

FSU looked happy to be home after the long flight back from California, energized and ready. After shaking off a sluggish first quarter, the Seminoles settled into the game and would pull away from the Tigers 82-67 to improve to 14-4 on the season.

“I felt like in that second half, we got back to us,” FSU coach Brooke Wyckoff said. “We talked a lot after the California trip and that we were going to learn from that and we would get back to who we were, and we did that in this game, and the results are there.”

The scoring started on the first two possessions for the Seminoles, highlighted by junior guard Ta’Niya Latson driving to the free-throw line and dishing a high pass to the post that would’ve gone out of bounds for any other player. Luckily for senior forward Makayla Timpson, she was able to grab the ball out of the air with one hand and get an early and-one opportunity when she was fouled as she made the basket. This gave Florida State an early 4-0 lead.

Clemson mixed in its defensive sets quite a bit in the first half in hopes of slowing down Timpson and Latson. Man-to-man and a heavy dose of the 2-3 zone made things difficult for the Seminoles. Clemson came out hot in the first quarter with a blistering 62 percent shooting percentage.

After the first quarter, things looked to have carried over from the losses to Stanford and Cal. This team was only coming off three days’ rest after being on the west coast. Jet lag and fatigue could have played a factor, but the players knew when they got back to Tallahassee, they had to hit the practice court.

“We got in the training room and worked out with Davey and just took it day by day,” Latson said. “It started in practice, and we knew we had to get back right in practice. Leading up to this game, we came with intensity, and we came in with a chip on our shoulder because we knew we were a better team.”

Clemson was up 25–19 heading into the second quarter but that was the only bright spot for Tigers on the night.

The ’Noles and Clemson fought back and fourth for most of the second quarter and headed into the locker room with the Tigers only up 38-34. The Seminoles looked to have found a groove towards the end of the second quarter that carried over for the entirety of the second half.

The third quarter started just like any other quarter in basketball at the Tucker Center, only this time something special would occur. Timpson has collected many double doubles in her career at Florida State. Thursday was different. Makayla, or as she is lovingly known as “KK,” was coming into the game one double-double away from tying the school record for double doubles in a career. Timpson only trailed Natasha Howard with a career 40 double doubles.

Timpson had nine points and 10 rebounds with 4 minutes and 43 seconds left in the third quarter with the school record firmly in her sights. After securing a rebound, the talented forward fought off four Clemson players and was able to convert the putback. Only it was for nothing, as Timpson was whistled for the foul.

Timpson would have to wait until there was two minutes and 45 seconds left in the third quarter to tie the school record. She had 11 points and 10 rebounds at that point in the game but finished with her usual KK stat line of 17 points and 13 rebounds. Latson also recorded a double-double, pouring in 20 points and dishing out 10 assists.

Florida State sophomore forward Avery Treadwell did not play in the game due to an injury that was visible sitting from the media seating area. Treadwell’s eye looked black, blue and swollen. It looked like she had been in a fight, but coach Wyckoff expects the fan favorite to be back soon and that it wasn’t serious.

“It happened in practice,” Wyckoff said. “We’re just happy that Ave’s still smiling with that big ol' shiner. She’s a tough one, she’s one tough cookie, but she’ll be back soon.”

The Seminoles are back in action Sunday when they welcome rival Miami and the Cavinder twins to the Tucker Center.

Florida State will face Miami on Sunday at 2 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.

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