Florida State (13-4, 3-2 ACC) fell to #24 Cal (16-2, 4-1 ACC) by a 82-70 score this afternoon in Berkeley, CA.

Game Recap

Cal got off to a great start hitting the Seminoles with a 7-0 run to draw a timeout from head coach Brooke Wyckoff. The timeout did not work well as the Bears jumped out to an 18-5 lead powered by an early 72.7% shooting percentage. FSU was not able to cut into the lead as the Bears ended the quarter with a 29-13 lead. It was Cal’s highest scoring first quarter of the season.

Cal’s hot shooting cooled off in the second quarter but the Noles were unable to meaningfully cut into the lead. The Bears still led 35-20 at the media timeout halfway through the quarter. California hit the Seminoles with a 12-0 run that was broken by an Amaya Bonner triple but the Bears still led 47-25. Cal finished the half with a dominating 50-25 lead.

The Seminoles were never able to get their teeth in this game as the Golden Bears cruised in the second half to the dominating 82-70 victory.

Post Game

Makayla Timpson delivered another double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Amaya Bonner came off the bench to score 14 against her former team. Ta’Niya Latson had 13 points and O’Mariah Gordon chipped in 12 points. Sydney Bowles had 10 points and six rebounds.

Cal started off hot and the Seminoles were never able to fully recover. FSU suffered from an unusual amount of turnovers early but ultimately it was the hot shooting of the Bears that doomed the Seminoles. Basically, Florida State could not stop (or even slow down) Cal’s offensive onslaught.

Ta’Niya Latson had her worst game of the year and perhaps her worst game as a Seminole. However, to her credit she never forced the issue or took bad shots to try to get her numbers. Latson was only 3-11 from the field. Perhaps she should have shot more but she is focused on the team. There were plenty of times that she could have forced a shot but she passed to an open teammate. Over time that unselfishness will lead to better offense if her teammates can step up.

Florida State has to figure out a way to improve defensively. The Seminoles can probably just rely on the high octane offense to beat the mediocre and weaker teams in the ACC but they will need to be able to get stops to beat the better teams. This has to be a focus going forward.

Both of these west coast games were missed opportunities for Florida State. Winning even one of them would have set the Noles up nicely in the ACC and nationally. However, it wasn’t to be. FSU is still not in a bad position overall but the margin of error has been reduced.

Looking at the upcoming schedule, Florida State will play five of their next six games against lower tier ACC competition. Those games need to be wins. There is a game in that stretch at Chapel Hill against North Carolina that will present another opportunity for a Q1 win. That game is not a must win in order to make the NCAA Tournament but it may be in order to get a favorable seed.

Nevertheless, the Noles just need to get back on track. The schedule will give them the opportunity to do just that and we will see if they can seize it.

Next Game

Florida State will return to Tallahassee to face Clemson on Thursday. The game will tip at 6pm and will be broadcast on the ACC Network Extra.