Florida State University Athletics
Wednesday, January 22
Berkeley, CA
9:00 p.m.
Florida State
at
University of California
Seminoles Hope Shooting Travels In Trip West To Play Cal And Stanford
1/21/2025 11:13:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BERKELEY, Cal. – It has been said that shooting in the game of basketball is a lost art.
Don't tell the Florida State Seminoles that as they prepare for their first Atlantic Coast Conference games on the West Coast at California (Wednesday, January 22, 9:00 p.m. ET) and at Stanford (Saturday, January 25, 7:00 p.m. ET). Both games can be seen on the ACC Network and heard on the Seminole Sports Network.
The Seminoles are playing in the state of California for the first time since they advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament in 2018 (in Los Angeles) and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2019 (in Anaheim). The Seminoles' most recent regular season game in California came as a 74-63 win at Loyola Marymount on December 18, 2010.
Winners of three of their last four ACC games, the Seminoles traveled across three times zones to face the Golden Bears and Cardinal for the first time as conference opponents. The Seminoles and the Golden Bears have met once previously (a Seminole win in 2008). Florida State and Stanford have also met once previously (a Cardinal win in 2022).
The Seminoles enter their game against Cal ranked fourth in the ACC in field goal percentage with a .472 mark. They are one of just five teams in the ACC that is shooting 47 percent or better from the field. Florida State is also among the league leaders when it comes to shooting from outside the 3-point arc, with a success rate of better than 33 percent.
As the 2024-25 Seminoles continue to grow as a team under head coach Leonard Hamilton, their shooting percentage continues to climb.
In their last seven games, the Seminoles are shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. That stretch of games includes shooting nights of better than 50 percent against Winthrop (.508 percent), Louisville (.527 percent), Syracuse (.536 percent), Miami (.500 percent), and most recently Georgia Tech (.522 percent).
Not surprisingly, Florida State is 4-1 and averages 85.0 points scored in its last five ACC games. In those five games alone, the Seminoles are averaging more than six points per game above their season average of 78.7 points per game.
In their seven ACC games, the Seminoles are ranked fourth in conference only scoring and are one of only four teams in the league which is averaging more than 78.0 points scored per game against conference opponents.
According to sophomore Taylor Bol Bowen, who is shooting a career-high .550 percent from the field, its' all about repetition and practice.
"Becoming a good shooter is all about repetition and practice," said Bol Bowen who enters Wednesday's game against Cal averaging a career-high 8.9 point scored per game. "I've improved as a shooter by working hard at Florida State. We are getting better looks at the basket by playing to our strengths."
Bol Bowen has elevated his shooting percentage since ACC play began. He is shooting .587 percent from the field and averaging 10.4 points per game for the Seminoles in ACC play.
Bol Bowen's work on his shooting form has more than paid off from beyond the 3-point arc.
As a sophomore, Bol Bowen has already made more than twice as many 3-point shots (15) in his first 17 games this season as compared to the entirety of his freshman season (seven) in 31 games. Additionally, Bol Bowen is shooting .500 percent from the 3-point line (nine of 18) in the last five games. He was a perfect four of four from distance and scored 16 points in Florida State's victory over Miami and made three shots from the bonusphere and scored his career-high of 20 points in Saturday's 91-78 win over Georgia Tech in Tallahassee.
As the Seminoles travel west to play two of the league's three newest members, they are led by junior Malique Ewin who is not only Florida State's top field goal percentage shooter, but he leads the entire ACC with his .593 percent shooting mark.
Ewin leads not only the ACC for the entire season, but also in conference games only where he is shooting an incredible .671 from the field.
Ewin enters the Seminoles' two-game road trip averaging a career-high 14.2 points per game and having scored in double figures in a career-best 15 consecutive games. Since scoring 10 points against Florida on November 15, he has scored in double figures in a career-best 15 consecutive games.
In addition to his scoring prowess in his first season as a Seminole, Ewin leads Florida State with six double-doubles including five straight entering the game against Cal. He is averaging 17.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in his last five games.
Ewin is joined by All-America candidate Jamir Watkins as the two Seminoles who have scored in double-figures in each of the last 15 games. Watkins ranks as Florida State's leading scorer with a career-high 18.6 points scored per game – a statistic that places him among the top five scorers in the ACC.
Watkins is averaging 18.9 points scored per game on his current 15-game double-figure scoring streak and 16.6 points in his 51 games as a Seminole. He has scored in double figures in 28 of the 29 ACC games he has played in (regular season and ACC Tournament) and scored his career-high of 34 points in the 2024 ACC Tournament against Virginia Tech.
While Watkins has made his living from the free throw line this season where he leads the ACC and ranks fifth nationally in total free throws made (116). He also leads the ACC and ranks sixth in nation in free throws attempted (153), he is considered to be one of the top shooters in the nation.
Watkins is a career 45 percent shooter from the field as a Seminole. He shot a career-high 46 percent from the field during the 2023-24 season – his first as a Seminole when he averaged 15.6 points scored per game.
As Hamilton takes his team on its first cross country trip in six seasons, he will work to make certain that shooting, along with the Seminoles' trademark defense, travels.
Don't tell the Florida State Seminoles that as they prepare for their first Atlantic Coast Conference games on the West Coast at California (Wednesday, January 22, 9:00 p.m. ET) and at Stanford (Saturday, January 25, 7:00 p.m. ET). Both games can be seen on the ACC Network and heard on the Seminole Sports Network.
The Seminoles are playing in the state of California for the first time since they advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament in 2018 (in Los Angeles) and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2019 (in Anaheim). The Seminoles' most recent regular season game in California came as a 74-63 win at Loyola Marymount on December 18, 2010.
Winners of three of their last four ACC games, the Seminoles traveled across three times zones to face the Golden Bears and Cardinal for the first time as conference opponents. The Seminoles and the Golden Bears have met once previously (a Seminole win in 2008). Florida State and Stanford have also met once previously (a Cardinal win in 2022).
The Seminoles enter their game against Cal ranked fourth in the ACC in field goal percentage with a .472 mark. They are one of just five teams in the ACC that is shooting 47 percent or better from the field. Florida State is also among the league leaders when it comes to shooting from outside the 3-point arc, with a success rate of better than 33 percent.
As the 2024-25 Seminoles continue to grow as a team under head coach Leonard Hamilton, their shooting percentage continues to climb.
In their last seven games, the Seminoles are shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. That stretch of games includes shooting nights of better than 50 percent against Winthrop (.508 percent), Louisville (.527 percent), Syracuse (.536 percent), Miami (.500 percent), and most recently Georgia Tech (.522 percent).
Not surprisingly, Florida State is 4-1 and averages 85.0 points scored in its last five ACC games. In those five games alone, the Seminoles are averaging more than six points per game above their season average of 78.7 points per game.
In their seven ACC games, the Seminoles are ranked fourth in conference only scoring and are one of only four teams in the league which is averaging more than 78.0 points scored per game against conference opponents.
According to sophomore Taylor Bol Bowen, who is shooting a career-high .550 percent from the field, its' all about repetition and practice.
"Becoming a good shooter is all about repetition and practice," said Bol Bowen who enters Wednesday's game against Cal averaging a career-high 8.9 point scored per game. "I've improved as a shooter by working hard at Florida State. We are getting better looks at the basket by playing to our strengths."
Bol Bowen has elevated his shooting percentage since ACC play began. He is shooting .587 percent from the field and averaging 10.4 points per game for the Seminoles in ACC play.
Bol Bowen's work on his shooting form has more than paid off from beyond the 3-point arc.
As a sophomore, Bol Bowen has already made more than twice as many 3-point shots (15) in his first 17 games this season as compared to the entirety of his freshman season (seven) in 31 games. Additionally, Bol Bowen is shooting .500 percent from the 3-point line (nine of 18) in the last five games. He was a perfect four of four from distance and scored 16 points in Florida State's victory over Miami and made three shots from the bonusphere and scored his career-high of 20 points in Saturday's 91-78 win over Georgia Tech in Tallahassee.
As the Seminoles travel west to play two of the league's three newest members, they are led by junior Malique Ewin who is not only Florida State's top field goal percentage shooter, but he leads the entire ACC with his .593 percent shooting mark.
Ewin leads not only the ACC for the entire season, but also in conference games only where he is shooting an incredible .671 from the field.
Ewin enters the Seminoles' two-game road trip averaging a career-high 14.2 points per game and having scored in double figures in a career-best 15 consecutive games. Since scoring 10 points against Florida on November 15, he has scored in double figures in a career-best 15 consecutive games.
In addition to his scoring prowess in his first season as a Seminole, Ewin leads Florida State with six double-doubles including five straight entering the game against Cal. He is averaging 17.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in his last five games.
Ewin is joined by All-America candidate Jamir Watkins as the two Seminoles who have scored in double-figures in each of the last 15 games. Watkins ranks as Florida State's leading scorer with a career-high 18.6 points scored per game – a statistic that places him among the top five scorers in the ACC.
Watkins is averaging 18.9 points scored per game on his current 15-game double-figure scoring streak and 16.6 points in his 51 games as a Seminole. He has scored in double figures in 28 of the 29 ACC games he has played in (regular season and ACC Tournament) and scored his career-high of 34 points in the 2024 ACC Tournament against Virginia Tech.
While Watkins has made his living from the free throw line this season where he leads the ACC and ranks fifth nationally in total free throws made (116). He also leads the ACC and ranks sixth in nation in free throws attempted (153), he is considered to be one of the top shooters in the nation.
Watkins is a career 45 percent shooter from the field as a Seminole. He shot a career-high 46 percent from the field during the 2023-24 season – his first as a Seminole when he averaged 15.6 points scored per game.
As Hamilton takes his team on its first cross country trip in six seasons, he will work to make certain that shooting, along with the Seminoles' trademark defense, travels.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's BasketballFSU XC Invite
Thursday, September 25
EYES UP: Episode 1 | Alabama, East Texas A&M, and Kent State
Thursday, September 25
FSU Dive Meet 9/26/2025
Thursday, September 25
FSU Swim Meet 9/26/2025
Thursday, September 25