Florida State University Athletics
Seminoles Fall Just Short In Road Game Against SMU
1/24/2026 7:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball
DALLAS, TX – Robert McCray V scored 21 points, and Lajae Jones scored 20 in Florida State's 83-80 loss to the SMU Mustangs at the Moody Coliseum. It marked the second straight game McCray V scored 20 or more points and the seventh game he has scored in double figures. Jones earned his third career double-double as he totaled 20 points and a career-high tying 12 rebounds.
The Seminoles fell to 8-12 and 1-6 in ACC play. SMU improved to 15-5 and 4-3 in the ACC.
Florida State outscored the Mustangs by a 46-37 margin, shot 50 percent from the field, and outrebounded SMU by a 17-12 margin in the second half. The Seminoles opened the second half on 15-4 run to take a 50-49 lead with 15:08 remaining in the game. Florida State led the game by a 72-69 margin at the 3:58 mark before SMU closed the game on a 14-8 run to take the victory.
The Mustangs began the game with an 8-0 run.
Alex Steen put an end to that run and scored the first four Florida State points. All four of his points came from assists by McCray V.
McCray V finished the game with a game-high nine assists. McCray has led the Seminoles in assists in 12 straight games.
Steen finished the game with a season high of 14 points and nine rebounds. He surpassed the 1,300 career point mark early in the second half. Five of his nine rebounds were offensive. Steen leads the Seminoles in offensive boards.
SMU held a 12-4 lead with 14:37 to play in the first half. Thomas Bassong slammed home an alley-oop jam that sparked a 7-0 Florida State run and cut the SMU lead to one, 12-11.
The Mustangs would extend their lead to four, 17-13, with just over 12 minutes remaining in the first half.
Martin Somerville scored seven straight points, including a four-point play from behind the arc, to give Florida State a 20-17 lead, its first of the game with 9:40 remaining to be played before halftime.
Somerville finished his night with 13 points, two rebounds, three assists, and a game-high three steals. Somerville has now recorded three or more steals in back-to-back games and five times this season. He also recorded three made 3-point shots and has made three or more shots from range eight times this season.
The Seminoles led 24-23 with 6:22 remaining in the first half. SMU outscored Florida State 23-10 to close out the first half and 46-34 entering the half.
SMU opened the second half with a made free throw before Florida State went on a 6-0 run to cut the Mustangs' lead to seven, 47-40.
The 6-0 run was capped by a layup from McCray V, who scored four of Florida State's points during that span.
A made 3-point shot from McCray V sparked a 10-0 Florida State to give the Seminoles a 50-49 lead.
In a game of runs, the Mustangs responded with a 7-0 run of their own, recapturing the lead, 56-50.
The Seminoles would not go away as another quick 7-0 Florida State run put the garnet and gold back on top by one, 57-56.
The game was tied at 69 a piece with 5:50 remaining in the second half. Jones converted a step-back 3-point shot to give the Seminoles a three-point lead, 72-69, with just under four minutes to go.
The Mustangs responded with an 8-0 run to take a four-point, 76-72 lead at the 2:28 mark. Jones would make another shot from range to cut the lead to one.
SMU extended its lead back to four, 81-77, with just 16 seconds in the game. Jones' fourth made 3-point shot cut the lead back down to one with 10 seconds to go.
Jones has made four or more 3-point shots three times this season.
SMU made two free throws with eight seconds remaining to put their lead at the final scored of 83-80.
Florida State has continued to get solid production from its bench unit as it outscored the Mustangs 16-10. The Seminoles' bench has outperformed their opponents in every ACC game this season.
Florida State returns to the Tucker Center to take on Cal on Wednesday, January 28, at 7:00 p.m.
The Seminoles fell to 8-12 and 1-6 in ACC play. SMU improved to 15-5 and 4-3 in the ACC.
Florida State outscored the Mustangs by a 46-37 margin, shot 50 percent from the field, and outrebounded SMU by a 17-12 margin in the second half. The Seminoles opened the second half on 15-4 run to take a 50-49 lead with 15:08 remaining in the game. Florida State led the game by a 72-69 margin at the 3:58 mark before SMU closed the game on a 14-8 run to take the victory.
The Mustangs began the game with an 8-0 run.
Alex Steen put an end to that run and scored the first four Florida State points. All four of his points came from assists by McCray V.
McCray V finished the game with a game-high nine assists. McCray has led the Seminoles in assists in 12 straight games.
Steen finished the game with a season high of 14 points and nine rebounds. He surpassed the 1,300 career point mark early in the second half. Five of his nine rebounds were offensive. Steen leads the Seminoles in offensive boards.
SMU held a 12-4 lead with 14:37 to play in the first half. Thomas Bassong slammed home an alley-oop jam that sparked a 7-0 Florida State run and cut the SMU lead to one, 12-11.
The Mustangs would extend their lead to four, 17-13, with just over 12 minutes remaining in the first half.
Martin Somerville scored seven straight points, including a four-point play from behind the arc, to give Florida State a 20-17 lead, its first of the game with 9:40 remaining to be played before halftime.
Somerville finished his night with 13 points, two rebounds, three assists, and a game-high three steals. Somerville has now recorded three or more steals in back-to-back games and five times this season. He also recorded three made 3-point shots and has made three or more shots from range eight times this season.
The Seminoles led 24-23 with 6:22 remaining in the first half. SMU outscored Florida State 23-10 to close out the first half and 46-34 entering the half.
SMU opened the second half with a made free throw before Florida State went on a 6-0 run to cut the Mustangs' lead to seven, 47-40.
The 6-0 run was capped by a layup from McCray V, who scored four of Florida State's points during that span.
A made 3-point shot from McCray V sparked a 10-0 Florida State to give the Seminoles a 50-49 lead.
In a game of runs, the Mustangs responded with a 7-0 run of their own, recapturing the lead, 56-50.
The Seminoles would not go away as another quick 7-0 Florida State run put the garnet and gold back on top by one, 57-56.
The game was tied at 69 a piece with 5:50 remaining in the second half. Jones converted a step-back 3-point shot to give the Seminoles a three-point lead, 72-69, with just under four minutes to go.
The Mustangs responded with an 8-0 run to take a four-point, 76-72 lead at the 2:28 mark. Jones would make another shot from range to cut the lead to one.
SMU extended its lead back to four, 81-77, with just 16 seconds in the game. Jones' fourth made 3-point shot cut the lead back down to one with 10 seconds to go.
Jones has made four or more 3-point shots three times this season.
SMU made two free throws with eight seconds remaining to put their lead at the final scored of 83-80.
Florida State has continued to get solid production from its bench unit as it outscored the Mustangs 16-10. The Seminoles' bench has outperformed their opponents in every ACC game this season.
Florida State returns to the Tucker Center to take on Cal on Wednesday, January 28, at 7:00 p.m.
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