Florida State University Athletics
Women’s Hoops Gets Past Purdue, 76-75
11/25/2022 4:38:11 PM | Women's Basketball
CANCUN, Mexico – A fourth quarter full of big plays helped guide a resilient Florida State Women’s Basketball team to a 76-75 win over Purdue in game two of the Cancun Challenge on Friday afternoon at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya.
Trailing 59-54 to begin the fourth quarter, the Seminoles executed on both ends of the floor and stole momentum away from the Boilermakers (5-1), handing them their first loss of the season. Sophomore forward Makayla Timpson had her second double-double of the season with 14 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Timpson had eight points and six boards in the final frame, with her offensive board and putback giving FSU a 60-59 lead with 7:45 left in the game – its first lead since the first quarter.
Never gave up. This team has some fight! #NoleFAM pic.twitter.com/5zXXHX9HFm
— FSU Women's Basketball (@fsuwbb) November 25, 2022
Purdue continued to respond, getting a 3-point field goal by Lasha Petree with 5:01 left to retake the lead at 66-64. FSU graduate guard Jazmine Massengill came up with another clutch 3-ball of her own, hitting one from the left wing to put FSU back on top 67-66 with 4:48 left.
Massengill would come through again after Purdue cut its deficit to 71-70. She came down the floor and hit a pull-up jumper in the paint to give the Seminoles some needed cushion at 73-70 with 1:10 left. A critical stop on the defensive end followed and FSU would put the game away with late free throws.
14 and a new career high 14 .
That's tough @MakaylaTimpson2 pic.twitter.com/HeFggcUePr
— FSU Women's Basketball (@fsuwbb) November 25, 2022
Ta’Niya Latson led the Seminoles with another 20-point performance, scoring 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting with three rebounds. She has six 20-point games in her first seven games this year.
Sophomore guard O’Mariah Gordon came up big off the bench, earning crunch-time minutes and finishing with 15 points, six rebounds and drawing six fouls. In a tightly contested game, FSU was +5 with Gordon on the floor.
The Noles climbed back from a 10-point deficit in the first quarter to pull out their sixth win of the season. FSU out-scored a physical Purdue team in the paint, 40-24, and had 24 points off the bench. Graduate forward Valencia Myers gave the Seminoles some strong minutes with five points and two rebounds.
FSU was able to escape with a win despite allowing 12 3-point field goals to the Boilermakers, who were led by 15 points each from Petree and Madison Layden. FSU adjusted well in the second to help limit Purdue’s threat from beyond the arc.
The Seminoles finish the Cancun Challenge on Saturday as it faces Harvard at 11 a.m. ET on FloHoops.