Second-half surge lifts Florida State over Syracuse

Field Level Media|published: Tue 23rd January, 21:49 2024

Jan 23, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Benny Williams (13) dunks the ball against the Florida State Seminoles in the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. credits: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Jamir Watkins scored a career-high 27 points as Florida State dominated down the stretch en route to an 85-69 victory over host Syracuse on Tuesday in Atlantic Coast Conference action.

The Seminoles (12-7, 6-2 ACC) won for the sixth time in seven games thanks to a 19-3 run late in the second half. Their strong closing effort handed the Orange (13-6, 4-4) just their third loss in the past 11 games.

Watkins, who also had 11 rebounds and three steals, was joined in double-figure scoring by Primo Spears (13 points), Baba Miller (12) and Cameron Corhen (10). The Seminoles shot 58.1 percent overall in the second half and went 11 of 12 from the foul line after intermission.

Judah Mintz paced Syracuse with 28 points, while JJ Starling added 10 points and Maliq Brown contributed eight points and 12 boards. The Orange finished 1 of 14 from 3-point range and committed 16 turnovers.

Florida State led 63-60 with about 8 1/2 minutes left when Watkins' layup ignited the decisive burst. Shortly thereafter, Darin Green Jr. connected on a 3-pointer from the corner, and then Miller's layup gave the visitors their first double-digit advantage, 72-62.

Spears' bucket with 2:55 left pushed the lead to 15, and Watkins' 3-pointer just over a minute later created the game's first 20-point cushion.

The largest margin in the first half was a seven-point lead by the Seminoles, who led 23-16 with 7:33 remaining in the session. The Orange eventually drew even at 26, and then the teams jockeyed back and forth until Starling knocked down two free throws with two seconds left to send the hosts into the locker room with a 36-35 edge.

Mintz led Syracuse with 12 first-half points, while Watkins had 12 to pace Florida State.

The Orange scored eight straight points early in the second half — four apiece from Mintz and Brown — to open up a seven-point advantage. But the Seminoles caught up at 48-48 and soon took a three-point lead with Watkins throwing down a pair of transition dunks.

—Field Level Media