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FSU Women’s Basketball out of NCAA Tournament after 2nd Round loss

By Jason Parker

TALLAHASSEE, FL - JANUARY 17: A general view of game action during the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Virginia Cavaliers at Donald L. Tucker Center on January 17, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - JANUARY 17: A general view of game action during the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Virginia Cavaliers at Donald L. Tucker Center on January 17, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /
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FSU women’s basketball will be watching the rest of the NCAA tournament from home after being knocked out of the tournament by a familiar foe.

In a season where the FSU women’s basketball team was supposed to be rebuilding after losing all their starters from last year’s group and having no seniors on their roster, head coach Sue Semrau’s team was within minutes of making it back to the Sweet 16 on Sunday.

But, it was like deja vu for the Lady Noles as they found themselves again being sent packing by South Carolina – a team that has knocked them out in the Elite Eight round twice before – in the second round as the Gamecocks got the 72-64 victory.

FSU women’s basketball started as hot as they could against a team who has been their kryptonite at points during tournaments past, taking an eight point lead late into the first quarter – of course, that was before South Carolina went on their own streak and outscored the Lady Noles 27-12 to end the first half with a seven point lead.

The third quarter was one where the Lady Noles chipped away at the deficit over the 10 minute period and when Kiah Gillespie got the rebound on a missed South Carolina shot, she sent it up to Morgan Jones for the layup and FSU women’s basketball trailed by just one point entering the final quarter.

In the final frame, the teams exchanged baskets to keep it a one score game late until Jones tied it up with a put-back basket with just over four minutes to go.

FSU women’s basketball forced several turnovers but couldn’t finish the job and retake the lead before South Carolina got a basket and the foul to go back on top with just over two minutes to go.

Nicki Ekhomu got the Seminoles back within one after hitting a jumper and Gillespie did the same after a questionable blocking call against FSU women’s basketball before South Carolina again got a three point play to seal the victory and send the Seminoles out of the tournament.

On the day, FSU women’s basketball shot just 35 percent from the field but stayed in thing as they out rebounded South Carolina 50 to 33. Nicki Ekhmou led the Lady Noles with 19 points while Gillespie and Jones both added 15 on the game.

The Lady Noles finish the season with a 24-8 record in what was their seventh straight appearance in the NCAA tournament and their 14th in the last 15 seasons.

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