FSU basketball: Noles dominate No. 7 Virginia for second straight win

No. 16 FSU basketball (12-3, 8-2 ACC) made a statement with a 81-60 blowout win over No. 7 Virginia (15-4, 11-2).

The win moves the Noles into a first-place tie with Virginia in the ACC Conference standings, with the Noles holding the tie-breaker advantage.

It was the first top 10 team the Noles have played all season, and as customary, the Noles played to their level of competition.

It was never close after the first couple of minutes, with FSU exploding for a 23 point lead in the first-half behind hot three-point shooting and only three turnovers.

FSU basketball did everything we said they needed to do to come out of the game victorious. They took good shots(for the most part), only had five turnovers, and rebounded the ball well on both ends of the floor.

The Noles were led by MJ Walker’s 17 points and Raiquan Gray had 15 points. Aside from the great shooting, the biggest difference in the game was the defensive intensity.

FSU constantly forced the Cavaliers to make a ton of passes before hoisting up contested shots late in the shot clock.

Virginia’s point guard found some success early in the second half with layups after penetration. It was a run everyone knew Virginia was going to make, but FSU answered with a huge run of their own to put the game out of reach with eight minutes or so left in the game.

It was a statement win for the Noles, who had played three consecutive games without the intensity they had against Virginia.

When FSU plays at this level, it’s nearly impossible for any team in the nation to beat them, and that’s not hyperbole.

They can do everything you want a championship level team to do, but it’s all about getting everyone on the same page from an intensity standpoint. FSU will return to action Saturday as they host No. 21 Virginia Tech for a noon tipoff.