Christmas came early for Florida State fans over the weekend. As the men’s basketball team snapped their losing streak with a win on Friday night, the women returned the favor Saturday afternoon with a huge 89-41 victory over South Carolina State. There are many things to highlight from this game as the Seminoles put up historic numbers across the board. However, the biggest story was senior guard Jasmine Shavers, who finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way.
Shavers was a great addition for the Seminoles in the Transfer Portal during the offseason. Her two-way ability at Texas Tech allowed her to be an underappreciated talent in the Big 12. When Shavers transferred to Florida State, she wanted a fresh beginning with a program that thrives off success. What other program to thrive at than Florida State, as they’ve shown they can produce quality talent.
Florida State hasn’t gotten off to a strong start this season. Through 14 games, the team is 5-9 and recently had a five-game losing streak before their big win on Saturday. Despite the struggles that the team has faced, Shavers has continued to be a true professional. During the highs and lows, she still looks to find ways to be a factor for the Seminoles on both ends of the floor. In a moment where Florida State needed to break their losing streak, Shavers put up her best performance to put her team back in the win column.
Shavers was the tone-setter in this matchup for Florida State. She did a great job of knocking down perimeter shots early as well as providing great perimeter defense. What makes Shavers special on the defensive end is her size and active hands. She anticipates which direction the ball-handler may go, therefore does a great job of creating turnovers as well as converting on the other end with a score.
Shavers was aggressive in the first half on both ends of the floor. With her leadership and tone-setting, she instilled confidence in the rest of her team. The Seminoles were desperate for great basketball after dropping their last five games. However, that all changed throughout the first half against South Carolina State. While Shavers continued to lead the way, other players like Pania Davis, Allie Kubek, and others were making an impact as well.
Shavers finished the first half with 19 points as the Noles took a 25-point lead at the break. If anyone thought she would slow down, they thought wrong. Shavers may not have been the x-factor offensively in the second half but she continued to provide leadership by creating stops on defense as well as rebounding the basketball. In the end, Shavers finished the game with 29 points along with 12 rebounds on 53 percent shooting. In the end, it was Florida State finishing the calendar year with an 89-41 victory on their home floor.
It was a big day for Shavers. Not only because she was the leading factor in the win but also because she surpassed 1500 points for her career. After the game, she reflected on Saturday’s game alongside her journey to becoming the scorer she has been. “I felt the ultimate confidence in myself,” Shavers stated. “We definitely needed this win and we got it.”
“If I’m being selfish, scoring 1500 points means the world to me. It’s a testament to the hard work I’ve put in,”
There’s nothing like grabbing a win right before the Christmas break. The Florida State Seminoles have instilled confidence back in themselves after dropping five in a row. As they return from break, they’ll be motivated to go back out and compete as ACC play begins January 1 against Syracuse.