Howard Leads FSU Past Orange, 83-59

Thursday, February 13

Syracuse, N.Y.

7 p.m.

Syracuse University

17-8, 6-6

Florida State

17-7, 5-6

Florida State

Syracuse

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

2/13/2014 10:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Natasha Howard scored 40 points for the Seminoles, while Syracuse played without two point guards.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Natasha Howard scored 40 points on 14-of-19 shooting in 33 minutes to lead Florida State to a 83-59 victory over Syracuse in ACC women's basketball at the Carrier Dome on Thursday night. La'Shay Taft came off the bench to lead the short-handed Orange (17-8, 6-6 ACC) with 18 points, which was without guards Rachel Coffey and Cornelia Fondren due to illness.

Syracuse returns to action on Sunday when it plays at Boston College in a 1 p.m. tip-off at Conte Forum. The game will be televised on the ACC Regional Sports Network, airing locally on the YES Network.

The Seminoles (17-7, 5-6 ACC) shot 54 percent as a team, including 8-of-12 from 3-point range, led efforts of 3-of-3 by Lauren Coleman (nine points) and 3-of-4 by Emiah Bingley (11 points). The Orange shot 36.1 percent overall and was 7-of-25 from behind the arc.

"I give them a lot of credit," head coach Quentin Hillsman said. "They played well and I thought they really pushed tempo and they did the things they needed to do to win. I thought that our kids played hard. They really tried to go after it and compete but our bodies were just down."

Taft was 5-of-11 shooting, all from 3-point range, in 20 minutes of play to record her season-high in scoring and second-highest scoring game of her career. She had 22 at Binghamton on Nov. 26, 2011.

Brianna Butler, on her 20th birthday, also finished in double figures with 10 points. Her first of two 3-pointers in the game broke a tie with Jaime James (72 in 2001-02) for most trifectas in a season in school history, finishing the game with 74.

With point guards Coffey and Fondren out, freshman Alexis Peterson made her first start for the Orange, finishing with a career-best nine assists against just two turnovers in 34 minutes.

"I have to give Alexis a lot of credit," Hillsman said. "She played 34 minutes, nine assists, two turnovers – that's a tremendous ratio. She played 34 minutes and did not score but you wouldn't believe that because she's a tremendous offensive player."

The Seminoles controlled the glass, finishing with a 43-24 rebounding edge, contributing to a 32-18 advantage in points in the paint.

The Orange started the game strong, making its first four shots from the field, the last of which a 3-pointer by Butler to take a 9-2 lead and force an early FSU timeout, but the visitors responded with an 11-0 run over the next 3:48 which turned into a 40-17 advantage over the duration of the half to go into the locker room with 42-26 lead.

After a Butler 3-pointer on Syracuse's first possession of the second half, FSU went on a 15-2 run over the next 5:39 to keep control of the game.

Howard netted her 40^th point of the game with a free throw with 56 seconds remaining to set a Florida State program record for points in a game.