ATLANTA — In an impressive display, Sydney Bowles achieved a personal best by scoring 32 points, while Makayla Timpson contributed with a double-double, leading Florida State to a narrow 73-70 victory over No. 20 Georgia Tech on Sunday.
Bowles opened the fourth quarter with two layups, propelling the Seminoles to a commanding 62-49 advantage with 8:25 left on the clock. However, Georgia Tech’s Tianna Thompson quickly responded. She found the net with a basket and converted two three-pointers, culminating in a 17-4 run that leveled the score at 66 with just 2:03 remaining.
In the final moments, Bowles and Timpson scored crucial baskets surrounding a layup by Dani Carnegie of Georgia Tech, placing Florida State ahead 70-68 with only 32 seconds left. Bowles secured the lead with two successful free throws 11 seconds prior to the end. Although the Seminoles missed three out of four free throws in the closing moments, Amaya Bonner managed to block Carnegie’s three-point attempt at the buzzer that could have tied the game.
Bowles shot 11 out of 23 from the field, including two three-pointers, and made 8 out of 11 free throws. This victory marks the third consecutive win for the Seminoles (22-6, 12-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who managed to prevail without top scorer Ta’Niya Latson, sidelined due to an undisclosed injury. Timpson, with 19 points and 16 rebounds, notched her 14th double-double of the season, also adding three blocks, which puts her at the forefront of the conference with a school-record total of 91.
For Georgia Tech (21-7, 9-7), Thompson was the standout, leading the team with 19 points from three three-pointers. Carnegie contributed 10 points, alongside seven rebounds and four assists, although this loss marked the Yellow Jackets’ second consecutive defeat and their third in four games.
Georgia Tech initially held the lead, finishing the first quarter at 19-16, and was ahead 34-31 at halftime, but ultimately fell to the Seminoles for the sixth consecutive time. Looking ahead, Florida State is set to face off against No. 1 Notre Dame on Thursday, while Georgia Tech will take on California.
