@CanesWBB Comeback Falls Short at Fifth-Ranked FSU

No. 16/16 Miami7180No. 5/5 Florida State

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s basketball team’s resilient comeback effort was not quite enough Monday night at fifth-ranked Florida State.

No. 16/16 Miami (17-6, 6-5 ACC) stormed all the way back from a 15-point deficit to tie the game before dropping an 80-71 decision at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. Redshirt senior forward Keyona Hayes paced the Hurricanes with 17 points, her fourth-most of the season, in the defeat.

I think that was a pretty high-level basketball game. Tons of physicality, tons of players making plays and hitting big shots,” Miami head coach Katie Meier said. “. . . At the end, it kind of got away from us. I think we were toe-to-toe, punch-for-punch, ready to battle. Some pretty big-time basketball players out on that court tonight. I thought it was very, very high-level and it didn’t disappoint. I mean, it is Miami and Florida State, two ranked teams and both deservedly so.”

Miami opened the game by scoring eight of the first 11 points, but Florida State (22-2, 10-1 ACC) capped the period on a 17-4 run and held a 20-12 edge through 10 minutes of play.

The Seminoles stretched their lead to 15 points, 35-20, with 5:13 left in the second quarter, but Miami quickly responded. The Hurricanes then went on a 12-5 run, holding Florida State without a field goal for the final three minutes and 18 seconds of the half.

Entering the intermission, the Seminoles led by eight, 40-32, despite Miami shooting 48.1 percent (13-of-27) from the floor.

Early in the second half, Miami continued to chip away at the Florida State lead, pulling to within three, 42-39, with 5:59 on the third period clock on after a prolonged 19-7 run. In total, the Hurricanes went six minutes and 22 seconds during that stretch without allowing a field goal, including five minutes and nine seconds without conceding a point.

Miami trimmed the deficit to two during the third quarter and trailed by three, 54-51, when it came to a close after a buzzer-beating layup by junior forward Khaila Prather.

Hayes connected on a 3-pointer just 10 seconds in the fourth period to tie the score at 54. Florida State countered with a 14-2 run to go ahead by 12, 68-56, with 5:43 remaining. Miami, though, answered right back, going on a 13-4 run, including scoring seven straight points, to cut the deficit to three, 72-69, with 1:32 on the clock.

The Hurricanes were unable to get any closer than three down the stretch and the Seminoles held on for the nine-point victory.

“I love my team; I loved our fight,” Meier said, “but I’m not satisfied with ‘almost.’”

Senior guard Jessica Thomas was the second Hurricane to score double-digit points, finishing with 16. Junior forward/center Erykah Davenport’s nine points were her most in an ACC game this season.

Junior forward Shakayla Thomas and junior center Chatrice White each had 19 points for the Seminoles, with White adding a career-high 14 rebounds. Senior guard Brittany Brown added 13 points and senior forward Ivey Slaughter had 11.

The teams finished with nearly identical shooting marks in each category. The Hurricanes shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the field, 38.5 percent (5-of-13) from 3-point range and 70.0 percent (14-of-20) at the line. The Seminoles finished, respectively, at 43.1 percent (25-of-58), 35.7 percent (5-of-14) and 69.4 percent (25-of-36). Just one of Florida State’s 3-pointers came after the first period.

This was just Florida State’s third single-digit victory of the season, joining a seven-point win over No. 9/8 Louisville and a six-point triumph at Georgia Tech.

Miami will now return home to Coral Gables, Fla., where it will host Virginia Thursday night at 7 p.m., at the Watsco Center.

To keep up with the University of Miami women’s basketball team on social media, follow @CanesWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

MIAMI HURRICANES POSTGAME NOTES

·         For the first time since Jan. 11 against No. 15/16 Virginia Tech and Jan. 15 at No. 9/8 Louisville, Miami used the same starting lineup in a second consecutive game. As was the case in those two outings, the Hurricanes opened with Davenport, junior forward Keyanna Harris, Hayes, senior guard Adrienne Motley and Thomas.

·         This was Miami’s ninth game of the season against a ranked opponent, including the fifth versus a top-10 opponent. Seven of those nine contests have come in ACC play.

·         With her 17 points against the Seminoles, Hayes now has 996 points in her collegiate career, just four shy of becoming the third active Hurricane with 1,000.

·         Miami had a 20-19 advantage in bench points, marking the 20th time in 23 games the Hurricanes’ bench outscored that of their opponent.

·         Hayes eclipsed both 2,500 minutes played and 400 field goals made as a Hurricane, sophomore guard Laura Cornelius surpassed 1,250 minutes played in her career, Motley reached 300 assists as a collegian and Prather reached 150 points at Miami.