No. 11 Florida State won its sixth straight game Saturday with a dominating 81-59 victory against Saint Louis in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic in Sunrise, Fla.
Seminoles guard David Nichols led the way with 19 points as Florida State improved to 11-1 on the season, its lone loss coming a month ago to defending national champion Villanova.
Florida State guard Terance Mann scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half, and finished with seven rebounds. Seminoles guard Trent Forrest had another good all-around game with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists.
The Billikens (8-4) were led by guard Javon Bess with 16 points, although it took his 18 shots to get there. Bess, the Billikens' leading scorer on the season, finished 6 of 18 from the floor and added a team-high seven rebounds. Forward Carte'Are Gordon added 14 points and seven boards in the loss.
Florida State led 40-25 at halftime and didn't let its foot off the gas in the second half en route to the win. The difference in the first half was from beyond the arc as the Seminoles shot 50 percent (6 of 12), while St. Louis shot just 16.7 percent (1 of 6).
Saturday's game marked the 13th meeting all-time between the Billikens and the Seminoles, who now lead the series 12-1. The last time they played, however, was 36 years ago on Jan. 23, 1982 -- an 89-73 Florida State win.
Florida State closes out its nonconference schedule Jan. 1 at home against Winthrop. The Seminoles enter Atlantic Coast Conference play four days later on Jan. 5 against No. 5 Virginia.
Saint Louis also has just one nonconference game left before it begins Atlantic 10 play. The Billikens host Appalachian State on Dec. 30, then kick off A-10 action Jan. 6 against Rhode Island.
The two other teams competing in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic were Florida and Florida Gulf Coast, a game won by the Gators.
--Field Level Media
Saint Louis | Florida State | |
Javon Bess 16 | Scoring | David Nichols 19 |
Jordan Goodwin 4 | Assists | Trent Forrest 5 |
Jordan Goodwin 9 | Rebounds | Mfiondu Kabengele 7 |
D.J. Foreman 4 | Free Throws Made | Terance Mann 4 |
Jordan Goodwin 4 | Steals | Anthony Polite 4 |
D.J. Foreman 1 | Blocks | Mfiondu Kabengele 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Saint Louis | 59 | 30.2 | 3-14 | 18-25 | 5 | 36 | 4 | 12 | 18 |
Florida State | 81 | 55.4 | 10-18 | 9-11 | 13 | 33 | 3 | 10 | 20 |