What a solid road performance from the Noles. Florida State traveled to Atlanta on Saturday night and came away with a big bounce back 80-71 win over Georgia Tech, a result that should get the late season momentum back rolling for FSU after a tough home loss to Miami on Tuesday.
The Noles led wire to wire, setting the tone on the very first possession when Chauncey Wiggins knocked down a pair of free throws to make it 2-0 just 17 seconds in. Georgia Tech briefly tied it at two, but FSU never trailed from that point forward. Robert McCray V took over from there, dropping in back-to-back layups and a three-pointer in the opening minutes to push the lead to 9-2, and the tone was set. This was going to be the Noles' night.
First Half: McCray Takes Over Early
McCray was the story of the first half. He was relentless getting to his spots, scoring or creating seemingly every time FSU needed a bucket in the early going. By the time the first media timeout rolled around, FSU had built its lead to double digits and the Jackets looked rattled.
Georgia Tech did claw back, but FSU's depth showed early. Kobe Magee hit a three. AJ Swinton connected from deep. Chauncey Wiggins put up 9 in the first half. McCray led the charge, but this wasn't just a one-man show. FSU went to halftime leading 41-36, with the Noles clinging to a five-point cushion after the Jackets went on a 12-1 run over the final three minutes of the half.
Second Half: Bassong Takes the Wheel
If McCray owned the first half, Thomas Bassong owned the second. The big man was a force around the rim, scoring on layups, dunks, and even stepping out to knock down a three early in the second half to push the lead back to double digits. Bassong finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, giving FSU exactly the kind of interior presence it needed to weather Georgia Tech's runs.
And Georgia Tech did make runs. Jaeden Mustaf (16 points) and Kaden Reeves Jr. (17 points) kept the Jackets within striking distance for stretches, and a Craft three with a little over a minute left made it 80-71 and gave the crowd something to noise about. But it was too little, too late. FSU's lead was never seriously threatened in the final five minutes.
The biggest separator in this game was the bench. FSU outscored Georgia Tech's reserves 23-4. That kind of production from your second unit on the road is what separates good teams from great ones, and tonight, the Noles' depth was the difference.
By the Numbers
McCray led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, adding 5 assists and 4 rebounds in 29 minutes (his fourth 20+ point performance in the past 6 games). Bassong's double-double (14 pts, 12 reb) was the anchor. Wiggins chipped in 12 and Somerville added 9 off the bench.
FSU shot 45% from the floor and a sterling 73% from the free throw line (19-of-26), outrebounded Georgia Tech 44-34, and dominated in the paint 38-14. The Noles also generated 18 second-chance points off 18 offensive rebounds. That is a suffocating stat line.
Final Thoughts
Road wins in the ACC are currency. They're hard to come by and they matter when the selection committee starts having conversations in March. This Noles team is showing it can compete away from home and doing so with balance. When your bench outscores the other team's bench by 19 points on the road, that's a program trending in the right direction.
No, Georgia Tech isn’t a great squad at 11-18, but that’s part of what makes this win meaningful. Early in the season, FSU took some head scratching losses. Since they found their rhythm and began the late-season run, they have started beating the teams they are supposed to while also going toe-to-toe with teams they shouldn’t. FSU has won 8 of its last 11 games with all three losses being close games to quality teams. They are far from perfect, but you can see the vision of this program when things are clicking.
Up next, the Noles remain on the road for another game they need to win against the Pitt Panthers (11-18) on Wednesday night at 9 pm ET on ACC Network. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!