Hurricanes Pull Away in Third Quarter to Defeat Seminoles
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (Interstat) — Ra Shaya Kyle dominated inside with 30 points and 10 rebounds, and the Miami Hurricanes used a decisive third-quarter surge to pull away from the Florida State Seminoles for an 89-73 victory in Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball on Sunday.
The game, played before 1,137 fans at the Watsco Center, was a tight contest for the first 20 minutes before the Hurricanes erupted after halftime. Miami outscored Florida State 29-21 in the pivotal third period, turning a narrow four-point halftime lead into a comfortable double-digit advantage it would not relinquish.
Kyle, a 6-foot-6 junior from Marion, Indiana, was the central figure in the win. She shot 12 of 19 from the field and added a block in 25 minutes, overpowering the Seminoles in the paint. Her performance anchored a highly efficient Miami offense that scored 89 points on just 84 possessions, for an offensive rating of 106.6.
The Hurricanes (11-6, 1-3 ACC) snapped a two-game conference losing streak, while the Seminoles (5-12, 0-4) dropped their fourth straight ACC contest.
For much of the first half, Florida State hung tough. The Seminoles led 19-18 after a back-and-forth opening quarter and trailed just 37-33 at intermission. Solè Williams kept Florida State in the game with 19 points, while Tatum Greene added 10 points and eight rebounds.
The complexion of the game changed dramatically in the third quarter. With the score 44-42 and just over seven minutes left in the period, Miami unleashed a 19-4 run over the next five minutes. The burst was fueled by balanced scoring and stifling defense. Gal Raviv, who finished with 13 points and nine assists, orchestrated the offense, while Amarachi Kimpson (17 points) and Vittoria Blasigh (10 points) hit key shots. Ahnay Adams also contributed 11 points for the Hurricanes.
During the run, Kyle was a constant force, scoring on multiple layups and drawing fouls. The Seminoles, meanwhile, went cold, committing turnovers and struggling to find clean looks against an energized Miami defense. The Hurricanes’ lead ballooned to 64-46 late in the quarter, and Florida State never got closer than 14 points the rest of the way.
The statistical sheet underscored Miami’s control. The Hurricanes shot 47.8% from the field (33 of 69) compared to Florida State’s 38.6% (27 of 70). While both teams made eight three-pointers, Miami did so on 25 attempts while Florida State needed 32 tries. The Hurricanes also held a slight edge at the free-throw line, making 15 of 20 to Florida State’s 14 of 19.
Despite the lopsided final score, the teams were even in several categories: points in the paint (38 each), turnovers (11 each), and steals (Miami 6, Florida State 7). The difference came in Miami’s superior shot-making, particularly during the game-breaking third-quarter stretch, and the overwhelming interior presence of Kyle.
For Florida State, Amaya Bonner joined Williams in double figures with 13 points, and Jasmine Shavers added nine points and eight rebounds. The Seminoles’ offensive rating of 90.1 on 81 possessions highlighted their struggles to score efficiently against the Miami defense.
The victory improved Miami’s home record and provided a crucial conference win as it looks to climb the ACC standings. Florida State, mired in a difficult season, continues to search for its first league win.
Miami next travels to face North Carolina on Thursday. Florida State will try to end its skid when it visits Pittsburgh on the same night. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Tallahassee on Feb. 8.