Ta’Niya Latson scores 30, leads big finish for No. 22 Florida State women

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Ta’Niya Latson scored 30 points, half of them in the fourth quarter, and No. 22 Florida State used a late surge to break away from Wake Forest, defeating the Demon Deacons 73-61 on Sunday.

Wake Forest was within six points near the 3-minute mark of the fourth quarter before Latson scored the Seminoles’ next 11 points, giving Florida State a 69-56 lead with 55 seconds remaining.

The late outburst was typical of late for the Seminoles (10-3, 2-0 ACC), who were averaging 23.2 fourth-quarter points in their past nine games. FSU had 26 points in the fourth quarter of this one, with Latson scoring 15.

Latson made 4 of 7 shots and all seven of her free throw attempts in the fourth quarter. She was joined in double figures for the game by O’Mariah Gordon with 12 points and Makayla Timpson with 11. Timpson grabbed 12 rebounds to complete her fourth double-double of the season. She also had three steals and blocked three shots.

Malaya Cowles scored 16 points and Alexandria Scruggs had 10 points and eight rebounds for Wake Forest (4-9, 0-1).

The Seminoles had to overcome a third-quarter drought in which they had five turnovers in six minutes, made one of eight shots and went scoreless for five minutes. FSU’s 14-point lead in the middle of the quarter was cut to six heading to the fourth.

Florida State trailed by one after the first quarter but outscored Wake Forest 21-10 in the second to lead 36-26 at halftime.

Florida State, which has won four in a row, plays at third-ranked North Carolina State on Thursday. Wake Forest hosts No. 14 Virginia Tech, also on Thursday.

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