By MARK ROSNER
Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas — Freshman Essence Cody had season highs with 20 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 8 seed Alabama defeated No. 9 Florida State 82-74 on Friday night in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Working inside, the 6-foot-4 Cody more than doubled her average of eight points a game. She also blocked four shots. Her layup on a pick-and-roll gave Alabama (24-9) a 74-69 lead with 2:33 left.
“Essence has grown up a lot this year,” Alabama guard Loyal McQueen said. “You know, we need her to be aggressive every single night. We need her to be on the...
TALLAHASSEE — North Carolina had won seven straight Atlantic Coast Conference games by double digits. On Saturday, the Tar Heels showed they could win a game that was tight in the final minutes.
RJ Davis scored 24 points and freshman Elliot Cadeau scored a season-high 16 points to help No. 3 North Carolina rally from an eight-point deficit early in the second half and beat Florida State 75-68.
Davis shot 9 of 18 from the floor, although he made just 2 of 8 3-point shots, and surpassed the 20-point mark for the 12th time this season.
Cadeau shot 8 of 9 from the free-throw line and had six assists...
TALLAHASSEE — Chase Hunter scored 14 points and PJ Hall scored 13 as Clemson beat Florida State for the third straight time Saturday, 78-67.
The win snapped a string of four losses in five games for Clemson (13-5, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) and snapped Florida State’s run of five straight wins.
The teams played to a 30-30 draw through the first half.
The Tigers opened the second with a 9-2 run and never trailed the rest of the way.
Florida State got within 39-37 on a 3-pointer by Darin Green Jr. and Taylor Bol Bowen hit the second of two free throws at about the five-minute mark to make...
Who do you think is the most powerful person in college football?
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey?
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti?
NCAA President Charlie Baker?
College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock?
Influential ESPN commentator Paul Finebaum?
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong.
You’re not even close.
It’s college football coaching super-agent Jimmy Sexton, the man who has literally and legally convinced college athletic directors to sign away mega-millions, if not billions of dollars, in one-sided coaching contracts to his grateful clients over the years.
Sports agent Jimmy...
TALLAHASSEE — Jaylan Gainey scored nine of his 11 points in the second half, Primo Spears also scored 11, including two free throws with 1.2 seconds left, and Florida State beat Virginia Tech 77-74 Saturday.
Jamir Watkins and Darin Green Jr. each added 10 points for Florida State (8-6, 2-1 ACC).
Watkins made just 3 of 14 from the field but finished with eight rebounds and four assists. Baba Miller fouled out with 10 rebounds to go with eight points, five assists and three of the Seminoles’ eight steals.
Watkins made a layup to give Florida State a 10-point lead with 2:19 to play but Tyler Nickel...
With apologies to the the legendary Simon & Garfunkel and their iconic song Mrs. Robinson:
“Where have you gone, Charlie Wysocki?
A college football nation turns its lonely eyes to you — woo, woo, woo.”
As I sat in the press box for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl matchup Monday between Iowa and Tennessee, I thought back to the first bowl game I ever attended in this same stadium more than four decades ago. I was a wide-eyed teenager as I excitedly watched the Charley Pell-coached Florida Gators play the Jerry Claiborne-coached Maryland Terrapins in the 1980 Tangerine Bowl. I don’t remember a whole...
In a month of one disappointment after another, FSU received more bad news Wednesday. Top receiver Keon Coleman announced via his Instagram account that he is opting out of his senior season and will enter the NFL Draft. He is one of numerous FSU players who will not be playing against Georgia in the Orange Bowl, Dec. 30, 4 p.m. (ESPN).
Not only has it been a rough month for the Seminoles, it hasn’t exactly been a merry Christmas either. Quarterback Tate Rodemaker went public with his decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal on Christmas Day, leaving the Seminole with Brock Glenn as the starting...
TALLAHASSEE — Florida State quarterback Tate Rodemaker will not play in the Orange Bowl, a school spokesperson confirmed on Monday.
Earlier in the day, 247Sports and The Athletic reported Rodemaker intends to enter the transfer portal.
Rodemaker participated in open practices leading up to the Christmas break. The Seminoles (13-0) were expected to arrive in Fort Lauderdale later Monday to begin preparations for Georgia (12-1) in Saturday’s bowl game.
A redshirt junior quarterback, Rodemaker stepped in for injured Jordan Travis on Nov. 18 to guide Florida State to a win over North Alabama. A...
Running off at the typewriter. …
Breaking news: The College Football Playoff Committee has reconvened and has unilaterally decided to go back in time and strip the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins of their perfect season and Super Bowl championship.
“In hindsight,” CFB Playoff Chairman Boob Corrigan says, “the ’72 Dolphins, much like this year’s Florida State team, were just not the same after quarterback Bob Griese broke his leg and was replaced by aging backup Earl Morrall.”
But, Mr. Corrigan, even though the Dolphins were in the bottom half of the league in passing offense back then, they went...
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Already down star quarterback Jordan Travis, Florida State might be without his successor, too, when the No. 4 Seminoles play No. 15 Louisville in Saturday’s ACC championship.
Tate Rodemaker will be a game-time decision, the Seminoles said Friday, opening the possibility that true freshman Brock Glenn could start.
Rodemaker took a hit to the head on a targeting penalty in the second half of last week’s win at Florida. Coach Mike Norvell said during Friday’s ACC championship game news conference that Rodemaker was evaluated on the sideline and cleared to return. On Sunday, Rodemaker...