The Rattlers were undeterred by the hostile ACC environment or the significant talent gap. They harried the Seminoles into a sloppy 22 turnovers and battled them to a near-draw on the glass for much of the contest, offering glimpses of a resilient identity being forged under first-year coach Charlie Ward.
“The scoreboard is what it is, and we have to own that,” Ward said postgame. “But the fight, the scrap, the willingness to compete for 40 minutes against a high-major team—that’s the foundation we are building on. We didn’t back down.”
That foundation was personified by forward Tyler Shirley, who turned in a stellar individual performance. The junior was a constant offensive threat, pouring in a game-high 25 points on an efficient 10-of-17 shooting from the field. He added seven rebounds, often muscling his way into the paint against taller defenders.
“Just trying to be aggressive, take what the defense gave me,” Shirley said, his uniform still soaked with sweat. “We knew they were long and athletic, so we had to be strong with the ball and trust our work.”
Shirley’s efforts, including several tough baskets in the first half, kept the Rattlers within striking distance and ignited a vocal contingent of FAMU fans who made the short trip across town.
He received support in the backcourt from guard Jaquan Sanders, who facilitated the offense with seven assists and added nine points and disruptive defense. Micah Octave provided energy off the bench with six points and six rebounds, while Anquan Boldin Jr., the son of the former NFL star, was crucial on the boards, grabbing seven rebounds against a Seminoles frontcourt that often had a several-inch height advantage.
Ultimately, a frigid shooting night proved insurmountable. The Rattlers shot just 30.9 percent from the field and a dismal 16.7 percent from beyond the arc. Their saving grace was a determined attack that drew fouls and sent them to the free-throw line, where they converted a solid 78 percent of their attempts.
“The shots weren’t falling, but the mentality was right,” Sanders noted. “We kept driving, we kept pushing. We just have to knock those down next time.”
For Florida State, the victory was a testament to their depth and athleticism, wearing down the Rattlers with a relentless transition game and second-half run that put the game out of reach. Five Seminoles scored in double figures, led by Jamir Watkins with 17 points.
The loss drops the Rattlers to 1-1 in exhibition play this season as FAMU beat Edward Waters 100-54 on Tuesday night in the Lawson Center. The Rattlers left the court Sunday night with their heads high, having found positives within a lopsided defeat. The challenge now, as they enter in their tough nonconference slate, will be to bottle that same fight and pair it with more efficient execution.
“No one likes to lose, especially like this,” Ward conceded. “But there are lessons in this film that we can win with. The effort is there. Now we build on it.”