Florida State came out of its corner swinging to start the game, going on a 10-0 run. The streak was eventually broken by a Marissa Kastanek layup. The Seminoles’ staunch defense held the Pack to just 34.9 percent shooting from the field in the first half.
Junior forward Bonae Holston began to surge at the end of the second half to bring some life to the Pack, scoring eight points in the final six minutes. She finished the half with 14 points. Holston’s late spark allowed the Pack to jump back in the game and brought the FSU lead down to seven.
One of the major highlights of the first half came from the 6th man, the crowd at Reynolds Coliseum, which was a sea of pink in honor of the event. Once the Pack looked to be on the brink of a comeback, the crowd pumped up the volume to nearly deafening levels, and one over-zealous fan even threw his game program onto the floor.
“[The crowd] was a big part because you make a play and they got excited,” Holton said. “It gave us a burst of energy to get a stop on the next play or find a way to score on the next play. When you feel that energy it helps you out.”
The Pack’s surge continued into the second half, as State eventually got its first lead with a layup from senior guard Amber White. The game continued to be a back and forth battle, highlighted by six lead changes and seven ties in the second half alone. Holston also continued to dominate the second half, finishing the game with a career high of 30 points on the day.
However, Florida State regained control of the game after forward Christian Hunnicutt made a free throw and the Seminoles never looked back en route to a 76-69 victory.
“To win means a lot right now,” Kastanek said. “We’ve been working so hard in practice and something’s got to give. Somewhere, there’s got to be something. None of us are quitting, that’s the thing, and we’re trying so hard. It’s just not all connecting right now. I’m disappointed for myself and my teammates.”
The halftime presentation of breast cancer survivors on behalf of the WBCA’s Pink Zone and the Kay Yow Foundation served as the highlight of the event. The event raised over $50,000 dollars for the Kay Yow Foundation to fund cancer research.
“We knew it was going to be an electric atmosphere, you could feel it an hour before game time,” Florida State coach Sue Semrau said. “Kay was a good friend of mine, and just to be able to promote the cause that she felt so strongly about, not just because she suffered it, but because she felt so strong about getting early detection, it was a privilege to be a part of this game. “
The Pack’s next contest will be Tuesday against Fairfield in Reynolds Coliseum to make up for its previously scheduled contest which was canceled due to inclement weather conditions.
