Florida State Seminoles Edge Past California Golden Bears in Nail-Biter at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center

The Florida State Seminoles secured a narrow victory over the California Golden Bears with a final score of 63-61, improving their record to 1-0. The Golden Bears, on the other hand, start their season with a 0-1 record.

First Half

The game kicked off with the Seminoles taking an early lead, thanks to their strong offensive play. They managed to score 36 points in the first half while holding the Golden Bears to just 23 points. Key contributions came from Robert McCray V and Thomas Bassong, who were instrumental in maintaining this lead through effective ball movement and solid defense.

Second Half

In the second half, however, the momentum shifted slightly as the Golden Bears mounted a comeback attempt by scoring 38 points. Despite this surge from California's side, which included impressive three-point shooting at a rate of 36 percent overall for them during this period, Florida State held firm defensively.

Lajae Jones stood out for his defensive prowess by contributing two blocks and eight rebounds throughout both halves combined - crucial plays that helped keep Florida State ahead when it mattered most.

Final Moments

As time wound down towards zero on what had been an intensely competitive matchup between these two teams all night long; ultimately it was free throws made under pressure situations that sealed victory for 'Noles' squad against 'Bears'. The Florida State Seminoles coach post-game reaction highlighted how proud he felt about his players’ resilience during those critical moments late into regulation playtime where every possession counted significantly more than ever before!

This win sets up anticipation around upcoming matchups such as next week’s showdown against Stanford Cardinal scheduled January 31st at Donald L Tucker Civic Center starting promptly @6:00 PM EST broadcast live via ACC Network channel nationwide so fans can tune-in watch support team continue building upon successful start new season journey together!

Don't miss out – share your thoughts about last night's thrilling contest below or spread word among fellow supporters today!