Courtesy of FAMU Athletics

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –– The Florida A&M (FAMU) Rattlers continue their challenging early season schedule with a crosstown clash against No. 19 Florida State on Monday night, marking the first meeting between these Tallahassee rivals in 20 years. The program’s last encounter came in 2004, with FAMU’s most recent victory in the series being a 73-65 win during the 1994-95 season.

SCOUTING THE MATCHUP
The Rattlers face their second straight Power 5 opponent in FSU, who enters averaging 96.5 points per game while holding opponents to 66.0. The Seminoles have dominated the glass, outrebounding opponents by 14.0 per game and rank 18th nationally with 49.5 rebounds per contest. FAMU must protect the basketball better than in their first two outings, where they’ve averaged 22.0 turnovers against a Seminole defense, forcing 18.5 turnovers per game.

FAMU’s three-point shooting could be key – they rank 10th nationally in three-point percentage (48.1%) but will face an FSU defense holding opponents to just 17.6% from beyond the arc, ranking 35th nationally in three-point defense.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sydney Hendrix leads the Rattlers’ offense at 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, shooting 47.6% from the field. D’Mya Griffin has been lethal from beyond the arc, hitting 54.5% of her three-point attempts while averaging 11.0 points. The duo will face a tough challenge against FSU’s Ta’Niya Latson (27.0 ppg) and Makayla Timpson, who leads the nation in rebounding (18.0 rpg).

Point guard Tahnyjia Purifoy (4.5 assists, 3.5 steals per game) will direct the offense against an FSU defense averaging 12.5 steals per contest.

KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Protect the Ball: The Rattlers must reduce their 22.0 turnovers per game against FSU’s aggressive defense
2. Three-Point Efficiency: Maintain their hot shooting from deep (48.1%) to keep pace with FSU’s high-scoring offense
3. Bench Production: Leverage their 20th-ranked bench scoring (39.5 ppg) to counter FSU’s depth
4. Free Throw Improvement: Convert at a higher rate than their current 58.5% at the line
5. Defensive Glass: After allowing 102 points to Florida, FAMU needs to limit Florida State’s second-chance opportunities

The Rattlers will look to bounce back from losses to Howard and Florida as they seek their first win of the season. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. at the Donald L. Tucker Center.

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