Ward scores 15, No. 9 Florida State tops Maryland 94-61 for 8th straight victory

No. 9 Florida State coasts past Maryland 94-61

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Ninth-ranked Florida State cruised to its eighth straight victory Sunday, getting 15 points apiece from Courtney Ward and Christian Hunnicutt in a 94-61 rout of Maryland.

Angel Gray scored 14 points and Jacinta Monroe had 13 for the Seminoles (26-4, 12-2 Atlantic Coast Conference). Florida State shot 59 percent, went 12 for 16 from beyond the arc and forced 23 turnovers.

The Seminoles went 8-0 in February and will enter the ACC tournament this week as the No. 2 seed behind Duke.

Diandra Tchatchouang led Maryland with 23 points and Lynetta Kizer added 17. The Terrapins (18-11, 5-9) have lost five of seven and are 6-9 since starting 12-2.

Florida State shot 62 percent from the floor in taking a 47-32 halftime lead, then opened the second half with a 15-4 run to go up by 26. The margin reached 30 with 12:17 remaining.

The Seminoles were 0-4 against the Terps since January 2005, but this is a young Maryland squad in danger of missing the NCAA tournament for the first time in seven seasons.

On Senior Day at Comcast Center, Terrapins coach Brenda Frese bid farewell to only one player: Illinois transfer Lori Bjork, who played one season at Maryland.

Hunnicutt scored 11 points, and Florida State went 7 for 10 from 3-point range in taking a 47-32 halftime lead.

After Maryland made the game’s first three baskets, Seminoles coach Sue Semrau called timeout. Florida State responded with a 10-4 spurt that tied it, and minutes later, Hunnicutt and Gray hit successive 3-pointers to cap a 12-2 run that the Seminoles in front 22-17.

The lead would not change hands again. It was 33-29 before Hunnicutt connected twice from beyond the arc during a 13-3 spree at the end of the half.

Monroe began the second half by hitting a jumper, Gray drilled a 3-pointer and Chasity Clayton followed with two free throws for a 22-point lead.