Martin Somerville erupted for 23 points as Florida State basketball beat Virginia Tech, 92-69, on Friday, Feb. 14, at the Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Somerville scored 18 second-half points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting from the field. The 23 points tied his best scoring output in a FSU uniform, and were four points short of a career high. He added four assists, six rebounds, and a steal alongside his scoring outburst.
He led four Seminoles (12-13, 5-7 ACC) in double figures. Chauncey Wiggins scored 19, and both Robert McCray V and Lajae Jones scored 17 each.
The 92 points are the most FSU has scored in conference play this season, and they shot a season-best 61.8% from the field, just a game removed from a season worst 29% against Virginia. It’s the first time this season that the Seminoles shot better than 50% from three, finishing the night 52.2% from behind the arc.
The Seminoles have now won four of the last five games, and the 23-point margin is the biggest ACC win of the year for FSU. It’s a third conference win on the road for the program, and only Virginia Tech’s third loss at home this season, and the 23-point margin is its largest defeat of the year.
Virginia Tech led 42-39 at halftime, with 10 points from Wiggins keeping the Seminoles in the game. The Hokies got 11 points from Ben Hammond and 10 points from Tobi Lawal in the first half, but couldn’t pull away.
FSU trailed by five early in the second half before Somerville erupted. He scored 16 of FSU’s 18 points in just over five minutes of the second half, taking the Seminoles’ lead from five points to 13, ahead 70-57. FSU ended the game on a 19-9 run, and as a team shot 78.3 from the field in the second half.
The Seminoles turned the ball over five times and out-rebounded Virginia Tech 28-26.
What’s next for FSU basketball? A home game against Boston College
- When: Tuesday, Feb. 17 / 6 p.m.
- Where: Donald L. Tucker Center / Tallahassee, Florida
- Watch: ACC Network
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Martin Somerville scores 23 as FSU basketball beats Virginia Tech