TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Aaron Thomas scored 22 points as top-seeded Florida State opened the National Invitation Tournament with a 58-53 win against Florida Gulf Coast, last year's NCAA tournament darlings better known as Dunk City.
Thomas carried the Seminoles in the second half, scoring 14 consecutive points during one stretch. He was four points shy of matching a career high.
Bernard Thompson led the Eagles with 16 points and Jamail Jones chipped in 11. Florida Gulf Coast won two NCAA tournament games as a 15 seed last season.
Okaro White scored 17 for Florida State and Montay Brandon finished with eight.
Neither team could find an offensive groove for most of the night. The teams combined for 35 turnovers and the Seminoles led 24-19 at halftime. The 19 points were the second-lowest scoring half of the season for Florida Gulf Coast (22-13).
The Seminoles (20-13) used a late 8-2 run, including six from White, to grab and hold onto the lead.
Florida State will host No. 4-seeded Georgetown (17-14) in the second round.
The Seminoles fell short of the NCAA tournament because of an underwhelming offensive, and that was the case again against Florida Gulf Coast in the first half. Florida State had 11 more turnovers (16) than assists (five). The Eagles had 10 more turnovers (19) than assists (9)
Both teams got up and down the court with a faced-paced tempo, but that didn't equate to scoring. The Eagles shot 31.8 percent from the field, 30 percent from behind the arc and 50 percent from the free throw line. The Seminoles shot 44.4 percent from the field, 50 percent on 3-pointers and 50 percent from the line, but only took 18 shots from the field. The 24 points tied for the fifth fewest points scored in a half by Florida State this season.
Neither team shot 41 percent in the second half.
Florida Gulf Coast opened the second half on a 6-0 run that extended to a 15-4 stretch and a 34-28 lead. That's when Thomas took over with his 14 straight points. White scored seven of the last 10 Florida State points to ice the game.
The Seminoles were without second-leading scorer Ian Miller, who was out with a foot injury.
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