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Mims The Word: 3-Pointers Spark Seminoles

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By MICHAEL McGUFFEE Tribune correspondent

Published: December 1, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - Ralph Mims knocked down three straight 3-pointers in a 16-2 second-half run as Florida State trounced Stetson 72-59 Friday night at the Donald L. Tucker Center.

Mims came off the bench to tie starting point guard Toney Douglas for a game-high 16 points. The backcourt duo combined for six threes and 10 steals.

"I think Ralph has sold into his role," FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. "He has adopted the philosophy that I'm just going to play 'til exhaustion. Douglas has determined that he's going to add that as part of his game, a guy that really pressures the ball."

Pressure the ball Douglas has, as the junior, who admits he was a poor defender in high school, now has 16 steals in his last three games. Florida State finished with 14 steals, including 10 in the first half, to Stetson's one.

"Every day, Coach stresses to us that defense wins games and it all starts with me at the point guard position," Douglas said.

"When our offense isn't going, I try to set the tone on defense."

The Hatters jumped to a 4-0 lead, but the Seminoles turned up the heat defensively and responded with an 11-0 run fueled by four straight Stetson turnovers.
Stetson climbed back within one with three minutes remaining in the half after back-to-back jumpers from senior J.J. Hirst. But once again the Seminoles struck quickly, ending the half with an 8-0 run in the final two minutes to take a 29-21 lead.

Mims' three-point streak broke the game open in the second half as the Seminoles emptied the bench, which contributed 38 points. FSU led by as many as 24.

"When Mims hit those threes, that was the run that put the game out of reach," Stetson coach Derek Waugh said. "The fact that we hung with them, I liked that. But I thought we could have played better."

Freshman forward Julian Vaughn started for the Seminoles as sophomore Ryan Reid dressed but did not play.

"Well, every once in a while you have a situation that you have to deal with," Hamilton said after the game. "Let's just say it was a violation of team rules."

Vaughn and freshman center Solomon Alabi received good minutes, with Alabi playing a career-high 14 and finishing with six points.

Florida State again used depth to its advantage as nine Seminoles played 14 or more minutes and FSU's bench out-scored Stetson's 38-10.

INSIDE THE GAME

PLAYER OF THE GAME: FSU PG Toney Douglas had 16 points, six steals and six assists in a team-high 31 minutes of action.

STAT OF THE GAME: FSU's bench outscored Stetson's 38-10, including Ralph Mims' 16, as 11 players contributed to the Seminoles' point total.

TURNING POINT: Mims put the game away when the senior hit three straight 3-pointers in a 16-2 run eight minutes into the second half.

UP NEXT: FSU hosts Samford Sunday at 2 p.m.

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