Northern Kentucky Norse @ Florida State Seminoles
Watkins and Bol Bowen score 17 apiece, help Florida State pull away early to beat N. Kentucky 74-62
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- — Jamir Watkins and Taylor Bol Bowen scored 17 points apiece and Florida State beat Northern Kentucky 74-62 on Monday night in a season opener.
Watkins hot 8 of 17 from the field with a 3-pointer and grabbed four rebounds. The senior led Florida State last season averaging 15.6 points and six rebounds. Bol Bowen was 5-of-9 shooting and made all seven of his free-throw attempts against Northern Kentucky.
The Seminoles shot 28 of 63 overall (44%) and had 14 assists, with four finishing with at least three.
Josh Dilling scored 18 points to lead Northern Kentucky. Randall Pettus II added 12 points. The pair were a combined 12-of-13 shooting from the free- throw line.
The Seminoles took the lead for good about eight minutes into the game, built a 43-31 halftime advantage and had a double-digit lead the rest of the way. Bol Bowen scored 15 points in the first half and Watkins added a 3-pointer and scored nine points.
It was the first meeting between the teams and the first time the Seminoles have beaten a member of the Horizon League since its 100-71 victory over Detroit Mercy on Nov. 20, 2016.
------ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP collegebasketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Game Information
Tallahassee, FL

Referee:Lee Cassell
Referee:Jeff Pon
Referee:Ben Stirt

2025-26 Standings
| Horizon LeagueHorizon League | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wright State | 15-5 | - | 23-12 |
| Robert Morris | 13-7 | 2 | 22-11 |
| Green Bay | 12-8 | 3 | 18-15 |
| Detroit Mercy | 12-8 | 3 | 17-15 |
| Oakland | 12-8 | 3 | 16-16 |
| Purdue Fort Wayne | 11-9 | 4 | 17-15 |
| Northern Kentucky | 10-10 | 5 | 20-14 |
| Youngstown State | 8-12 | 7 | 15-17 |
| Milwaukee | 8-12 | 7 | 12-20 |
| Cleveland State | 6-14 | 9 | 11-22 |
| IU Indianapolis | 3-17 | 12 | 7-25 |
| Atlantic Coast ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke | 17-1 | - | 35-3 |
| Virginia | 15-3 | 2 | 30-6 |
| Miami | 13-5 | 4 | 26-9 |
| North Carolina | 12-6 | 5 | 24-9 |
| Clemson | 12-6 | 5 | 24-11 |
| Louisville | 11-7 | 6 | 24-11 |
| NC State | 10-8 | 7 | 20-14 |
| Florida State | 10-8 | 7 | 18-15 |
| California | 9-9 | 8 | 22-12 |
| Stanford | 9-9 | 8 | 20-13 |
| Virginia Tech | 8-10 | 9 | 19-13 |
| SMU | 8-10 | 9 | 20-14 |
| Wake Forest | 7-11 | 10 | 18-17 |
| Syracuse | 6-12 | 11 | 15-17 |
| Pittsburgh | 5-13 | 12 | 13-20 |
| Notre Dame | 4-14 | 13 | 13-18 |
| Boston College | 4-14 | 13 | 11-20 |
| Georgia Tech | 2-16 | 15 | 11-20 |
Men's College Basketball News

Kentucky governor blasts UK athletics' 'decision-making'
4h

Men's college basketball transfer portal live: Tracking news, updates
5h

Florida top scorer Thomas Haugh to return, pass on NBA draft
8h

