Lipscomb builds 21-point lead in 2nd half and holds off host Florida State men

TALLAHASSEE — Will Pruitt scored 16 of his 24 points in the first half, then Lipscomb built a 21-point lead early in the second half before holding off Florida State for a 78-75 victory on Saturday.

Florida State trailed 62-41 with 15:53 to play but pulled within 73-70 with 2:06 remaining. AJ McGinnis answered with a 3-pointer, Joe Anderson added a layup and Lipscomb led 78-72 with 50 seconds left.

Jamir Watkins made a pair of free throws for the Seminoles to cap the scoring with 37 seconds to go. Watkins then blocked Grant Asman’s layup attempt with 10 seconds left, but Darin Green Jr. missed a 3 at the end.

“Typically, we play aggressively in the first half and then have a slow second,” FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. “But today, I thought that we were much more aggressive in the second to match the aggressiveness that Lipscomb showed us in the first.

“We need to play outside of our personalities so that we can be effective and successful. It’s a mindset that you need to get in and we’ve showed moments of that during the season.”

Pruitt was 6 of 11 from the floor and had five rebounds in the first half, and he drilled his second 3-pointer that put the Bisons up 46-31 at the break. Pruitt made three free throws, and Owen McCormack, Anderson and McGinnis each hit a 3 as the Bisons opened the second half on a 12-5 surge to stretch their lead to 58-37.

Pruitt finished 8-of-17 shooting from the floor with three 3s, and he made all five of his free throws for Lipscomb (9-6). McCormack made a pair from long range and scored 13 points. McGinnis added 12 points on four 3s. Anderson added six points to go with 10 assists.

Watkins scored 19 points and was 12 of 13 from the free-throw line to lead Florida State (6-6). Primo Spears added 16 points and Green had 12.

Florida State hosts Georgia Tech on Wednesday.

Lipscomb plays at Eastern Kentucky on Thursday in an Atlantic Sun Conference opener.