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 | 7-2 | - | 12-8 |
| Purdue Fort Wayne | 7-3 | 0.5 | 13-8 |
| Oakland | 7-3 | 0.5 | 11-10 |
| Northern Kentucky | 6-4 | 1.5 | 14-7 |
| Green Bay | 6-4 | 1.5 | 11-10 |
| Robert Morris | 5-5 | 2.5 | 13-8 |
| Detroit Mercy | 5-5 | 2.5 | 8-11 |
| Milwaukee | 4-6 | 3.5 | 8-13 |
| Youngstown State | 3-7 | 4.5 | 10-11 |
| Cleveland State | 3-7 | 4.5 | 7-14 |
| IU Indianapolis | 2-9 | 6 | 6-16 |
| Atlantic Coast ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke | 6-0 | - | 17-1 |
| Clemson | 6-1 | 0.5 | 16-4 |
| Virginia | 5-1 | 1 | 16-2 |
| Miami | 4-2 | 2 | 15-4 |
| NC State | 4-2 | 2 | 13-6 |
| Virginia Tech | 4-3 | 2.5 | 15-5 |
| North Carolina | 3-3 | 3 | 15-4 |
| Stanford | 3-3 | 3 | 14-5 |
| SMU | 3-3 | 3 | 14-5 |
| Louisville | 3-3 | 3 | 13-5 |
| Syracuse | 3-3 | 3 | 12-7 |
| California | 2-4 | 4 | 14-5 |
| Georgia Tech | 2-4 | 4 | 11-8 |
| Wake Forest | 2-4 | 4 | 11-8 |
| Boston College | 2-4 | 4 | 9-10 |
| Notre Dame | 1-5 | 5 | 10-9 |
| Florida State | 1-5 | 5 | 8-11 |
| Pittsburgh | 1-5 | 5 | 8-11 |
Men's College Basketball News

Winter storm forcing NBA, college sports to reschedule events
11h

What to know about Charles Bediako, more men's college basketball eligibility cases
13h

Joe Lunardi's men's Bracketology March Madness watch guide
12h

