PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Amaya Bonner scored 22 points and Sydney Bowles added 24 as Florida State edged Pittsburgh 69-65 in an Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Petersen Events Center. The Seminoles led by 10 entering the fourth quarter but survived a late push by the Panthers. Pittsburgh’s Mikayla Johnson scored 19 points and Carla Viegas added 15. Florida State used a 22-point third quarter to build its lead and secured the win despite shooting just 31 percent from the floor. The Seminoles forced 14 turnovers and recorded nine steals. Attendance was 743. Florida State improved to 6-12 overall. Pittsburgh fell to 8-11.

PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — In a game defined by defense and decided by a single, critical offensive rebound, the Florida State women’s basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a gritty 69-65 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday night at Petersen Events Center. The Seminoles, who improved to 6-12 overall, secured their first Atlantic Coast Conference win of the season by surviving a frantic fourth-quarter rally from the Panthers, who fell to 8-11. The most important sequence of the contest unfolded in the final 20 seconds. With Florida State clinging to a 66-65 lead after Pittsburgh’s Amiya Jenkins sank two free throws, the Seminoles inbounded the ball with 7.7 seconds remaining. Amaya Bonner, who led all scorers with 22 points, was fouled but missed the second of two free throws, keeping the lead at a precarious two points. On the ensuing possession, Pittsburgh’s Jayda Queeley drove for a potential game-tying layup, but her attempt missed. Florida State’s Sydney Bowles secured the defensive rebound — one of her game-high 11 boards — and was immediately fouled with 4.4 seconds left. Bowles, who finished with 24 points, calmly sank both free throws to ice the game, providing the final margin. The contest was an offensive struggle for long stretches, with both teams shooting under 32% from the field. Florida State finished at 31%, while Pittsburgh shot 33.9%. The Seminoles found a slight edge from beyond the arc, making nine three-pointers to Pittsburgh’s seven, and capitalized on extra possessions, forcing 14 Panther turnovers while committing only 10 of their own. Florida State built its largest lead in the third quarter, using a 13-4 run to take a 56-45 advantage into the final period. The surge was fueled by Bowles, who hit a trio of three-pointers in the quarter, and Bonner, who orchestrated the offense with four assists. Pittsburgh refused to fade, opening the fourth quarter on a 12-2 run to cut the deficit to 58-57 with 6:04 remaining. Mikayla Johnson, who led the Panthers with 19 points, and Carla Viegas, who added 15, spearheaded the comeback attempt. The Panthers tied the game at 61-61 on a pair of free throws from Fatima Diakhate with 2:23 left and again at 63-63 on two more from Jenkins with 1:05 remaining. Bonner answered for Florida State, driving for a layup to put the Seminoles ahead 65-63 with 18 seconds left, setting the stage for the tense final sequence. Diakhate was a force defensively for Pittsburgh, blocking five shots and pulling down 12 rebounds to go with nine points. Her presence inside helped limit Florida State’s interior scoring, but the Seminoles’ backcourt duo of Bonner and Bowles combined for 46 points to overcome it. The game began as a low-scoring affair, with the teams tied at 16 after the first quarter. Florida State began to create separation before halftime, taking a 34-28 lead into the break behind 13 first-half points from Bowles. The win provides a crucial boost for Florida State as it navigates a difficult season. The Seminoles will host North Carolina on Sunday. Pittsburgh, which has lost three of its last four, will look to regroup when it hosts SMU on Sunday.

Struggling ACC Teams Seek Momentum as Pittsburgh Hosts Florida State PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — Two Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball teams looking to halt slides will meet Thursday when the Pittsburgh Panthers host the Florida State Seminoles at Petersen Events Center. The Panthers (8-10, 1-2 ACC) and Seminoles (5-12, 0-3 ACC) both enter on multi-game losing streaks within conference play. Pittsburgh aims to rebound from a 46-86 road loss at Louisville on Sunday. Florida State is seeking its first ACC win after falling 73-89 at Miami on the same day. A key matchup will feature each team’s top recent performer. Pittsburgh will rely on guard Theresa Hagans, who is averaging 13.5 points and 4.2 assists over her last six games. She scored a season-high 24 points in the Panthers’ last victory, a 64-61 win at Boston College on Jan. 4. For Florida State, forward Tatum Greene has been a consistent presence on the boards, recording double-digit rebounds in two of her last five outings. She posted 10 points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes against Miami. Both teams have struggled for consistency this season. The Seminoles have lost seven of their last eight games, with their lone win in that span a dominant 89-41 victory over South Carolina State on Dec. 20. Their conference losses have been narrow, however, including a 91-87 double-overtime defeat to Virginia. Pittsburgh’s season has been marked by offensive droughts. Beyond the lopsided loss to Louisville, the Panthers were held to 55 points or fewer in three of their other four ACC contests. Their defense will be tested by a Florida State team that has shown scoring ability, led by Solè Williams’ 19-point outing against Miami. The Panthers hold a slight historical edge in the series, but both programs are focused on using this matchup as a catalyst for the second half of conference play. The winner will gain a crucial foothold in the ACC standings. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Thursday at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh.