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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – No. 25/24 Florida State held the University of South Alabama men’s basketball team to 23.5 percent shooting for the game en route to an 80-39 win Sunday afternoon at the Tucker Center.

The nationally-ranked Seminoles stay undefeated at 4-0 while the Jaguars drop to 1-2.

“I vote on the top 25 every week and there’s no doubt that Florida State is one of the best teams in the country,” USA head coach Ronnie Arrow said. “They might have the best frontline too. It’s by far the best team that (FSU head coach) Leonard (Hamilton) has had since I’ve known him. There’s no doubt they will be competitors in the ACC.”

FSU converted 52.1 percent from the floor and received 18 points from Luke Loucks. Terrance Shannon made all six of his field goal attempts for 15 points while Deividas Dulkys added 12.

USA went 0-for-24 from 3-point land, marking the first time since the 2009-10 season opener vs. Houston Baptist (0-5) that the Jags failed to make a long-range shot, and tied an NCAA record in the process.

The Seminoles racked up 14 blocks and did not allow the Jaguars to go to the free throw line in the second half.

“When you go 0-fer, you aren’t going to win very many games,” said Arrow. “If you’re going to beat Florida State, you’re going to have to beat them from the outside. You’re crazy if you think you can go inside and beat them.”

After South Alabama made its first two attempts from the floor to lead 4-0, the team failed to score for the next five minutes and allowed Florida State to score eight unanswered points.

Up 12-10 with 12:25 left before halftime, FSU went on a 10-0 run, almost single-handedly powered by Loucks who had two 3-pointers and two free throws. Rubit stopped the run with a jumper at the 10:30 mark but it would be USA’s last field goal for the next seven-and-a-half minutes. The Jags would miss their next nine shots and committed three turnovers as the Seminoles raced out to a 42-19 lead.

USA junior Xavier Roberson (Houston, Texas) finally snapped the run with a layup, but FSU scored nine of the game’s next 11 points to go ahead 51-23 at halftime.

The second half was more of the same as South Alabama missed its first nine shots of the period.

Sophomore Augustine Rubit (Houston, Texas) paced the Jaguars with team-high totals of 10 points and eight rebounds.

“I think the size inside affected him,” said Arrow. “He’s not used to having that type of size consistently guarding him. He’d turn around and there’s one and then two more coming at you. I’m sure they did some things to double-team him.”

Senior Antione Lundy (Saginaw, Mich.) came off the bench to tally nine points and a career-high six boards.

“We’ve got three or four really good shooters, but they were null and void tonight,” added Arrow. “We have to go back and regroup. When you have all new guards like we do, it’s going to be tough. We’re going to have to grow up in a hurry to have our guards get us where we need to be.”

South Alabama travels to LSU Wednesday for the team’s final game before the Thanksgiving break. Tip-off will be at 7 p.m.

NOTES: The Jaguars used the same starting lineup for the second game in a row… South Alabama was victorious the previous time it met a ranked opponent – No. 18/18 Florida in 2009-10… The 39 points are tied for the sixth-fewest in school history and the 41-point margin is the ninth worst… The Seminoles won the rebounding battle 46-31, but only one player grabbed more than six (Bernard James, 8)… Junior Trey Anderson (Carrollton, Texas) led the Jags with four assists.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

—USA—