Georgia takes down short-handed Florida State, 66-54

Katie Abrahamson-Henderson’s Bulldogs will face Iowa in the second round Sunday

Mar. 17, 2023 3:19 pm, Updated: Mar. 17, 2023 4:36 pm

Georgia forward Jordan Isaacs (20) reaches her hands back in celebration after the Bulldogs defeated Florida State, 66-54, during the NCAA women’s basketball tournament first round. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

IOWA CITY — Katie Abrahamson-Henderson’s homecoming won’t be limited to two days.

Georgia held short-handed Florida State to 27-percent shooting, and pulled away in the second half for a 66-54 NCAA women’s basketball tournament first-round victory over Florida State on Friday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Bulldogs (22-11) broke it open with a 14-0 run, with the last 12 of that starting the fourth quarter.

Abrahamson-Henderson is a Cedar Rapids native; she graduated from Washington High School in 1985. She is coaching her 12th team — at four different schools — to the NCAA tournament.

Florida State was without its leading scorer, freshman Ta’Niya Latson, an honorable-mention AP All-American. And the Seminoles (23-10) felt her absence, shooting 22 percent in the final three quarters as Georgia pulled away.

The Bulldogs will face No. 3 Iowa (27-6) in the second round Sunday.

Diamond Battles scored a game-high 21 points for the Bulldogs. Audrey Warren added 11, Jordan Isaacs 10.

Georgia trailed by as many as seven points in the first quarter, missing 20 of its first 25 shots.

But the Bulldogs rallied and took their first lead, 21-20, on a drive by Alisha Lewis with 6:10 left in the half.