The conversation at some point will shift from who the Florida State women’s basketball team no longer has on the roster to the influx of transfers that will lead the Seminoles in the 2025-26 season.
Life without Ta’Niya Latson (transferred to South Carolina), Makayla Timpson (now in WNBA) and O’Mariah Gordon (graduated) will be a considerable adjustment. But coach Brooke Wyckoff and the coaching staff emphasized bringing in transfers with experience in what could be a balanced scoring attack.
“I really do love that piece of being able to count on a lot of different players for scoring, and just to just have a spread out attack,” Wyckoff said. “A lot of times all five players on the floor are threats to score from the 3-point line. They can attack and score at the rim. So that's what we expected, that's what we wanted, and that's definitely been shown over the last two games.”
When asked by the Osceola about the potential of a different leading scorer night to night, Wyckoff said she likes that this team could offer just that. But unprompted she then mentioned junior college center Pania Davis, who is 6-foot-6, has “got to be a force. She has to to play like she's our best player, our leading scorer, leading rebounder.”
After two exhibition games, a loss to Alabama at Birmingham and a win over Division II Tampa, FSU opens up the season on Monday against Florida A&M at 6 p.m. (ACC Network Extra) at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Here’s a closer look at the Seminoles:
Strengths: FSU will run the court and shoot early in possessions. If the Seminoles can make 3s or make quick passes against defenses that haven’t set up yet, they can get easy buckets. It’s a roster loaded with transfers who have experience at major conference programs.
Question marks: FSU lost two generational players (Latson and Timson) and an All-ACC player (O’Mariah Gordon). It’s hard not to look at this as a rebuilding season, especially considering this team is likely lacking a go-to player (unless Sydney Bowles develops into an All-ACC point guard who can score and make others around her better). Bowles is more of a Robin than a Batman, but we’ll see if she can lead, score and distribute. Amaya Bonner shot 50 percent from inside the arc last season, although she was just 25 percent from beyond the arc. Expect Bonner to provide a spark off the bench.
Players to watch: Returning guard Sydney Bowles, Davis (pictured at top of story), Texas Tech transfer Jasmine Shavers and Texas A&M transfer Sole Williams.
Rising stars: Sophomore guard Tatum Greene (played as a freshman at Boston College) and freshman Mari Gerton.
Key departures: Latson transferred to South Carolina. Makayla Timpson graduated and played with Indiana in the WNBA this summer and Gordon graduated.
Best home games: Indiana (Nov. 16), Illinois (Nov. 23), Georgia (Dec. 3), Notre Dame (Dec. 7), UNC (Jan. 18), Miami (Feb. 8).
Best road games: UConn (Nov. 9), Florida (Nov. 20), at Miami (Jan. 11), NC State (Feb. 5), Louisville (Feb. 15), Duke (Feb. 26).
Best case scenario: Davis indeed plays like the top junior-college prospect in the nation, producing points and rebounds as a stretch-4 (taller outside shooter) but also gives the Seminoles a post presence. Shavers had a pair of 500-point seasons at Texas Tech and doesn’t necessarily need to replicate that but could be a very good complementary piece. If enough transfers hit, the Seminoles should finish higher than ninth in the 18-team ACC (preseason poll). The NCAA Tournament feels like a longshot, especially given a challenging schedule, but it would be an impressive coaching job by Wyckoff and the staff if they can pull it off.
Worst case scenario: Without a go-to player or dynamic point, like Latson or Gordon, the half-court offense could lack efficiency. There’s a lot of pressure on Bowles to take on an expanded role – she shouldn’t be counted on to deliver consistently each game as the point guard who must distribute and score. Will another transfer (Shavers, Kubek or Williams) pick up the slack? There’s always a depth concern with just 10 players on the roster. FSU could be an injury or two away from a very short bench.
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