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Saturday, December 30, 2006

Florida State Pounds "Big East" Providence - 92-62


TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Jason Rich scored 17 points and Isaiah Swann added 14 as Florida State tuned up for the start of its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule with a 92-62 win over Providence on Friday night.

Al Thornton scored 11 for the Seminoles (12-2), who will take an eight-game winning streak into their ACC opener against Clemson on Jan. 3.

Providence (9-3) missed 15 of 20 shots from the field in the second half and shot 36 percent overall.

With Thornton riding the bench for 16 minutes because of foul trouble, the Seminoles overcame an early 13-2 deficit and led by as many as 13 before settling for a 45-34 halftime advantage.

Rich made 6 of 7 shots in the opening half, then Swann scored 10 during the 21-4 run Florida State put together in the first eight minutes of the second half to build the lead to 66-38. Providence was limited to one field goal during the stretch.

Dwain Williams led Providence with 15 points. Geoffrey McDermott and Herbert Hill finished with 11 apiece.

Florida State's eight-game winning streak, which began with a home victory over defending national champion Florida, matches the Seminoles' second longest since 1988 - two shy of 10 straight victories to open the 2003-04 season.

It's the third time in the past four years that coach Leonard Hamilton has his team off to a 12-2 start, although it hardly ensures the Seminoles will reach the NCAA tournament. They finished 18-14 in 2004 and 20-10 in 2006 and appeared in the NIT both seasons.

Two of Providence's three losses have come on trips to the Sunshine State. The Friars lost 85-67 at Florida on Dec. 6.

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