FSU women's basketball will be without its top player for NCAA tournament

Freshman sensation guard Ta'Niya Latson has been ruled out for the remainder of the season for the Florida State women's basketball team.

FSU announced in a release that the ACC Freshman of the Year is out due to an undisclosed injury and will miss the entirety of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.

The Seminoles will take on No. 10 Georgia (21-11) at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the first round at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

Sophomore guard O’Mariah Gordon will also be out for the remainder of the NCAA postseason due to injury, leaving FSU with eight healthy players against the Bulldogs.

The winner of the matchup will play the winner of No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana and No. 2 Iowa on Sunday in the Round of 32.

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Latson started 31 of the 32 games for the Seminoles this season, only missing a first-round matchup against Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament.

She averaged 21.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game on 45.5% shooting from the field. She shot 36% from 3-point range and 85% from the free throw line.

Latson's seven 30-point performances set a new FSU school record and she broke the ACC freshman scoring record with her 659 points. That total ranks third all-time in FSU history for a single season behind Sue Galkantas (710 in 1981-82) and Natasha Howard (675 in 2013-14).

For her strong season, Latson earned the following honors:

• Honorable mention All-America honors by both the Associated Press and the United States Basketball Writers Association (March 15, 2023)

• The Athletic National Freshman of the Year (March 10, 2023)

• Wooden Award National Ballot Selection (March 4, 2023).

• The 2023 ACC Rookie of the Year (Feb. 28, 2023).

• 2023 All-ACC First Team (Feb. 28, 2023).• 2023 ACC All-Freshman Team (Feb. 28, 2023).

• USBWA National Freshman of the Week for the third time (Feb. 22, 2023).

• Record-breaking 10th ACC Rookie of the Week Award (Feb. 20, 2023).

• Added to the Wade Watch List (Feb. 8, 2023).

• Named to ESPN’s Top 25 Players List (Dec. 22, 2022).

Latson tweeted about being out for the rest of the tournament Thursday afternoon.

"Sitting out due to an injury is tough, but sitting out during March is even tougher. Even though I will not be on the floor this postseason, I will be behind my team, cheering them on from the sidelines every step of the way," Latson wrote in a tweet.

Gordon (apparent leg injury) appeared in 30 games, making two starts, including starting in place of Latson in the ACC Tournament.

She averaged 6.9 points per game coming off the bench for the Seminoles.

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Game information for No. 7 FSU vs. No. 10 Georgia

What: NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament

First Round Game: Florida State (23-9) vs. Georgia (21-11)

When/Where: 1:30 p.m., Friday; Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa

TV/Radio: ESPN2/96.5 FM/FSU Gameday App

Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Ta'Niya Latson, FSU women's basketball star, to miss NCAA Tournament