Tallahassee continues to show why it’s one of the best sports towns in the nation.
The Florida A&M and Florida State women’s basketball teams are doing their part as the neighbors play on Veterans Day in a non-conference game at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center.
Tipoff is at 6 p.m. and will be televised on the Atlantic Coast Conference Network.
Scheduling the game has been discussed since Bridgette Gordon became the Rattlers’ head coach last season, with Brooke Wyckoff leading the Seminoles since 2022.
“It was a no-brainer that once I become the head coach at Florida A&M and she was appointed to the head job there at Florida State that, we would revisit this crosstown rival that had taken place before,” Gordon told the Tallahassee Democrat.
Wyckoff and Gordon have a longstanding friendship, and they have known each other since the FSU coach was a standout player for the Seminoles from 1997 to 2001. Gordon’s playing era succeeds Wyckoff as the FAMU coach starred for Pat Summit’s first two Tennessee Volunteers national championship teams in 1987 and 1989.
To move things further, Wyckoff’s husband, Jose Ramon Esmoris, is a volunteer assistant for Gordon’s FAMU women’s basketball coaching staff.
“I’m looking forward to this FAMU-FSU crosstown rivalry. Coach Gordon is a good friend of mine, and I respect what she does over there,” Wyckoff said. “I’m so glad we could make this happen.”
The last meeting between FAMU and FSU women’s basketball was in 2004-05, according to FSU’s media guide. The teams were scheduled to meet in 2020, but FAMU’s former league, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, canceled its basketball season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
FAMU and FSU’s first-ever meeting was on Feb. 1, 1975, with the Seminoles winning 44-28. FAMU women’s basketball beat FSU 76-37 on Feb. 26, 1996. FSU leads the all-time series 25-8.
“What better way to revisit a rival on Veterans Day that gives you a true meaning of what this rival could mean for the community?” Gordon said.
Florida A&M at Florida State women’s basketball could become a yearly norm
FAMU and FSU women’s basketball are on the upswing.
Last season, Gordon, in her head coaching debut, led the Rattlers to the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament appearance, the Rattlers’ first postseason berth since 2019.
Gordon returns key players like guard Olivia Delancy and forward Sydney Hendrix and may have a brewing star in transfer guard D’Mya Griffin.
The Rattlers are 0-2, losing their first games to Howard (78-66) and, most recently, Florida (102-67) on Thursday.
The Seminoles are 1-1 after having a record-setting performance in their 119-49 win over North Florida, then most recently faltering to Illinois 83-74 on Thursday.
Guard Ta’Niya Latson and forward Makayla Timpson lead FSU women’s basketball this season.
FSU has reached the last 11 NCAA Tournaments.
“I think my biggest goal is to get the community excited about women’s basketball in Tallahassee,” Wyckoff said. “We have some great players to showcase, and again, the competition in this game will be exciting for the fans.”
On Monday, FAMU women’s basketball at FSU should be the hottest ticket in Tallahassee.
The teams plan to meet again, especially as Gordon and Wyckoff lead Tallahassee’s NCAA Division I women’s basketball programs.
“We’re already talking about next year. I want it,” Gordon said. “I’m going to play the best of the best. To be great, you got to play great.”
Florida State Seminoles Beat Reporter Peter Holland contributed to this report.
Florida A&M at Florida State Women’s Basketball
When: Monday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m.
Where: Donald L. Tucker Center; Tallahassee, Florida
How to Watch: ACC Network
Tickets: Purchase Here
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida A&M at Florida State women’s basketball to bring community together
