Luke Loucks has his first moment as Florida State (8-11, 1-5) head coach.
The Seminoles went into Coral Gables and defeated Miami (15-4, 4-2), 65-63, for the first road win, ACC win, and rivalry victory of Loucks’ career. Three days after coming up a point short to Wake Forest, the Noles played with composure down the stretch, stifled the Miami offense, and executed from the free-throw line when it mattered. Robert McCray V drained two foul shots from the charity stripe with 1.7 seconds left, with the game
tied at 63, to secure the victory.
However, the story of the game was the effort and intensity from FSU’s defense. Loucks’ team turned the Canes over 14 times, scoring 12 points off turnovers, and held Miami to 25% from three. It seemed like the style of play had been turning this way for Florida State after multiple lackluster showings on the defensive side early in the year, and Florida State was rewarded with a victory tonight.
1st half:
Instead of the usual Luke Loucks style of play, the Seminoles attacked inside in the opening minutes of the game, scoring their first seven points either inside the paint or at the free-throw line. With the teams tied at the under-16, Miami finished at the rim plus the foul for an old-fashioned three-point play, but AJ Swinton instantly answered with a triple. On the ensuing possession, Martin Somerville drove to the rack and scored at the hoop and converted his foul shot to put the Noles up three, but Tre Donaldson responded with a triple to knot the game back up.
The Hurricanes started to gain momentum after a successful challenge and converted four of five field goals to go up by six, before the Seminoles stopped the bleeding with a pretty dish from Robert McCray V to Alex Steen, who converted inside the paint for two to make it a 19-15 game.
Out of the under-12 TV timeout, Lajae Jones slammed home a transition dunk off a turnover, but Miami continued to pound the ball inside and went back up by six, 23-17, as 16 of the first 23 Hurricanes points were inside the paint.
Trailing 23-19, Kobe Magee knocked down the second FSU three of the night to pull the Noles back within one, before Miami splashed a triple on its next possession. But the Noles continued to find ways to get to the basket, and McCray V cut back door for a dunk to once again pull Florida State within one possession, 26-24.
Once again, Miami went up by six, and once again, FSU answered. Thomas Bassong deflected a pass and ran it back for two, before Somerville got in the passing lane and also converted at the basket. The Noles turned Miami over again, and McCray V got to the basket plus the foul to make it a 32-30 game at the under-four timeout. The Hurricanes had nine turnovers in the first half, resulting in 11 points.
After McCray V converted his free throw, Florida State and Miami traded baskets, with the Noles trailing by two with five seconds to go. On the last possession of the half, Magee drained a last-second three to put Loucks’ team up 38-37 at the break in one of FSU’s best-played halves of the season. Eight different scorers had points in the opening stanza as the Noles received contributions up and down the lineup.
Second half:
Out of the break, Miami scored the opening points before Somerville knocked down a three to put the Noles up by two. The teams traded baskets over the next couple of minutes, but a triple from Chauncey Wiggins and a floater from McCray V gave the Noles a four-point lead at the under-16 timeout, 48-44.
Florida State continued to turn Miami over as the Hurricanes committed two giveaways out of the commercial break, and a free throw from Wiggins gave the Noles their largest lead of the night at five points. However, four FSU turnovers, including an offensive foul, led to a three-minute field-goal drought for FSU before Bassong was credited with two points on goaltending as the Noles held a four-point advantage, 51-47, at the under-12.
Wiggins hit a turnaround jump shot inside the paint to restore FSU’s four-point margin with ten minutes to go in the second half as the Florida State defense started to turn up the heat. The Canes went one from their last nine from the field and had a scoreless drought for over three minutes. After nine turnovers in the first half, UM had five with 7:41 left in the second half as Loucks’ defense swarmed those in orange and green.
However, during the Miami scoring drought, the Seminoles could not capitalize, going over 2 minutes without a point, keeping their lead at 4 points. Miami finally took the lid off the basket with a lay-up after the under-eight, but Somerville answered immediately with a three, his second of the game.
Leading 56-51 with 6:33 left, the game remained a cage match, with neither team able to find a rhythm. Both teams were one for their last seven from the floor with 5:20 left in the second half. In need of offense, Wiggins hit another mid-range jumper to put the Noles back up five, 58-53, but a Miami three on its next trip down the floor cut the lead to two. However, Loucks’ team continued to fight as the game became tighter, and McCray V floated home a difficult basket inside the paint, but missed the foul shot.
With the Noles holding a razor-thin two-point lead at 3:14 of the second half, 60-58, McCray V went to the line and knocked down one free throw, pushing FSU out in front, 61-58. After Florida State forced a bad shot from Miami, McCray V once again found his way to the free-throw line and this time, went a perfect 2-2 to make it a two-possession game.
Miami snapped its 2:35 scoreless drought with two free throws, shrinking the FSU lead to three, 63-60, with 1:45 to go. The Noles could not find a way to push back out to two scores as they committed a shot-clock violation. The scoreless trip proved costly, as a layup from Miami made it a one-point game, 63-62.
Loucks called a timeout with 54.1 seconds to go to try and find a basket, but McCray could not get a deep three to go as the pendulum swung back to the Hurricanes. Miami forced its way to the foul line with 21 seconds to go, missed the first, but got the second to tie the game at 63.
Once again, Loucks called a timeout, this time with 21 seconds left, to try manufacturing offense, but FSU almost turned the ball over on the inbounds pass. Florida State found a way to get the ball in play and got it to its best player. With the game in his hands, McCray nudged inside like he did the whole game and plowed his way to the cup, drawing a foul on Tre Donaldson. After feeling responsible for the loss against Wake Forest, the senior guard calmly knocked down two free throws to push the Noles in front, 63-61, with 1.7 seconds to go. On the ensuing play, Lajae Jones intercepted the three-quarters court inbounds pass, securing the Seminole win, 65-63.
Up next:
FSU continues its road trip against SMU on Saturday at 4 PM on ACC Network.
