Hurricanes Fall To Florida State, 67-58
Dec. 14, 2003
By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Anthony Richardson scored 15 points, includingfive in a game-ending 13-0 run that helped Florida State match its best startin school history by beating instate rival Miami 67-58 on Sunday.
The win was coach Leonard Hamilton’s second in as many seasons against hisformer team. This one was sweeter, though, coming in his return to the schoolwhere he spent 10 years.
He now has the Seminoles (8-0) off to their best start, matching what theydid to open the 1977-78 and 1988-89 seasons.
Showing Hamilton’s penchant for intense defense, Florida State forced sixturnovers and held Miami (5-3) scoreless over the final seven minutes – astretch that proved to be the difference in the game.
The ‘Canes led 58-54 before missing their final seven shots.
Florida State’s leading scorer, Tim Pickett, picked up two early fouls andwas scoreless in the first half. But he scored 12 points after the break andstarted the comeback with a steal and a layup with 4:28 remaining.
Alexander Johnson had a dunk, Richardson hit a free throw and Johnson addeda layup to make it 61-58. Richardson and Pickett combined to go for 6-for-6from the free-throw line in the final minute to seal the victory.
Miami had three consecutive chances to take a lead trailing 59-58, butDarius Rice had a turnover and then Armondo Surratt missed a layup and a3-pointer.
Rice led the Hurricanes with 20 points despite back spasms that cost him tomiss several practices in the past week. Surratt added 15.
Hamilton showed little emotion in his return. In his final three years atMiami, the Hurricanes went 39-13 in the Big East and advanced to three straightNCAA tournaments – including an improbable run to the Sweet 16 in 2000.
After that season, then-Washington Wizards president Michael Jordan luredHamilton to the professional ranks. But Hamilton resigned after going 19-63 inhis first season.
He was out of coaching until March 2002, when the Seminoles hired him torebuild a program with four consecutive losing seasons.
