No. 24 MBB Falls in OT at Florida State, 103-94
By Andy Fledderjohann
HurricaneSports.com
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Miami rallied to send the game to overtime, but Florida State scored the first seven points of the extra session as the Seminoles went on to a 103-94 victory over the Hurricanes Saturday afternoon in ACC action at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee.
Miami (15-5, 4-4 ACC) hit a school-record 17 3-pointers and shot 50 percent from 3-point range, but Florida State (16-5, 5-4) hit on a blistering 60 percent of its attempts from the field and also nailed 28-of-39 free throws. The Hurricanes shot an even 50 percent (34-68) for the game.
Lonnie Walker IV scored 23 points to lead Miami, while DJ Vasiljevic matched a career high with 20, including six 3-pointers. Anthony Lawrence II added 19 points, also tying a career best. FSU had six players in double figures, led by Phil Cofer with 21 points.
After trailing for most of the game, Miami tied it up, 83-83, on Dewan Huell’s alley-oop slam from Bruce Brown Jr. with 1:03 remaining. Miami then forced a miss on defense and had an opportunity to take the lead, but Walker’s 17-footer was just short. FSU took timeout with 5.5 seconds remaining, but Walker blocked Braian Angola’s potential game winner to send the game to overtime.
FSU scored the first seven points in overtime before Lawrence drained a 3-pointer at the 3:06 mark, but that was as close as the Canes would get in the extra session.
Miami’s only lead in the game came after Walker’s layup 22 seconds into the game. Florida State bolted to a quick 10-2 lead and led by as many as 10 in the first half, shooting 67 percent from the floor in taking a 44-39 lead to intermission.
Miami comes back home Wednesday (Jan. 31) for a 7 p.m. game against Pitt at the sold-out Watsco Center. The ACC’s Regional Sports Networks have the television broadcast. Fans wishing to attend home Miami basketball games this season are encouraged to use StubHub, the official secondary ticket market for Miami Athletics, to purchase single-game tickets.
To keep up with the University of Miami men’s basketball team on social media, follow @CanesHoops on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Game Notes
Team
• Florida State leads the all-time series, 46-35, including 30-8 at home.
• Miami is 5-3 in true road games this year and 8-4 away from home this season.
• Miami hit a school-record 17 3-pointers (previous high was 15, set four times previously).
• UM played back-to-back overtime games for the first time since the first two games of the 2013-14 season.
• Miami committed seven turnovers, a season low.
• Miami is now 41-2 under Jim Larranaga when scoring 80 points or more.
• Miami gave up 100 points for the first time since allowing 105 to North Carolina on Jan. 31, 2007.
• FSU was the first team to shoot 60 percent in a game against Miami since Villanova shot 62.7 percent on March 24, 2016.
• FSU shot 67 percent (16-24) in the first half, the best shooting performance in any half by a Miami opponent this season (previous was 61.5 by Middle Tennessee in second half).
• FSU’s 44 points in the first half was the most in the opening half by a UM opponent this year (Duke 42).
Individual
• Lonnie Walker IV scored 23 points, reaching double figures for the fifth straight game.
• Walker matched a career high with five assists.
• DJ Vasilevic scored 20 points, matching his career high and the first time he reached double figures since a 13-point effort against Middle Tennessee on Christmas Day. He matched a season high with five 3-pointers and was 6-for-10 from 3-point range.
• Vasiljevic scored 15 points of his points in the second half (5-of-6 3FG).
• Anthony Lawrence II scored 19 points, matching a career high.
• Chris Lykes matched a career high with five assists.
• Sam Waardenburg played 12 minutes and recorded his first five career points in ACC play.
