FSU Downs Clemson in ACC First Round

WRALSportsFan

FSU Downs Clemson in ACC First Round

Mar 9, 2007

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Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Al Thornton scored 25 points and made the game- winning free throw with 1.5 seconds remaining as Florida State kept its NCAA Tournament hopes alive with a narrow 67-66 victory over Clemson in an Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament opening round game from the St. Pete Times Forum.

Thornton added a game-high 11 rebounds as the ninth-seeded Seminoles (20-11) earned a showdown with No. 1 seed North Carolina in Friday's quarterfinals.

More importantly, the win bolstered Florida State's debatable chances of receiving an NCAA berth. It may have also killed the Big Dance dreams of eighth-seeded Clemson (21-10), which has lost 10 of its last 14 games following a 17-game win streak to start the season.

Trevor Booker paced the Tigers with 18 points and Cliff Hammonds had 16 in the loss.

The Seminoles trailed 66-61 with less than four minutes to play but scored the game's final six points to prevail.

After Toney Douglas knocked down a three-pointer with 3:09 to go to pull Florida State within two, Thornton drove the baseline and threw down a thunderous dunk to knot the score at 66-66 with 1:38 left.

Clemson's K.C. Rivers was then called for an offensive foul on the ensuing possession, but Booker blocked Ryan Reid's jumper with the shot clock winding down to give the Tigers another chance at the lead. However, a careless pass from Hammonds went off teammate Vernon Hamilton's leg and across the midcourt stripe, giving the ball back to Florida State with 8.3 seconds remaining.

Following a timeout, Thornton dribbled into the paint and drew a bump from Rivers to earn a shot at the foul line. The standout forward misfired on his first try, but made good on the second to put the Seminoles up 67-66.

With Clemson out of timeouts, Hamilton's long-distance heave at the buzzer landed way off the mark.

Isaiah Swann's three-pointer with 6:17 remaining -- the ninth lead change of the second half -- gave Florida State a 61-60 advantage. Clemson responded with six straight points, all coming on second-chance baskets, and went ahead 66-61 on Rivers' putback off a Booker miss with 4:03 to go.

The Tigers were held scoreless the rest of the way, missing three shots and committing the two costly turnovers in the final minute.

Thornton capped a tightly-contested first half when he sank a three-point shot with just five seconds remaining that gave the Seminoles a 38-36 edge at intermission. The first-team All-ACC performer led all players with 18 points and six rebounds over the initial 20 minutes.

Clemson opened a 24-17 lead with under nine minutes to go in the first half on the strength of a 9-0 run which was ignited by five straight points from Hammonds. Florida State would climb back with a 14-4 burst shortly after and went ahead 33-30 on Reid's inside bucket with 3:49 remaining before the break.

Most Recent Comments

I just hope the Heels don't come in cocky. Al Thornton and the rest of the Seminoles are dangerous when they get on a roll!

Clemson started the season off well but they could not get it done ACC wise. They did help the Tar Heels out with the win over VT. The NIT wil give Clemson a chance to be the "home" team:).

domonick...you must not watch any other Clemson sports but basketball. Take the time the see what they have done in football and baseball for a starter.
Go Heels

It looks like the home teams won. Too bad Clemson never had the advantage of being the home team during the ACC Tournament. Too bad Virginia has never had the advantage of being the home team during an ACC Tournament. The Carolina teams have had the home team advantage for years. Maybe that's why their record is so great. Lay off of Clemson and Virginia until we start having ACC Tournaments in their states as well. The home teams have a distinct advantage. It is great to have ACC Tournament competition in a state other than NC.

Uh domonick do you have a clue what you're talking about? I didn't think so.

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