The Virginia Cavaliers (23-1 12-0 ACC) outscored the Florida State Seminoles 37-23 in the second half to overcome a 10 point deficit & beat the Seminoles 59-55 in Tallahassee on Wednesday night. The Cavaliers shot five for ten on three pointers in the second half, while the Seminoles (17-6 6-6 ACC) scored just eight points, all free throws in the final 9 minutes of the game.
The Seminoles jumped out to a 3-0 lead after Guard Braian Angola hit a three pointer on the opening possession of the game. And that was the game's only basket until with just under two minutes gone in the first half, Virginia Guard Devon Hall, after missing his first two shots, hit a layup making it a 3-2 game. Hall added another layup about one minute later giving the Cavaliers their first lead of the game. But the Seminoles grabbed the lead back when Forward Phil Cofer drained back to back three pointers making the score 9-4.
After that quick 6-0 run by the Seminoles, the Cavaliers scored five straight points to tie the score at 9. Then Seminoles Guard M.J. Walker hit a three pointer, which was Florida State's fourth three pointer in the first six minutes of the game. And after a Cavaliers basket, Cofer hit a jumper giving the Seminoles a four point lead. The two teams then traded baskets. But then the Seminoles got an old-fashioned three point play from Guard Trent Forrest making the score 20-13.
Florida State took that seven point lead into the latter part of the first half & with just under six minutes left in the half, the Seminoles took their largest lead of the half after a dunk by Center Christ Koumadje. That dunk gave Florida State an eleven point lead, which was Virginia's largest deficit of the season. Following that dunk, the Cavaliers scored four straight points to make the score 29-22. But the Seminoles scored the final three points of the half, all from the free throw & led by 10 at halftime.
In that first half, the Seminoles shot five for six on three pointers & had eight players in the scoring column. But to start the second half, the Cavaliers dipped into that 10 point halftime deficit with the help of Guard Ty Jerome, who scored four points in over one minute. The Cavaliers actually scored seven straight points to cut the lead to three 34-31. But Forward Mfiondu Kabengele hit a layup & Walker hit his second three pointer of the game making the Seminoles lead eight.
Trailing 41-33, the Cavaliers went on a 9-2 run when Hall hit a three pointer & his backcourt mate Kyle Guy hit back to back three pointers. The Seminoles called timeout after Guy's second three pointer. But about a minute after the timeout, the Cavaliers took their first lead since leading 4-3 early in the first half when Jerome hit a layup making the score 44-43.
The Seminoles bounced back to score the next four points of the game when Koumadje got another dunk & Walker made a layup to give Florida State the lead 47-44 with under eight minutes left in the game. Then following the television timeout, Cavaliers Guard De'Andre Hunter scored on a dunk, Forward Isaiah Wilkins added a jumper & Hall chipped in two free throws to give Virginia a three point lead. That 6-0 run by the Cavaliers came to an end when Cofer hit a free throw but before that point the Seminoles went four minutes without a point.
The Cavaliers took a five point lead after Jerome drained a three pointer. But even after not scoring a basket since the 9 minute mark, Florida State was able to get to the foul line & stay within striking distance. And with just over a minute left in the game, trailing by three the Seminoles had a chance to tie but Angola missed a three pointer. The game ended with the Seminoles going the final 9 minutes without a basket & shooting one for thirteen on three pointers in the second half.
The Seminoles will look to rebound on Saturday 4pm when they take on Notre Dame in South Bend.