Florida State hits clutch shoots late, pulling wild comeback in Winston-Salem

In large parts of this game, it looked like a well -known scene that unfolded. (So ​​much so that this author had to make some significant edits). Florida State (15-9, 6-7) had an early lead, but allowed a few negative plays for snowball in a 16-point road deficit. But so remarkably bad as their collapse against Boston College was a few weeks ago, this comeback was just as amazing. When the dust cleared, FSU went out of Lawrence Joel Coliseum with an impressive 72-70 win over Wake Forest (18-7, 10-4).

Taylor Bol Bowen was the hero with his top-of-the-key three with less than 15 seconds left. The other ended with 15 points on only 8 shots. Malique Ewin had a double double with 14 and 12.

First half:

Florida State opened the scoring with a Jamir Watkins stealing and dunk, just how Leonard Hamilton would pull things up. Wake Forest would tie it up to 2-2, but Florida State held the defensive pressure, resulting in a 7-0 race characterized by a vicious one-handed throw of Watkins from another steal.

The only downside of the opening minutes for FSU was bad shooting. While leading 9-2, it could have been a good bit more if seminoles converted on open jumpers from the paint and perimeter. The 3-11 start from the floor allowed the Demon Deacons to make a 6-0 race of their own, making the scoring 9-8 Florida State with 13:42 back in half.

FSU took a 13-10 lead on an ally OOP from Taylor Bol Bowen to Malique Ewin, but Wake made a three-point deficit for a three-point lead with a 6-0 race with a step-back three over the extended arm of a defender and saw a three in the old -fashioned way with an inner hanger and arm.

During this stretch, Ewin turned the ball over to back-to-back-owner, where he was simply too soft with basketball. When you play on the road this season, Florida State has often allowed bad plays to spiral into bad stretches, and that’s exactly what happened in this one. The 6-0 race turned into a 14-0 “kill shot” and FSU went from the aggressor to on their heels in a hurry.

Bostyn Holt and Jerry Deng finally stopped the bleeding with a stealing (Holt) and Fast Break Layup (Deng), but the momentum damage was already done. Wake Forest was in the zone, and as it has been a staple in the FSU against conference opponents, began to make triangles from far beyond the arch. Aggravate things when FSU did things that help win – such as getting to the free -throwing line – missed the front end of two different ones and them.

The result was frustratingly well known. The more FSU was frustrated by the offensive end, the more their intensity and disturbance dropped at the defensive end. Seminoles made four baskets in the last 11 minutes of half and went to the dressing room after 35-21. For all of you Non-Match-Majors, it’s a 33-12 race after the first 9-2 FSU lead.

For half, FSU shot 8-26 from the field, including 1-11 from deep. After starting the game that looks disombulated, Wake finished half with 46% shoot overall and 4-9 from three.

Second half:

The start of the second half was a microcosm of the game. ‘Noles missed three consecutive shots on their opening possession, including a bunny layup, and ended up getting nothing out of several offensive rebounds. Wake replied with a set up at the other end to push the lead out to 16, 37-21.

In their honor, Seminoles did not cease. Four different players made baskets over a stretch of several minutes to blow the wake down to 44-37, but swimming of power is hard on the road, and a flurry of defensive lapse and mute 14 points on a wide open three of Cameron Hildreth, which Make him 3-3 from the perimeter at night.

Down 16 at the 9:00 -mark, Florida State made a fee once again. The Bol Bowen made a couple of free kicks and a corner three, while Chandler Jackson, Watkins and AJ Swinton all made buckets in the paint. In about three minutes, Seminoles were able to cut the deficit back to 7, 61-54.

But it looked like this race also wanted Peter out when Watkins was whistled into a prosecution that made him out. Surprisingly, the FSU was not connected. Justin Thomas hit two massive triangles on back-to-back raises to get it down to a possession game, 65-62. Wake was able to push it back to four points, but Ewin got better by Efton Reid on coherent belongings and Seminole’s paved things at 67 with 32 seconds left.

Wake Forest called Timeout and was able to get a give and go down of Reid immediately out of it, which made the scoring 69-67 Demon Deacons with just under 30 seconds left. Florida State took a timeout and was able to work out a wide open three marker for their best three-point shooter, and the Bol Bowen drilled it to set up seminoles up 70-69. Wake Forest walled an early three -point attempt at the other end, and FSU secured rebound, made a series of passports to avoid violations and eventually ended up with a thump of Thomas to seem to be played with 1.1 seconds left.

But the madness was just getting started. The FSU stepped Wake Forest on a half court, resulting in a review and ultimately three free throw with 0.3 seconds left. Hildreth, fortunately, missed the first, and Deacs was unable to get tip-in from the intentional miss the third, giving FSU an unlikely comeback victory.

Box score and takeaways:

• Thank God Taylor Bol Bowen was back on the field after missing a few games with a concussion because FSU does not win without him. He was the hero of this one, but it was his triangles earlier in the second half that got FSU back in it after being down 16. He has taken a nice step forward in his second year and his energy at the defensive end does not see Out to subside when his shot doesn’t fall – even though it certainly was. Whoever ends up as the next coach in Tallahasee, they would be well advised to make Bol Bowen a highest priority.
• At this point of the season, teams are what they are. And for FSU, it’s a team that simply doesn’t deal with adversity well, especially on the road. Malique Ewin has tremendous talent, but he has to find a way to develop some grain and endurance on the basketball court. The team lives by its energy. When he plays with controlled assertivity and enthusiasm, the team levels up. When he pouts and complaints to the judges, the team WILTS will. Were there violations that should have been called early in the game? Yes. Was the whistle much faster at the other end of the court? Absolutely. But it’s life on the road. You simply can’t let it affect you. His habit of complaining to the judges when things do not go tends to result in his influence spiraling down, and FSU is simply not good enough to win without him fully engaged. In the second half we saw what happens when Ewin is locked inside. FSU was the better team in large parts of the last 15 minutes and eventually was able to get back to the victory. Seminoles need it ewin for 40 minutes.
• Jamir Watkins had a hard night shooting. That’s fine. It happens, even for Steph Curry. But he is a guy who can get into the field and to the basket almost any time he wants. At a time earlier in the year he came to the line more frequently than any other person in the nation. So why try 6 triangles? FSU’s last push started when Jamir became more aggressive towards the basket.
• Justin Thomas Making Outside Shots completely changes its ability to influence the game. When Watkins got out, it seemed that the FSU had no chance. Instead, Thomas steps up and plays Big Time -Stake to help win!

Up next:

Florida State returns home looking to make it three wins in a row with a matchup against Clemson Tigers. Clemson’s program is very similar to FSU’s DID around 2018 or 2019. They are the 2nd or 3rd best team at the conference this season and defeated ‘Noles 77-57 back in early January. But forget about the teams and the chances of a win, coming up because Leonard Hamilton deserves to get a proper broadcast in the home rail in his career. There are only four home matches left, let’s make them count.