RayQuan Evans scored a career-high 28 points, including five in the final minute, to help host Florida State rally for an 81-80 victory over Clemson on Tuesday night in Tallahassee, Fla.
The short-handed Seminoles (14-11, 7-8 ACC) snapped a six-game losing streak and dealt the Tigers (12-14, 4-11) their fifth consecutive loss despite Clemson’s PJ Hall also scoring a career-high 28 points.
Evans and Hall mirrored each other in both points and clutch performances at the free throw line, as each player shot 12 for 13 from the foul line.
But Evans was able to make just one more play late to help Florida State prevail.
With under a minute left, Evans cut Florida State’s deficit to 80-78 with a pair of free throws.
After Hall missed a layup at the other end, Evans pulled up and hit a jumper from the free throw line with 14.4 seconds left and drew a foul from Nick Honor, who fouled out on the play.
Evans then hit the go-ahead free throw.
With four seconds remaining, Clemson inbounded the ball to Hall, but the Seminoles’ defense collapsed on him with Evans and Tanor Ngom double-teaming him just outside the paint. Hall then dished the ball to Alex Hemenway, who had an open look from 3-point range. But his shot bounced off the rim as time expired. Hemenway finished with 12 points.
Hall tied the game at 74 after hitting two free throws with 3:38 left. He went on to score eight consecutive Clemson points, including a 6-0 run that gave the Tigers a 78-74 lead with 1:24 to go.
As Florida State played with four regular rotation players out, Cam’Ron Fletcher picked up the slack once again with 17 points and eight rebounds. Matthew Cleveland also had 13 points.
Al-Amir Dawes totaled 18 points for Clemson, David Collins had 11 rebounds with seven points and Naz Bohannon had eight points and nine rebounds.
Both teams made it to the free throw line frequently. Clemson shot 30 for 36 from there and FSU made 25 of 30.
–Field Level Media
