Colleges

FSU averts embarrassment

A late rally allows the Seminoles to avoid a resume-tainting loss.

By Jamey Givens, Times Correspondent
Published December 19, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - Down by 12 to College of Charleston with 16 minutes left, Florida State was on the verge of an ugly nonconference loss, its season potentially heading down an all too familiar path.

"We weren't about to go through another season like we have the past two years," Ralph Mims said of being left out of the NCAA Tournament. "I think once the team realized that this could be a game that kept us out of the tournament, we realized that we had dug ourselves this hole, but we could dig ourselves out."

The Seminoles did just that.

Thanks to a Toney Douglas steal and layup and clutch free-throw shooting by Uche Echefu, FSU escaped with a 66-61 win on Tuesday night.

Charleston (4-5) had the ball and a one-point lead with 51 seconds left, and coach Bobby Cremins called timeout to run a set play. But Seminoles guard Isaiah Swann pressured Antwaine Wiggins' inbounds pass, and Douglas tipped the ball to himself then laid it up uncontested to give the Seminoles a 62-61 lead.

As Tony White Jr. put the ball back in play, Swann deflected it, Echefu came up with the loose ball then was fouled as he tried to shoot. He made both free throws, and Jason Rich deflected White's attempt at the other end to seal the win.

The Seminoles (10-3) came out flat in the first half, turning the ball over 10 times and shooting 39 percent from the field. They turned it over four times in the second half and held the Cougars to 32 percent shooting.

"I hope one thing that comes out of tonight that is good that we realize that we have absolutely no more games that we can play with any less than our best effort and be successful," FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. "Those games are over. From here on out, it is be at your very best or face the consequences."

[Last modified December 19, 2007, 00:43:10]