FSU Back in the Win Column Against Clemson: 3 Game-Changing Plays
It's been a long time since FSU won a game. 24 days, to be exact. That's a long time to go in basketball without a win. After a back and forth affair with Clemson, it took more late-game heroics from RayQuan Evans to finally get back in the win column. A beaten-up Florida State team found the resolve to win a tight one.
This was a slow, foul-ridden game. In all, there were 46 total fouls and 66 total free throw attempts, just a disgusting thing to watch. FSU really took advantage when PJ Hall was off the floor because he had such a strong impact when he was on the floor (+5 in a game his team lost by 1). As the game came down to the waning moments, it really seemed like Clemson would pull away with it and get their first win in Tallahassee since 2015. Instead, FSU got a couple of stops, Evans got an and-one, and the 'Noles got one more stop at the end to seal the 81-80 win.
Before we get to the plays, some box score notes.
I'm still disgusted at 66 total free throw attempts. Both teams, who are around 70% free-throw shooting teams were able to take advantage at the stripe, shooting 83.3%. Even though Clemson once again dominated the boards, 41-29, FSU was able to overcome it by being the better team from 3, something we haven't really been able to say all season, outside of a rare game here and there.
This is one of those games where you look at Clemson having more bench points, having more points off of turnovers, more free throws, more points in the paint, more offensive rebounds... they very well could have and should have won.
RayQuan Evans was phenomenal for Florida State. He finished with a career-high 28 points (the most for any 'Nole since Terance Mann, January 2018), 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals, including an insane 12/13 from the free-throw line. If you didn't respect him after the Duke game, it's time to give him his proper due. He may not be the greatest player on the team, but he had every reason to opt-out and go home to be with his family after his brother died early in the season. No one would have thought of Evans any differently had he done that. He comes back, clearly still grieving, and has given this team some great moments including the game-winning free throw tonight. He did so much leading tonight, so many moments of him grouping the team together and getting people in the right spots. I couldn't be happier for him.
Florida State ended the game on a 7-2 run in the final 1:19. RayQuan Evans had all 7 points.
Cam'Ron Fletcher had another strong offensive performance with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals. He did a great job of getting the free throw line as well, going 7/8 from the stripe. The most notable part is he didn't get beat off-ball nearly as badly this game as he has in the past few games. The more Fletcher buys into the defensive principles, the more he's going to play when people start getting healthy again.
Matthew Cleveland was the only other scorer in double figures for FSU with 13 points, 8 of them coming in the first half. The mid-range shot was finally for him a little bit in the first half, which gave him a lot of confidence.
Another player I want to shout out is Tanor Ngom. He may have only had 4 points and 4 rebounds, but he also had 3 blocks. He had a presence on the interior that can't really be explained on a stat sheet, but he gave FSU arguably the best minutes of his season.
For Clemson, man PJ Hall was really trying to get on my nerves. He's just one of those guys that play everything up. Every block is followed by a scream, every dunk is followed by a chest pump... just an annoying player to play against. But he's very, very good. 28 points (12/13 from the free-throw line), 6 rebounds, and a block. He just dominated down low for Clemson.
There was one point in this game where I thought Al-Amir Dawes would never miss a shot again. While he only finished 5/13 from the floor, he still had 18 points and had a couple of really impressive step-back 3s in the first half.
Alex Hemenway will be remembered for missing the game-winning shot at the end, but he still had a respectable game with 12 points.
Onto the plays.
Play 1
Scenario: Cam'Ron Fletcher Effort
This play (and the following free throw) would end off a 7-0 run for FSU, where all 7 points were scored by Cam'Ron Fletcher. These are the types of plays that will give the staff more trust in you. Fight for the offensive rebound on a free throw, finish in traffic, and get another free throw of your own. I really thought FSU was about to run away with it at this moment, but Clemson would come roaring back.
Play 2
Scenario: Final Bucket
I let this whole clip playout for a few reasons. First, you see the kind of impact Ngom had as he manages to defend without fouling and force a really tough look from PJ Hall as he tries to wrap under the basket. Second, you get to see the fans try and get Evans to go sooner (absolutely not), as he tries to get something set up that he likes. I still think he went a little too early, but Clemson made up for it after by wasting 8 seconds between inbounding it and finally calling a timeout.
This is Big Guard University at its finest. Evans gets into the lane, gets to his spot, forces, and finishes through the contact of the much smaller Nick Honor.
Play 3
Scenario: Final 4... Seconds
After three timeouts, we finally got to see the last four seconds of the game. I don't know why Coach Brownell waited so long to take the timeout anyways. You either let that play out or call the timeout much earlier in the possession, like after Evans made the free throw with 12 seconds left.
Florida State did a fantastic job doubling PJ Hall as soon as he catches it. Really, as long as he or Dawes weren't the ones taking the shot, you're okay with the result no matter what. Hemenway was open, but he'd been missing wide-open looks all game. The moment was too big, and FSU wins the game.
Florida State will get their second matchup with Duke in Cameron Indoor on Saturday at 6 pm.
