3 Takeaways as FSU Basketball Continues Hot Streak, Upsets Clemson on the Road

Florida State was back in action on Saturday afternoon, looking to continue its recent play of strong basketball. They entered having won five of the last six, but they'd have to go on the road to face a good Clemson team that had lost three straight games, meaning they'd be desperate in this one.

FSU led for most of the first half, but it was never by more than two possessions. Both offenses got out to a slow start, with Clemson starting 3/17 from the floor. Robert McCray V hit a layup to put the 'Noles up 6 just ahead of the 8-minute mark, but Clemson woke up after that, going on a 10-0 run.

The final eight minutes of the half were mostly controlled by Clemson. They made 7 of their next 8 shots and got to the free-throw line, which helped them establish a 6-point lead ahead of halftime.

At halftime, Clemson led 36-33 after Lajae Jones knocked in a corner three and Dillon Hunter hit a tough layup for the Tigers.

FSU came out firing in the second half, outscoring Clemson 19-8 in the opening 8 minutes. Robert McCray V had 7 of those points as he got to the basket a few times and hit a three in transition. That gave the Seminoles an 8-point lead, the largest of the game to this point for either team.

An 8-0 run by Clemson quickly evaporated that lead, though, as Efrem Johnson hit back-to-back threes. That 8-0 run became a 9-0 run on a free-throw, and Clemson was back in front. It was a dry spell at the wrong time for the Seminoles, and they found themselves down by 1 at the under-eight timeout.

Florida State came right back. Robert McCray got to the rim, and Chauncey Wiggins hit a logo three on a second-chance opportunity, which put FSU back up by 4.

A few possessions later, a fight for the ball under Clemson's basket ended with a kick-out to Efrem Johnson, who knocked in the triple as the shot clock expired, and Florida State only led by 1, 61-60, at the final media timeout.

Dillon Hunter would beat Alex Steen off the dribble to put Clemson up one, but Robert McCray V would go to the free-throw line on the next trip for a 1-and-1. He made both. Dillon Hunter made a tough three on the other end, but McCray answered with a three of his own. He then hit a tough push shot with his right hand while spinning to push the lead to three. With a minute remaining, McCray turned the ball over in the backcourt, Clemson missed the first three, but got the rebound and called a timeout. But they would miss again; this time, FSU would get the rebound.

We did that one more time, but Clemson's late-game execution was actually horrific. Bad hoisted three after bad hoisted three kept FSU ahead, and they would ice the game away, 70-65.

It's Florida State's first win at Clemson since 2019, and they've now won 6 of the last 7 games. Clemson has now lost four straight.

Florida State will be at home on Tuesday for its second game of the year against Miami. Here are three takeaways from this win.

FINAL: Florida State goes on the road and upsets Clemson 70-65!!!!

6 wins in the last 7 games for Luke Loucks and FSU!!

R McCray V 29 pts
L Jones 13 pts

Next: Vs. Miami Tuesday #Noles pic.twitter.com/3jZ73nOVfc
— Austin Veazey (@EasyVeazeyNG) February 21, 2026

1. Robert McCray V- DUDE

Robert McCray V still had some frustrating turnovers, and his shot selection can be questionable at times, but he was dynamite in the second half. He ended with 29 points on 10/19 shooting, but he had a few pull-up-your-pants-and-tighten-them threes that really gave FSU life. 22 of his points came in the second half, and his free throws at the end officially iced the game away.

2. Florida State... Road Warriors?

The Seminoles have won three straight games on the road and were just a few points away from making it five straight with the loss to SMU. They really find a way to compete on the road, and now, they're finally turning those competitions into wins. They still have two more road games against Georgia Tech and Pitt, which could lead to some interesting history for FSU.

3. Clemson's Horrific Late Game Execution

The score was 68-65 with two minutes left. There was no reason for Clemson to go for threes until late. And yet, 5 of their last 6 shots in the final two minutes were from three. This was a loss they couldn't afford, even if FSU was happy to play spoiler. And their late-game execution suggests they're panicking.

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