Jones, McCray V Lead Seminoles as They Fall Just Short Against Duke in the ACC Tournament

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Lajae Jones scored 28 points, and Robert McCray V added 25 in the Florida State men's basketball team's 80-79 defeat by the No. 1 ranked and No. 1 seeded Duke Blue Devils in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament at the Spectrum Center. The Seminoles nearly recovered from an eight-point deficit (75-67) with 4:22 remaining and a six-point deficit (78-72) with 2:48 remaining and had a shot at the buzzer to win the game.

Florida State fell to 18-15. Duke improved to 30-2.

The Seminoles trailed 78-72 with 2:48 left to play in the game. Over the next two minutes, Florida State would outscore the Blue Devils 7-2 to cut the lead to just one, 80-79, with 37 seconds remaining. After a block from senior Alex Steen, McCray V got up a 3-point shot that fell just short as time expired.

Jones scored his team-leading 28 points on eight made field goals, four made 3-point field goals, and a perfect eight of eight made free throws. He scored 17 second-half points as the Seminoles clawed their way back into the game after trailing by nine with 7:59 remaining in the game.

Jones has scored in double figures in four consecutive games and has scored 20 or more points in six games this season. He recorded 16 points in the first half. His 16 first-half points were the most points he has scored in the first half in any game this season.

McCray V finished with double-digit points in his sixth straight game and turned in his sixth 20+ point scoring night.

McCray V added four assists to lead the Seminoles in that category against the Blue Devils. His second assist in the second half gave him 200 for the season. He became just the fifth Seminole with 200 assists in a single season.

Chauncey Wiggins opened the scoring for the Seminoles with a made 3-point shot.

Wiggins finished with 13 points, three rebounds, and three made shots from behind the 3-point line. His 13 points extended his double-digit scoring streak to six games.

Duke held an 11-9 lead with 15:15 to play in the first half.

Jones would finish a layup that sparked a 6-0 Florida State run that led to a 15-11 Seminole lead with 13:29 remaining in the half.

A closely contested first half saw the game tied at 40 apiece with 1:00 remaining.

McCray V made a jumper as time expired to give the Seminoles a 44-43 lead at halftime.

The Seminoles held a 54-51 lead at the 15-minute mark of the second half. Wiggins made a mid-range shot, and McCray V made a 3-point shot to extend the Seminoles' lead to eight, 59-51. The eight-point lead was Florida State's largest lead of the game.

The turning point of the game came in a 19-2 run for the Blue Devils, which gave them a 70-61 lead with 7:59 to play.

Five straight points from Jones would cut the Duke lead to five, 75-70, with four minutes left to play in the game.

The Seminoles outscored the Blue Devils 9-4 from that point, but fell just short.

Jones, McCray V Lead Seminoles as They Fall Just Short Against Duke in the ACC Tournament

Team Stats

Lajae Jones

Robert McCray V

Chauncey Wiggins

Martin Somerville

Players Mentioned

Lajae Jones

Robert McCray V

Alex Steen

Chauncey Wiggins

Florida State University Athletics