NC State basketball box score: Pack falters late again, 83-81 to FSU
NC State basketball received Herculean efforts from redshirt sophomore wing Dereon Seabron and freshman guard Terquavion Smith, but that was not enough in an 83-81 home loss to Florida State Saturday afternoon at PNC Arena in Raleigh.
Seabron had 32 points on 12-of-14 shooting from the field and added seven assists and five rebounds, while Smith added 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 7 of 13 on three pointers.
No other NC State players were in double figures scoring, however, and some costly mistakes and lapses resulted in the Wolfpack losing a 58-51 lead nearly midway through the season half.
Florida State used a 16-4 run to take a 67-62 advantage with 5:29 to go. That’s when Seabron went to work, tying the game with five unanswered points and setting up a frenzied finish.
Seabron’s running shot gave NC State basketball a 75-74 lead with 1:51 to go, but FSU sophomore guard Caleb Mills answered with a three-point play on Florida State’s ensuing possession.
After Seabron missed another running shot in the lane, FSU senior forward Malik Osborne made a pair of free throws with 55.7 seconds left after he was fouled by senior forward Jericole Hellems in a trap near midcourt.
Smith made a three-pointer from the corner to cut FSU’s lead to 79-78 with 40.3 seconds left.
Florida State freshman wing Matthew Cleveland was able to grab an offensive rebound off a missed shot by Mills on the next possession, and he made 1 of 2 free throws after Smith fouled him with 11.6 seconds remaining.
After Cleveland missed the second free throw, Seabron was racing up the court with a full head of steam when head coach Kevin Keatts called a timeout with 8.3 seconds to go.
Seabron said after the game that he felt that he had an opportunity to drive and score, but Keatts noted that he did not have numbers and added that some FSU players let up seeing that the Pack coach was signaling for the timeout.
An errant inbounds pass from Hellems was stolen by FSU sophomore guard Cam’Ron Fletcher, who was fouled with 4.6 seconds left. After he made the first free throw, Hellems committed a loose ball foul on the second, sending Cleveland back to the the line with 4.2 seconds to go.
Cleveland made both to ice the win.
NC State basketball has lost five straight and falls to 7-7 overall and 0-3 in the ACC. Florida State improves to 7-4 and 1-1.
The box score from the game is pictured above.
The Pack is scheduled to play at Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. in Blacksburg, Va., on Tuesday evening. ACC Network has the broadcast.
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