Florida State’s first ACC Tournament game featured one of its best shooting games of the season.
Robert McCray V scored 30 points on 10 of 17 shooting, adding in eight assists and five rebounds in a 95-89 win over Cal on Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C. It was the 10th game that McCray had scored 20 or more points this season, and he surpassed his highest scoring ACC game (29 vs. Clemson).
“Chuck Walsh, our SID, told me walking up here that this was the most points we've ever scored in the ACC Tournament,” FSU coach Luke Loucks said. “That's pretty impressive to do when the lights are the brightest.”
The Seminoles shot 57.4 percent from the floor, jumping out to a 46-32 halftime lead and were comfortably in front in the second half behind a balanced, efficient scoring attack.
Cal fouled late and cut the deficit as the Seminoles missed some free throws, but the Bears trimmed the lead to just six points on Dai Dai Ames’ 3-pointer with seven seconds to go. FSU was able to inbound the ball after that, with Lajae Jones racing down the court to run out the clock.
Now, it’s a quick turnaround as FSU faces No. 1 seed Duke on Thursday at 7 p.m.
“Just another opportunity for us,” McCray said. “We've been waiting for this one. As you know, we played them at home, lost by four. But yeah, we've been waiting for this, and we're ready.”
FSU (18-14) slipped past Cal 63-61 in January in Tallahassee. But on Wednesday, the Seminoles poured it on early and produced the 11th victory in the last 15 games.
They shot well from the floor — 22 of 33 (66.6 percent) from inside the arc and 13 of 28 (46.4 percent) from 3-point range.
Jones had 15 points, shooting 6 of 9 from the floor, while adding six rebounds.
Kobe MaGee came off the bench to score 13 points on 4 of 8 shooting from 3-point range.
Chauncey Wiggins added 14 points on 5 of 9 shooting.
Alex Steen had eight points and eight rebounds, while Martin Somerville added three points and seven assists. Thomas Bassong had eight points.
FSU had 19 assists against just six turnovers.
Ames had 27 points and Justin Pippen had 15 points and five assists for Cal.
But again it was the Seminoles that showed they are one of the hottest teams in the nation over the last two months.
“I don't get into all the metrics and the bubble,” Loucks said. “I don't know if there's 25 better teams playing than Florida State right now. I'm not trying to sell you guys that we need an at-large bid because we shot ourselves in the foot too much earlier in the season. But the way we scrap and the way we line up and guard, doesn't matter who we're playing. And the way we can put the ball in the basket, I certainly hope we get a crack at the NCAA Tournament, and I know we still have work to do to get there.”
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