Top-Ranked Duke Survives Scare from Florida State in ACC Tournament Thriller

Duke narrowly escaped an upset bid from Florida State, winning 80-79 in the ACC tournament quarterfinals. Isaiah Evans led the Blue Devils with 32 points while playing without two injured starters.

Top-ranked Duke survived a major scare Thursday evening, narrowly defeating Florida State 80-79 in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament quarterfinals held in Charlotte.

Isaiah Evans delivered a standout performance with a personal-best 32 points to help the Blue Devils (30-2) advance to the semifinals against Clemson. Duke is now pursuing what could be their third conference championship in four years under head coach Jon Scheyer.

The victory came despite Duke missing two key starters due to injuries – Patrick Ngongba and Caleb Foster. Freshman standout Cameron Boozer contributed significantly with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists to support the Blue Devils’ effort.

Florida State (18-15) mounted a strong challenge behind Lajae Jones’ 28 points and Robert McCray V’s 25-point contribution. Chauncey Wiggins also added 13 points for the Seminoles.

The game’s final moments proved dramatic, with Duke clinging to a one-point advantage with 37.8 seconds remaining. The Blue Devils attempted to run down the clock on their subsequent possession, but Boozer’s 14-foot shot was blocked by Alex Steen. Florida State quickly moved the ball downcourt but couldn’t capitalize, as McCray’s three-point attempt fell short at the buzzer.

In other tournament action, No. 10 Virginia defeated North Carolina State 81-74, with Malik Thomas scoring 16 crucial points and Thijs De Ridder adding 15. The second-seeded Cavaliers (28-4) will face Miami in the semifinals after reserve Jacari White contributed 13 points and Sam Lewis hit four three-pointers for 12 points.

Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso made history with eight blocked shots, tying for the second-highest total in tournament history. Paul McNeil Jr. led NC State with 26 points on six three-pointers, while Ven-Allen Lubin recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Wolfpack (20-13).

Clemson pulled off an upset victory over No. 19 North Carolina 80-79, with Nick Davidson recording 17 points and 11 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Tigers. The fourth-seeded Tar Heels nearly completed a comeback, cutting the deficit to one point with 2.9 seconds left on Derek Dixon’s three-pointer, assisted by Seth Trimble. However, Jarin Stevenson’s desperation half-court shot fell short at the final buzzer.

Six Clemson players (24-9) reached double figures in scoring. North Carolina (24-8) received a career performance from Henri Veesaar, who posted 28 points and 17 rebounds, while Dixon finished with 16 points.

Miami advanced by defeating No. 24 Louisville 78-73, powered by Malik Reneau’s 24 points and crucial second-half plays. The third-seeded Hurricanes (25-7) got additional scoring from bench player Tru Washington with 17 points and Tre Donaldson’s 14 points and six assists.

Louisville’s Ryan Conwell scored 22 points for the sixth-seeded Cardinals (23-10), but struggled from long range, making just one of 10 three-point attempts. The Cardinals shot only 25% from beyond the arc as a team. J’Vonne Hadley added 19 points in the losing effort.