FSU Hoops: Revisiting Past Wins Over Defending National Champs

Florida State will welcome the defending national champion North Carolina Tar Heels to the Donald L. Tucker Center on Wednesday as FSU aims to even its record in ACC play.

The Tar Heels are off to a 12-2 start and are ranked 12th in the country, but a win over the reigning national champs would be an exciting experience for a home crowd that has watched the Seminoles win 27 games in a row on their floor.

A victory would also be a first over a defending champ in almost six years. It would be the ninth ever for Florida State. Here’s a look at the previous eight, starting with the most recent:

FSU 66, Duke 61
Jan. 12, 2011
Duke was ranked first in the country and riding a 25-game winning streak when it came to the Donald L. Tucker Center in January 2011. The Blue Devils were averaging nearly 90 points per game, but a scrappy defense made it an ugly one which favored the Seminoles. FSU clung to a 63-61 late when Michael Snaer hit a couple of key free throws and Okaro White came up with a late steal. Derwin Kitchen paced FSU with 22 points, 10 rebounds and three steals while Chris Singleton added 18 points in the win.

FSU 77, North Carolina 67
Feb. 24, 2010
Fresh off a national championship in 2009, the 2009-10 season was a year to forget for North Carolina and FSU played a part in that. Chris Singleton scored 19 points to lead four Seminoles in double-figures and Deividas Dulkys added five 3-pointers as FSU picked up its first win in Chapel Hill in more than a decade.

FSU 65, Florida 51
Nov. 23, 2007
With three lottery and five total picks taken in the 2007 NBA Draft, Florida wasn’t the team it was the year before, but that didn’t stop Florida State from taking bragging rights over its in-state rivals. Jason Rich paced the Seminoles with 20 points and 11 rebounds while the FSU defense held No. 25 Florida to just 39 percent shooting.

FSU 70, Florida 66
Dec. 3, 2006
No. 4 Florida was loaded with future NBA players for its 2006 trip to Tallahassee, but Al Thornton just wouldn’t let the Seminoles lose. Despite being checked by future lottery pick Corey Brewer and future NBA All-Stars, Al Horford and Joakim Noah, Thornton finished with 28 points and nine rebounds while making big shot after big shot down the stretch. What Thornton couldn’t stop the Gators from doing was repeating as national champions.

FSU 77, Duke 76
Jan. 6, 2002
Florida State had never defeated a No. 1 team when Duke came to town early in 2002. With a loaded lineup that included Jason Williams and Carlos Boozer, Duke was able to eat away at a 13-point deficit and lead by four with less than one minute remaining. After Antwan Dixon hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to one, Monte Cummings scored the game-winner on a drive to the basket with 7.4 seconds to play. A Williams triple and a Mike Dunleavy tip missed on Duke’s final possession to allow the Seminoles to escape.

FSU 84, Arizona 79
Dec. 23, 1997
Future NBA standouts Mike Bibby and Michael Dickerson combined for 47 points for No. 5 Arizona in its late December trip to Tallahassee in 1997, but that wasn’t enough to top the 17th-ranked Florida State Seminoles. LaMarr Greer scored a career-high 26 points on 11 of 13 shooting, including a desperation bank shot from well beyond the 3-point line in the final minute. Terrell Baker added 18 points as FSU closed the game on a 10-3 run to pull off the upset.

FSU 89, Duke 88 (Overtime)
Jan. 24, 1993
FSU’s upset of No. 6 Duke in January 1993 had the unlikeliest of heroes. With time ticking away in overtime, center Byron Wells hit every part of the rim from downtown with three seconds left to give the Seminoles a thrilling victory at home. Doug Edwards finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead six FSU players in double-figures before fouling out late in regulation. Duke led by as many as 11 in the second half, but could not hold on.

FSU 74, N.C. State 71 (NIT, Overtime)
March 15, 1984
There was no chance of North Carolina State repeating its miraculous ending from the year before as it faced Florida State in Greensboro to open the 1984 NIT. The contest was tied at 68 at the end of regulation before the Seminoles outscored the defending champions 6-3 in the extra period. Vince Martello finished with 17 points and seven rebounds to lead the FSU victory.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson