Florida State Pulls Away in Overtime to Defeat Miami, 103-94

Florida State experienced yet another overtime thriller on Saturday afternoon. The rival Miami Hurricanes came close to winning in regulation, but Leonard Hamilton’s squad dominated overtime for a 103-94 victory.

Observations

• Home magic is a very real thing for the Seminoles. Nearly every game in the Tucker Civic Center witnesses Florida State get off to a great start by the 5-minute mark. Saturday was no different, as it took an early 10-2 lead.
• There needs to be a serious discussion about Braian Angola as the best player for FSU. His scoring is by far the most consistent, and his defense improved from last season. Right now, Angola is the one player you can rely on to either get your team in the game or at least keep them in it.
• Miami staged a slight comeback when its shots started to fall from the outside. 3-point shooting is generally streaky, but Florida State could benefit from discipline when defending the arc. The Seminoles overcommit far too often.
• Florida State had the edge in most categories ranging from shooting, to rebounding, to assists. Where it struggled was turnovers and dead end offensive possessions.
• Miami’s improved shooting throughout the half kept it within striking distance. The Hurricanes never looked like the better overall team, but the outside shots kept falling and giving them more chances.
• The Hurricanes had a pretty crucial end to the half. They finished with 47 percent from 3-point range and 52 percent shooting overall. Florida State still held the advantage with 67 percent in both categories.
• The second half started as a classic case of Florida State attempting to fend off an opponent. Miami continued to find success from 3-point range, but FSU consistently regrouped and responded with clutch baskets for itself.
• Rebounding became a serious issue for the Hurricanes in the second half. They had multiple opportunities to pull within one possession, but they always seemed to let up an offensive rebound at the worst moment.
• Free throw shooting is the one area of offense that Florida State cannot figure out. The Seminoles went 28-for-39 from the line on Saturday, but overtime probably could have been avoided with some second-half makes.
• Miami’s interior defense remained susceptible. Florida State realized pretty quickly that Miami could not defend the rim, so the offensive strategy relied on aggressive drives to the basket. It worked out fairly well, though the free throw percentage hindered its effectiveness.
• The final two minutes were a thrilling finish. Miami could not miss from outside, and Florida State tried to maintain a small lead with points in the paint. There was less than a minute left when it got tied 83-83. Neither squad converted their last offensive possession, so overtime it was.
• Miami was in the contest solely because of its deep shooting. It went 17-for-34 and finished with the same percentage as their overall mark.
• Florida State had a thunderous start to overtime. It got six straight points in the span of one minute thanks to a defensive steal and finishes by C.J. Walker and Terance Mann.
• Phil Cofer quietly put together a great game. In addition to his scoring and rebounding, Cofer came up with the game-clinching block in the final 30 seconds that allowed FSU to go back down and go up three possessions.
• Much like how regulation ended, it was Florida State’s finishing at the rim that secured the victory. Miami could not mount a strong enough inside presence, and it finally caught up to the Hurricanes.

Notable Numbers

Phil Cofer (FSU): 21 points (6-for-11), eight rebounds, one block

C.J. Walker (FSU): 17 points (6-for-10), three rebounds, two assists

Dejan Vasiljevic (UM): 20 points (7-for-11)