Florida State starts strong, edges Pitt in dramatic finish

Florida State got off to a hot start and held on for dear life, escaping with a 75-74 win over host Pitt on Wednesday night.

Chauncey Wiggins and Lajae Jones scored 18 points apiece, making a combined seven 3-pointers. Robert McCray V added 14 points, six rebounds and six assists, hitting a pair of clutch free throws late for the Seminoles (16-14, 9-8 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their fifth straight road game.

It's just the second time in program history Florida State has won five straight ACC road games, joining the 1991-92 squad.

It appeared the Seminoles were on their way to a comfortable victory when they opened the second half on an 8-0 run to take a 54-30 lead with 18:06 left.

The Panthers, however, clawed way back into the game thanks to a remarkable individual effort from senior Barry Dunning Jr., who scored 18 of his season-high 26 points after halftime in his final Pitt home game.

Florida State seemed poised to survive when a Jones three snapped a four-minute scoring drought to give FSU a 71-63 lead with 52 seconds left.

But the Panthers responded with an 8-2 run, with Damarco Minor splashing a three with 11 seconds left to make it a 73-71 game.

McCray made both free throws with 5 seconds remaining, but Minor made another three to make it a one-point game with a second left. Florida State got the inbound in, allowing the Seminoles to hold on.

Dunning added 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double for the Panthers (11-19, 4-13), who finished 2-7 in ACC home games. Cameron Corhen, playing against his former team for Pitt, chipped in 14 points and six boards, and Minor contributed 10 points and 10 assists for his first double-double of the season.

The first half was a drastic contrast in shooting, with the Seminoles 60.7% from the field (17 of 28) and making 8 of 14 threes (57.1%), while Pitt made 32.3% of its shots (10 of 31) and just 1 of 12 perimeter shots (8.3%).

Florida State closed the first half on a 17-8 run to take a 46-30 lead into the half, with Cam Miles hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The second half was an inversion, with Pitt shooting 50% from the floor and 53.3% from outside the arc, and Florida State making 36.7% of its shots and only 3 of 13 threes (23.1%).