Pack Splits Series with Florida State, 1-1
Howell posts 1,000th career rebound
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) March 9, 2013 – Scott Wood scored 18 points in his final regular season game, but it wasn’t enough as as Florida State fought back from an eight-point deficit in the second half Saturday to defeat NC State 71-67.
A pair of free throws by Michael Bookert gave the Seminoles (17-14, 9-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) their first lead of the second half at 57-55. He then added a jumper with 2:01 left to snap a tie at 62 with 2:01 left and three free throws in the final 1:23 of the see-saw contest featured by nine lead changes and nine tied scores.
Snaer broke away and caught a length-of-the court pass from Okaro White for an uncontested dunk that gave Florida State a 67-63 lead with 32 seconds left after both teams suffered turnovers in previous possessions with the lead on the line.
Richard Howell’s 3-point play with 21 seconds left got the `Pack to within 67-66. He scored off a missed 3 by Wood and was fouled on the put back.
State (22-9, 11-7) led 35-34 at the half and built its advantage to eight points on three occasions in the second half, the last time at 49-41 and led 59-57 lead with 3:51 left when Wood sank two free throws after a technical foul was whistled against Florida State’s Ian Miller, who had just fouled out.
Florida State, the defending ACC champion, was scrambling down the stretch to finish with a .500 conference mark and perhaps win an invite for a postseason NIT bid. Eight of the Seminoles’ wins this season are by five points or less.
Freshman T.J. Warren, whose .613 field goal percentage leads the ACC, had season-highs of 31 points and 13 rebounds to lead NC State to an 84-66 win over the Seminoles in Raleigh, N.C. on Feb. 19, finished with eight points Saturday.
Lorenzo Brown, who led an 11-2 run to end the first half that gave NC State a 35-34 lead, scored 14 points and Howell finished with 10. C.J. Leslie, who played just 18 minutes because of foul trouble, had just five points and three rebounds.
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