Florida State edged Miami 65–63 on Tuesday night at the Watsco Center, sealing the rivalry win when Robert McCray V knocked down two free throws with one second remaining. The victory marked Florida State’s sixth straight win over Miami and its 15th win in the last 16 meetings between the programs.
Miami (15–4, 4–2 ACC) suffered its second consecutive loss for the first time this season, despite controlling much of the first half. The Hurricanes built multiple six-point leads early but were unable to extend the margin further. Florida State (8–11, 1–5 ACC) closed the half with momentum, taking a 38–37 lead on a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Kobe Magee.
The second half featured a tightly contested back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to pull away. Florida State’s largest lead came at 63–58 with just over two minutes remaining, but Miami responded with strong defensive stops and timely baskets. Malik Reneau scored on a layup after a shot-clock violation and later tied the game at 63 with 20 seconds left by converting one of two free throws.
On the final possession, Miami was unable to stop McCray’s drive to the basket, sending him to the free-throw line. The senior calmly sank both shots to put Florida State ahead for good, and Miami’s last-second opportunity came up short.
McCray led all scorers with 20 points for the Seminoles. Miami was paced by true freshman Shelton Henderson, who scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Reneau added 16 points, Ernest Udeh Jr. finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, and Tre Donaldson chipped in 11 points.
Miami now turns its attention to the road, traveling to Syracuse on Saturday as conference play continues.
