TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Down eight with 48 seconds left in regulation, the Boston University men's basketball team rallied to force overtime and grab an early lead but ultimately came up just short at Florida State, 81-80, on Wednesday night. 

Extending their home win streak in the month of November to 21 games, the Seminoles (5-1) scored on a putback with 2.1 seconds remaining to prevail over the Terriers (4-3) in a matchup featuring the two bracket champions from the Jacksonville Classic by Fabletics. FSU entered the game holding opponents to 59.6 ppg and 36.5 FG%, but BU became the first team to reach 80 against the Seminoles by shooting 27-for-56 (.482) from the field, 9-for-27 (.333) in 3-point territory and an impressive 17-for-20 (.850) at the charity stripe in front of a hostile crowd.

Graduate student Javante McCoy led all players with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, while classmate Sukhmail Mathon earned his seventh-career double-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds and career-tying four assists. Sophomore Daman Tate reached double figures for the third time in his career with 12 points. Making his first start of the season, junior Ethan Brittain-Watts delivered nine points, and sophomore Anthony Morales tallied eight points off the bench, including the buzzer-beating 3-pointer that forced OT.

Both Caleb Mills and Matthew Cleveland recorded 17 points for FSU with Cleveland scoring what proved to be the game winner following Mills' missed jumper. Cam'Ron Fletcher hit two of FSU's six 3-pointers en route to 11 points, as Anthony Polite and Malik Osborne combined for 21 points. The Seminoles finished 30-for-63 (.476) from the field and went 15-for-20 (.750) at the line. 
 

Not the result @TerrierMBB was looking for, but what a performance and battle tonight against Florida State. Shorthanded too.

Anthony Morales drilling a 3 at the horn to force OT … insane.

Terriers are VERY good. pic.twitter.com/Lw5R6d5rSP

— Mike Monaco (@MikeMonaco_) November 25, 2021

 
OVERTIME

• Coming off Morales' thrilling 3-pointer, the Terriers jumped out to a 75-71 lead on a pair of free throws from McCoy and Mathon.
• FSU stormed back on a layup and putback following a BU turnover to tie the game, 75-75, at 2:41.
• After the teams exchanged buckets, Mathon retook the lead at 1:52 on a layup and bonus free throw.
• The Seminoles cut the deficit to 80-79 at 1:29 on two free throws from Polite.
• BU had the ball following an empty possession for both squads but came up empty again on a missed 3-point attempt with 15 seconds left.
• Mills missed the initial shot for FSU, but Cleveland was in position for the rebound and score under the basket.
• Cleveland then sealed the win by intercepting a long in-bounds pass from the Terriers.

THE FINAL MINUTE COMEBACK

• Mills flushed two free throws at 48 seconds to grab a commanding 69-61 lead.
• Mathon started the comeback by quickly drawing a foul in the paint and hitting both free throws.
• After Fletcher missed the 1-and-1, McCoy nailed a 3-pointer to pull within three, 69-66, at 23 seconds.
• Both Mills and Morales added two free throws apiece to keep FSU's lead at just three points, 71-68.
• Fouled with five seconds remaining, Polite missed the 1-and-1, which led to Morales grabbing the rebound, quickly driving up the floor and letting off a contested shot outside the 3-point arc before the buzzer. 

THE SETUP

• The Seminoles converted on two steals with a fastbreak layup, free throw and jumper to grab an early 5-0 lead.
• Fletcher extended the lead with a putback to 18-10 at 11:50.
• Tate sparked a 10-0 run with a layup and later added a 3-pointer before Brittain-Watts earned BU its first lead of the game, 20-18, at 8:51 on his steal, layup and bonus free throw.
• FSU quickly retook the lead with a 3-pointer, steal, layup and free throw, but the Terriers remained tough and eventually tied the game, 25-25, at 6:30 on two free throws from junior Garrett Pascoe.
• The teams traded blows with FSU scoring seven quick points and then the Terriers pulling back ahead, 33-32, at 2:27 with the help of 3-pointers from Tate and Brittain-Watts.
• The Seminoles hit a 3-pointer in response and would enter the locker room with a 37-35 advantage.
• FSU scored five quick points to start the second stanza and never let BU get closer than four points until the final minute after senior Jonas Harper's 3-pointer put the deficit at 44-40 with 17:19 remaining in regulation.
• Cleveland's jumper at 11:45 gave the Seminoles their largest lead of the game, 54-45, but McCoy reeled FSU back in with a 3-pointer on the next possession.
• The teams went back and forth until the final minute when BU mounted the successful rally to force OT despite only leading for 29 total seconds.

GAME NOTES

• McCoy's 22 points are the most scored by a Terrier this season. He earned his 13th career 20+ point performance alongside four assists and is now just 17 points away from tying D.J. Irving ('14) for No. 10 all-time in the program record book at 1,456 points.
• Mathon increased his career rebound total to 583 boards with his fourth double-figure haul of the season to help BU out-rebound the Seminoles, 34-32.
• BU just used its third different lineup of the season, as both senior Walter Whyte and junior Nevin Zink were out due to injury.
• FSU outscored the Terriers off turnovers, 26-20, in the paint, 34-28, in second chance opportunities, 16-13, and off the bench, 40-24. 
• The Seminoles moved ahead, 2-1, in the all-time series by avenging BU's 84-69 win at the 2002 Fiesta Bowl Classic in Tucson, Arizona.
• FSU set a new NCAA record by winning its 12th consecutive OT game.

UP NEXT

• Terriers return to Case Gym to host Merrimack on Sunday (Nov. 28) at 1 p.m.
• BU won the last meeting at Merrimack, 69-67, in 2019.