Florida State Seminoles vs NC State Wolfpack Box Score on Jan 01, 2022

Malik Osborne scored 12 of his season-high 19 points in the second half to lead Florida State to an 83-81 victory over host NC State on Saturday night in Raleigh, N.C.

The Seminoles (7-4, 1-1 ACC) held on despite a tremendous performance by NC State guard Dereon Seabron, who finished with a game-high 32 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

Florida State played its first game after an 18-day layoff prompted by a COVID-19 outbreak on the team. The Wolfpack (7-7, 0-3) lost their fifth consecutive game. Six of NC State's seven defeats have been by 10 points or less.

It was a highly competitive game, as neither team led by more than seven points at any point.

For Florida State, it was a welcome result in a close game after its two previous losses were by three points or less.

Seabron hit 12 of 14 shots from the field and Terquavion Smith finished with 23 points, doing most of his damage from beyond the arc. Smith went 7 of 13 from 3-point range and hit his last one at the buzzer.

A prior Smith 3-pointer cut the Wolfpack's deficit to 79-78 with 38 seconds left. Matthew Cleveland hit one of two free throws at the other end to extend Florida State's lead back to two points with 11 seconds left.

Cam'Ron Fletcher then stole the inbound pass from NC State's Jericole Hellems and was fouled with 4.6 seconds left. Fletcher missed the second of two free throws, but Cleveland secured the rebound and proceeded to hit both free throws to seal the outcome.

Fletcher finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Cleveland made plenty of key hustle plays down the stretch and scored nine of his 13 points in the second half. He also had nine rebounds for the game.

Caleb Mills had 13 points for the Seminoles, who outscored NC State 35-9 in bench points. It was a highly competitive game, as neither team led by more than seven points at any point.

--Field Level Media