Florida State Rallies Past Maryland 65-62
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Maryland's 13-game winning streak was over, and coach Mark Turgeon paid homage to the man who victimized the Terrapins by scoring 15 straight points on dunks, follow shots, drives and free throws.
"In the end they just had the best player tonight on the floor in Okaro White," Turgeon said. "We just had no answer for him."
With White leading the way, the Seminoles (10-5, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) rallied to beat Maryland 65-62 Wednesday night. Florida State trailed by 12 points with 18 minutes left before overtaking the cold-shooting Terrapins, who went 10 for 32 from the floor in the second half.
White finished with 20 points, tying his career high. Michael Snaer scored 15 and Ian Miller added 12 for the Seminoles, who had lost eight in a row at Maryland since 2001.
"The second half we were down in a hole and I tried to get us out," White said.
Florida State got five points from Snaer in a 12-2 run that cut the deficit to 43-42 with 13 minutes left.
After that, White took over. The 6-foot-8 junior dominated the game over a six-minute span, capping the surge with two free throws to make it 57-51.
"That's big time. You can tell he's grown as a player," Snaer said of White. "He didn't have a good first half, but in the second half he was really looking to score."
Maryland, meanwhile, went nearly seven minutes without a point until Logan Aronhalt connected from beyond the arc with 7:54 remaining. But the Terrapins never led after a three-point play by White made it 53-51 with 4:05 to go.
It was 59-51 before Maryland fought to 61-59 with 19 seconds left. Devon Bookert then made two free throws for FSU, but Nick Faust answered with a 3 to get the Terrapins within a point. After Snaer converted one of two foul shots, Seth Allen had a jumper blocked by Snaer and White, appropriately, finished the scoring with a free throw.
Florida State has won six of seven following a three-game losing streak.
"I thought in the second half we rose to the occasion," coach Leonard Hamilton said. "I thought we kept clawing and scratching. We just kind of grinded it out."
Alex Len had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Faust scored 14 for Maryland (13-2, 1-1). The Terrapins were seeking to match the school-record winning streak of 14 games, set in 1931-32.
White was the difference.
"When the game was on the line and we had to show toughness, we didn't have it," Turgeon said. "I think it was 51-all and they got offensive rebound after offensive rebound, mostly him. That was the difference."
The Terrapins led 36-27 at halftime after outrebounding Florida State 26-11 and limiting the Seminoles to 31 percent shooting -- 3 for 4 by Miller and 6 for 25 by everyone else.
Maryland had five turnovers in the opening three minutes, but FSU missed seven of its first eight shots. Soon after that, Faust drilled a pair of 3-pointers and Jake Layman also connected from beyond the arc during an 11-3 run that put the Terrapins up 14-9.
After the Seminoles closed to 16-15, Dez Wells scored on a drive, James Padgett made a three-point play and Len sank two free throws for a 23-15 cushion.
A layup by freshman Charles Mitchell and a baseline jumper by Len extended the margin to 10 points.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
