Florida State erases big deficit, beats W. Carolina 79-74

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Freshman Patrick Williams and M.J. Walker each scored 18 points and Florida State rallied from a 17-point, first-half deficit to slip past Western Carolina 79-74 on Friday.

Trent Forrest had 16 points for the Seminoles (2-1), who trailed 41-24 with 3:41 left until halftime. Florida State gradually chipped away at the lead, going ahead for good with 45 seconds left in the second half as Williams made a layup.

Mason Faulkner scored 21 points, including 12 in the first half, as WCU (2-2) took a commanding early lead. But Faulkner missed a long jumper with 2 seconds left as he hoped to make the shot and draw the foul in an attempt to tie it up and send the game to overtime.

WCU had not beaten an ACC school since a 79-69 victory over Florida State on Dec. 8, 2001 in Tallahassee. That was the last season for the Seminoles under Steve Robinson, before Leonard Hamilton was hired as coach.

Florida State shot 25 of 55 (45.5%) from the floor

WCU made 7 of 14 3-pointers in the first half but cooled off and was just 2 of 9 in the second half. The Catamounts shot 27 of 60 (45%) from the floor.

UP NEXT

Western Carolina: Catamounts play at Jacksonville on Sunday.

Florida State: The Seminoles host Chattanooga on Nov. 20.

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