No. 1 Duke Survives Buzzer-Beater Scare vs. Florida State in ACC Tournament Thriller

The Blue Devils hold on as the Seminoles' buzzer-beater rims out in an instant classic

In a game that had ACC Tournament fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer, top-ranked Duke narrowly escaped Florida State 80-79 in Thursday night's quarterfinal at Charlotte's Spectrum Center.

A Finish for the Ages

The Seminoles had the ultimate chance to pull off the upset. Chauncey Wiggins blocked ACC Player of the Year Cameron Boozer with seven seconds left, giving Florida State one final possession. Robert McCray V then launched a buzzer-beating three that could have sent shockwaves through the tournament bracket—but the ball cruelly rimmed out, sealing Duke's ninth consecutive victory.

Evans Puts on a Show in His Backyard

Isaiah Evans was electric all night long. The North Mecklenburg High School product delivered a career-high 32 points, drilling seven three-pointers in front of what surely included plenty of familiar faces. Evans shot a scorching 11-of-20 from the field and seemed to have an answer every time Florida State threatened to pull away.

Cameron Boozer Delivers a Gutsy Performance

Cameron Boozer lived up to his Player of the Year billing, finishing with 23 points and 10 rebounds despite playing without two key teammates. Starting point guard Caleb Foster remains out indefinitely with a broken right foot, while big man Patrick Ngongba II sat out with his own foot injury. Boozer shouldered the extra load and came through when it mattered most.

Brown Delivers When It Matters Most

When Duke found itself trailing by eight points with 13 minutes remaining, it was Maliq Brown—the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year—who sparked the comeback. Brown's two crucial steals ignited a stunning 19-2 run that flipped the script entirely. He also grabbed 12 rebounds in a dominant defensive effort.

Florida State Refused to Go Quietly

The Seminoles proved they belonged on this stage. Lajae Jones led with 28 points, and Robert McCray V chipped in 25, keeping Florida State in the fight until the very last second. Despite being outrebounded 46-25, they never stopped competing and nearly pulled off one of the tournament's biggest upsets.

What's Next

Duke advances to face the winner of No. 5 Clemson and No. 4 North Carolina on Friday in the semifinals, while Florida State awaits a potential NIT bid.

One thing's certain: if the rest of March brings games like this one, basketball fans are in for an unforgettable tournament season.

Stats and details via ESPN/ACC official sources.