A streak for the ages: How FSU Basketball has won 13 straight in overtime
No other college basketball team in history has accomplished what Florida State has over the last four years. And there's a good chance no other team ever will.
Before the Seminoles started this improbable run, the most overtime wins in a row by one program was 11. Well, after last week's 79-78 victory over then-No. 6 Duke in the Tucker Center, Florida State has now won an astonishing 13 straight overtime games.
So, with such a historical streak ongoing, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at every single one of those games -- identifying when the game seemed lost, how it was won and who was the star player for the Seminoles (spoiler alert: It was a guy named Trent Forrest quite a bit).
Before we get to the actual games themselves, here's a few tidbits about the streak:
It started in January of 2018. Before that overtime win over Syracuse, the Seminoles had actually lost six of their last seven overtime games, starting with a heartbreaking one-point loss to VCU in the 2011 Sweet 16.
The last overtime loss for FSU came over six years ago. It happened in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, when the Seminoles were knocked off by Iowa on Dec. 2, 2015.
Of the 13 straight overtime wins for FSU, nine have come inside the Tucker Center. The only true road win came at Miami two years ago; the other three were neutral-site games.
Now on to the lucky 13:
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Game 1: Jan. 13, 2018
Florida State 101, Syracuse 90 2 OT
The darkest moment: There was never a time when the Seminoles looked out of the game. But when Tyus Battle buried a contested, game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation, it looked like FSU might have blown a chance for an important ACC win. Battle scored 28 of his game-high 33 after halftime.
The hero: Braian Angola. The Florida State senior had 24 points and a career-high 8 assists, most of them lobs to center Christ Koumadje. Angola's 3-pointer in the second overtime gave the Seminoles a nine-point lead with 2:48 remaining.
Honorable mention: Trent Forrest. The clutch guard, as he did multiple times in his career, hit an enormous shot in the final seconds of the first overtime. His floater in the lane tied the game at 82 and forced a second OT.
The end result: The win was a critical one for the Seminoles, who would have dropped to 1-4 in the ACC if they had fallen to the Orange that afternoon.
Game 2: Jan. 27, 2018
Florida State 103, Miami 94 OT
The darkest moment: Every time a Miami player rose up to shoot a 3. Incredibly, the Hurricanes were 17 of 34 from 3-point range. Sharpshooter Dejan Vasiljevic drilled six 3-pointers, and Anthony Lawrence and Lonnie Walker each hit four for the Hurricanes, who tied the game in regulation on a layup from Dewan Huell in the final minute.
The hero: Phil Cofer. The senior scored a team-high 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds. He was one of six Seminoles in double-figures in the Saturday afternoon victory.
Honorable mention: Braian Angola. The senior scored 18 points, including a coast-to-coast dunk in overtime that gave the Seminoles an eight-point lead and virtually ended any chances of another Miami comeback.
The end result: It was the third straight win for the Seminoles in conference, and like the Syracuse game, helped set them up for another postseason run.
Game 3: Feb. 14, 2018
Florida State 81, Clemson 79 OT
The darkest moment: After taking a 41-29 lead into halftime, Clemson went on an 8-2 run to start the second half. The Seminoles found themselves trailing 49-31 with 18:36 left in the game. That's when the defense started to take over the game, forcing missed shots, grabbing steals and getting the Seminoles out in transition.
The hero: Trent Forrest. Again. His spinning runner in the lane with eight seconds left in regulation tied the game and sent it to overtime. He also scored six crucial points in the overtime period, including the go-ahead bucket in the final minute and then game-clinching free throws with five seconds left. He finished with 16 points and four assists.
Honorable mention: Phil Cofer. The senior scored all 17 of his points after halftime. He hit back-to-back jumpers late in regulation to keep the Seminoles close, setting the stage for Forrest.
The end result: It was the third overtime win of the season for the Seminoles. If they had lost any of these games, there's a good chance they would have been on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. Each one was critical in setting up an eventual Elite Eight run.
Game 4: Nov. 23, 2018
Florida State 79, LSU 76 OT
The darkest moment: In a back-and-forth game between two Top 20 teams, the Tigers took a nine-point lead with 3:05 left to play on a 3-pointer by Skylar Mays. It looked like the Seminoles' chances of making the AdvoCare Invitational championship game were all but over.
The hero: Mfiondu Kabengele. Not only did he hit a clutch 3-pointer immediately after Mays' shot to start the Seminoles' comeback, but his baseline 3-pointer in overtime was the game-winner. It bounced off the front of the rim before falling through right before the buzzer.
Honorable mention: Trent Forrest. Who else? His driving layup in the final seconds of regulation tied the game and forced overtime. Also: M.J. Walker had one of his best games of the season, pouring in 21 points.
The end result: The early season win over the ranked Tigers showed the Seminoles' Elite Eight run the year before wasn't a fluke and that they were going to be a contender again in 2018-2019.
Game 5: Feb. 9, 2019
Florida State 80, Louisville 75 OT
The darkest moment: When Louisville sharpshooter Ryan McMahon hit back-to-back 3s midway through the second half, the Cardinals were up by 10 and the Seminoles were completely out of sorts. It looked like it would be the third loss in four games to the Cardinals.
The hero: Take a deep breath, because you're not going to believe this one: Trent Forrest. His runner in the lane in the final minute tied the game and sent it into overtime. He also had two game-clinching free throws in the extra period. He finished with 15 points, six rebounds, five steals and four assists. His defense helped force 22 Louisville turnovers on the day.
Honorable mention: Terance Mann. The senior scored a team-high 20 points and hit three enormous 3-pointers.
The end result: The Seminoles got some sweet revenge over a Louisville team that had beaten them twice the year before, and the win was part of a school-record eight-game win streak in ACC play.
Game 6: March 5, 2019
Florida State 73, Virginia Tech 64 OT
The darkest moment: When the Seminoles couldn't make anything in the first half. Florida State scored just 19 points in the first 20 minutes and trailed 33-19 at the break against a Virginia Tech team that was eyeing a Top 4 seed in the ACC Tournament. But the Seminoles turned up the defensive pressure and started making shots at the other end to completely turn the game around.
The hero: Mfiondu Kabengele. The super sub came off the bench to lead the Seminoles in scoring with 17 points, including a critical bucket in overtime. He also added 11 rebounds. Despite missing all five of his 3-point attempts, his shot-making -- both underneath the basket and at the free throw line -- was a big reason for the Seminoles' success.
Honorable mention: M.J. Walker. With the Seminoles nursing a lead late in overtime, the confident sophomore rose up and buried a contested 3 from the wing that seemed to deliver a knockout blow to the Hokies.
The end result: The win gave the Seminoles the No. 4 seed in the ACC Tournament and all but assured Leonard Hamilton's club of being a high seed come Selection Sunday as well.
Game 7: March 14, 2019
Florida State 65, Virginia Tech 63 OT
The darkest moment: Not long after playing an overtime thriller in Tallahassee, the two teams did it again in Charlotte in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. Despite leading for much of the game, the Seminoles found themselves trailing by three points with 14 seconds left after Virginia Tech's Kerry Blackshear's made a bucket while being fouled. Fortunately for the Seminoles, he missed the ensuing free throw.
The hero: Devin Vassell. The freshman came off the bench to score 14 points, including hitting the biggest shot of his career to that point. With six seconds left, down by three, he caught an inbounds pass in the right corner, rose up in one motion and buried the game-tying shot in a defender's face.
Honorable mention: Terance Mann. He went over 30 minutes of game action without making a basket, but when it mattered most, the senior delivered the first and only buzzer-beater of his career. Running almost out of bounds on the right baseline, his runner hit the rim and trickled through the net with barely a second left in overtime to give the Seminoles yet another dramatic win over the Hokies.
The end result: The win set up a showdown with the No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers the next night, and the Seminoles went on to knock off the eventual national champions in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament before losing to Duke in the championship game.
Game 8: Nov. 30, 2019
Florida State 63, Purdue 60 OT
The darkest moment: Most of the entire game from an offensive standpoint. The Seminoles hit just 1 of 17 shots from 3-point range in the championship game of the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville. But in the final minutes, the Boilermakers had multiple shots to try to take the lead, and each time the FSU defense got a critical stop.
The hero: The entire defense. Florida State had 16 steals in the game, including four from RaiQuan Gray, and the 'Noles held the Boilermakers to just 34 percent shooting for the entire game. The suffocating defensive effort was the reason the Seminoles were able to overcome their own horrid shooting performance from the 3-point line to pick up the critical non-conference win.
Honorable mention: Just because he'd start to get confused if he wasn't included again, we'll go with Trent Forrest. The senior scored a game-high 17 points in the win and was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
The end result: It was the second straight win for the Seminoles over the Boilermakers, and both came down to the final play. Both were also nice wins on the FSU resume when the regular season ended. (Except, of course, the 2020 Seminoles didn't get a chance to get seeded for the NCAA Tournament because it was canceled due to COVID-19.)
Game 9: Jan. 18, 2020
Florida State 83, Miami 79 OT
The darkest moment: When D.J. Vasiljevic hit a 3-pointer and then scored on a breakaway, the Seminoles trailed by nine points with just 5:20 remaining. To that point, Miami had outscored FSU by 10 points in the second half. But then the Seminoles started getting some stops on defense, and the offense heated up -- right when it mattered most -- on the other end.
The hero: M.J. Walker. The junior didn't score a single point in the first half after picking up two quick fouls. After halftime though? He scored 19. His 3-pointer from the wing with under a minute left in regulation tied the game at 69, capping off a 13-4 Seminole run.
Honorable mention: Sorry, Trent! This time it goes to Devin Vassell. The sophomore scored a team-high 23 points, and his 3-pointer from the left wing in overtime was essentially the nail in the coffin on that Saturday afternoon in Coral Gables.
The end result: Well, it kept FSU's streak over the Hurricanes alive. And it's still going today! Also: The critical road win kept the Seminoles on pace for the regular-season ACC Championship.
Game 10: Dec. 9, 2020
Florida State 69, Indiana 67 OT
The darkest moment: Early in the overtime period, Indiana star Trayce Jackson-Davis completed a traditional three-point play to give the Hoosiers the lead. Davis had 25 points and 17 rebounds, and for much of the game he was the best player on the floor. But that bucket, with 4:38 left in OT, was the last one Indiana would get on the night.
The hero: Scottie Barnes. The freshman phenom hit the first 3-pointer of his career in the overtime session, and then hit the game-winner on a highly contested runner with 1.8 seconds left. He scored just nine points in the win, but he made sure they counted. He also added five assists, four rebounds and four steals.
Honorable mention: M.J. Walker. The senior led the Seminoles with 19 points. He was 2-of-6 from 3-point range and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. It was the 10th overtime game of Walker's career. And just like the previous nine, he left the court a winner.
The end result: It started the legend of Barnes for one. The likable one-year player made an immediate impact on the Seminoles in his one season in college before becoming the No. 4 pick in the NBA Draft. It also, once again, was a crucial non-conference win for an FSU team that was trying to build its resume for yet another Sweet 16 run.
Game 11: Feb. 13, 2021
Florida State 92, Wake Forest 85 OT
The darkest moment: The underdog Demon Deacons stormed back from a 13-point second-half deficit to take a three-point lead in the final minute. Wake Forest shot 15-of-27 from the floor in the second half, including a red-hot 8-of-13 from 3-point range. Jonah Antonio made four by himself to help give Wake a late lead. But that advantage, as it turned out, wasn't big enough.
The hero: Scottie Barnes. Again. The freshman scored four points in the final minute, including the game-tying reverse layup with 0.5 seconds in regulation to send the game to overtime. He finished with 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Honorable mention: RaiQuan Gray. The redshirt junior had one of the best games of his career in the overtime win. He scored a game-high 24 points, pulled down 12 rebounds, had three blocks, three assists and didn't commit a turnover in 37 minutes of action.
The end result: The Seminoles avoided an ugly loss. It wouldn't have kept Florida State out of the NCAA Tournament, but a home loss to that Wake Forest team might have dropped the Seminoles down a seed line or two. It also kept the Seminoles' home ACC winning streak alive at 23 straight games.
Game 12: Nov. 24, 2021
Florida State 81, Boston 80 OT
The darkest moment: Not only did the Seminoles blow a late lead in the final minute, culminating with a game-tying, buzzer-beater 3 at the end of regulation, but then Boston scored the first four points of the overtime period as well. That 7-0 run was offset by FSU freshman Matthew Cleveland's fantastic effort down the stretch, but it still took some last-second heroics from him to get the win.
The hero: Matthew Cleveland. Not only did he hit the game-winner with a put-back layup with 2.1 seconds left in overtime, but he finished with a team-high 17 points in the win. In the overtime period alone, he had six points -- with his first two baskets tying the game and then his last one winning it.
Honorable mention: Caleb Mills. The Houston transfer missed his final shot in overtime -- which was rebounded by Cleveland for the winning basket -- but before that, he dished out a team-high five assists and scored 17 points. And the Seminoles needed every last one of them.
The end result: Still yet to be completely determined, but at the very least, the Seminoles avoided an ugly loss on their postseason resume. And Cleveland and Mills both had big moments for their new team.
Game 13: Jan. 18, 2022
Florida State 79, Duke 78 OT
The darkest moment: In the final minutes of regulation, the Florida State offense was stuck in neutral and the FSU defense couldn't get stops against the talented Blue Devils. Duke capped an 8-0 run in the final three minutes when Mark Williams slammed home a pass from phenomenal freshman Paolo Banchero with 30 seconds left to give the Blue Devils a 67-65 lead.
The hero: RayQuan Evans. The senior guard, who a week earlier hit two game-winning free throws with 0.8 seconds left to beat Miami, hit the shot of his life in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime -- a runner high off the glass over the out-stretched arm of Banchero. Then, with 12 seconds remaining in overtime, he once again stepped to the line and calmly made both free throws to give the Seminoles the lead.
Honorable mention: John Butler. The 7-foot freshman scored a career-high 14 points in the win, including three 3-pointers in the first half, and then made the defensive play of the season so far for the Seminoles. Duke's Wendell Moore drove into the lane for a potential winning bucket, but Butler swatted the shot away and secured the Seminoles' biggest win of the season to date.
The end result: Again, that's still to be determined, but for the moment it has helped the Seminoles surge into first place in the ACC with a 6-2 conference record. And come Selection Sunday, it could very well be the most important win of the season for Leonard Hamilton's team.
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