The Florida State men's basketball team had been waiting for this moment for several weeks, and the Seminoles more than made the most of it.
After losing to Clemson on the road in late December, the Seminoles avenged that loss in grand style on Saturday, opening up a commanding lead in the first half and rolling to an 80-61 victory.
FSU led by as many as 38 points in the second half before getting sloppy down the stretch and allowing the Tigers to finish the game with an 11-0 run.
"I thought the kids at halftime wanted to see whether or not they could come out and start playing like the score was 0-0," FSU head coach Leonard Hamilton said. "I thought they came out in the second half with the type of mentality you'd like to see.
"We haven't always been consistent with that. That shows that the team is maturing, they're holding each other accountable, calling each other out."
The win was FSU's fourth straight, as Hamilton's team improves to 9-2 overall and 5-1 in the ACC. Clemson falls to 7-3 and 3-2.
*** Don't miss our exclusive FSU sports coverage. 30-day Free Trial ***
Florida State jumped out to a 10-point lead in the opening minutes and poured it on from there, taking an 18-point advantage into halftime, 42-24.
The Seminoles were dominant at both ends of the floor and on the glass.
FSU shot 48 percent from the floor, compared to 30 percent for Clemson. The Seminoles shot 43 percent from 3-point range, compared to 17 for the Tigers. And FSU owned a 41-32 edge in rebounding.
"I think we're playing good basketball right now, so we have to keep doing what we're doing," said junior forward RaiQuan Gray, who had 11 points and three rebounds. "We shot the ball well tonight and executed our gameplan."
The Seminoles once again got balanced scoring, with four players scoring in double-figures.
Junior guard Sardaar Calhoun poured in a career-high 13 points, center Balsa Koprivica scored 13 as well, Gray added 11, and M.J. Walker finished with 10. Koprivica also grabbed 10 rebounds to record a double-double.
It was another impressive effort from the ever-improving Koprivica.
"I've just been trying to play harder," he said. "Playing more freely, not overthinking, being more patient in the post, making more reads on offense and defense."
Walker missed much of the second half after getting hit in the head while boxing out after a Clemson free throw.
Hamilton didn't have an update after the game other than to say Walker appeared to be "all right in the locker room."
As for fellow starter Anthony Polite, who missed his second straight game, Hamilton said he would be out for "at least a week or two" as he deals with a shoulder strain. He hopes to give a more detailed diagnosis early in the week.
FSU returns to action Wednesday against Miami.
Stay connected with Warchant.com for complete postgame coverage.
---------------------------
Discuss the game with fans on Warchant's Seminole Hoops message board.
