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Noles Take One On The Chin

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By COREY CLARK The Tallahassee Democrat

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 14, 2009

Updated: 02/14/2009 10:44 pm

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - For the second Saturday in a row, Florida State found itself trailing a top-10 team by 19 points in the second half.

Only this time, there would be no miracle comeback.

Instead, the deficit just continued to grow and grow.

No. 7 Wake Forest led by as many as 30 in the second half on its way to an 86-63 win against No. 25 Florida State at Lawrence Joel Coliseum.

"I guess we ran into a buzz saw today," said FSU coach Leonard Hamilton, whose team stormed back to defeat Clemson a week earlier after falling behind by 19 in the second half. "I thought Wake Forest was extremely ready to play. I thought they were much more aggressive than we were."

That was evident early.

The Demon Deacons jumped to an 8-0 lead and never trailed on their way to the emphatic victory.

With the loss, Florida State dropped to 19-6 overall and 6-4 in the ACC. Wake improved to 19-4, 6-4.

"Plain and simple, they came to play and we didn't," said FSU senior guard Toney Douglas, who had 22 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. "They're a good basketball team and they were the best team on this day."

The Demon Deacons were up by 12 at halftime, and other than a short second-half burst by the Seminoles to get within seven, their lead was never really in doubt.

Wake scored 17 of the next 20 points to answer the Seminoles' mini-run and take control of the game.

During that span, FSU freshman center Solomon Alabi was called for a flagrant foul on Wake Forest's Chas McFarland and was ejected.

There were 51 fouls called and Wake shot 38 free throws - hitting 32.

"It's up to us," said FSU senior forward Uche Echefu, who had 11 points before fouling out. "We've still got to play solid defense. There shouldn't be any reason to foul them. I just think we didn't bring it defensively and that was the biggest factor of the game."

Wake's 86 points were a season high on the Seminoles, who went into the game second in the conference in scoring defense and field-goal percentage defense.

Even with star sophomore guard Jeff Teague struggling through a 3-for-13 performance (he was 9-for-10 at the free-throw line, however, and finished with 15 points), the Demon Deacons still shot 49 percent from the floor - the highest mark allowed by the Seminoles this season.

"Our defense wasn't really sound today," Douglas said.

The Seminoles were whistled for 27 fouls and had three players disqualified.

"I could be concerned with the officiating, but we did a lot of reaching," Hamilton said. "I thought we did a lot of slapping. I thought we came down with our hands instead of making them make plays. I didn't think we were sharp defensively with our concentration."

Freshman Al-Farouq Aminu led the Demon Deacons with 17 points. L.D. Williams added 12 and Ishmael Smith came off the bench to score 11 for Wake.

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