Florida State basketball is for real. The Seminoles walked into Littlejohn Coliseum on Saturday and came away with a 70-65 road win over Clemson, improving to what has been the most impressive stretch of the season for this program. FSU has now won 6 of its last 7 and 7 of its last 9, with the only two losses in that span coming by a combined seven points to No. 15 Virginia and SMU, two teams with legitimate NCAA Tournament resumes. This is not a team limping toward the finish line in a disappointing season. This is a team that has found itself. And the engine driving all of it continues to be Robert McCray V.
Twenty-nine points. Ten-of-nineteen from the field, four-of-ten from three, and five-of-six from the free throw line. In a hostile road environment, with the game on the line late, McCray was simply the best player on the floor.
What makes his performance even more impressive is how he delivered it in chunks. FSU trailed at halftime 36-33, and McCray spent stretches of the first half getting his teammates involved rather than forcing his own offense. Then the second half came, and he shifted into another gear entirely. He hit the three that gave FSU the lead for good at 65-66. He converted the layup that pushed it to 68-65. And then he iced the game with two free throws in the final seconds to make it 70-65. When FSU needed a bucket, McCray got one.
He finished with six rebounds and three assists to go alongside the 29 points, giving him one of the more complete stat lines you will see from an FSU guard this season. At this point in the year, McCray V has become one of the best players in the ACC, and he is proving it on a weekly basis.
Finished the fight 💪🏀#Connected pic.twitter.com/szB8CYmOP4
— Florida State Men’s Basketball (@FSUHoops) February 21, 2026
This one was not exactly comfortable. FSU led for 26 minutes of game time, but Clemson kept fighting, and the Tigers made it interesting down the stretch.
The Noles came out of the gate with a nice cushion in the early second half, building their lead to eight at 44-52 after a McCray three in transition and a Chauncey Wiggins jumper. That is when Clemson made its run. Efrem Johnson hit back-to-back threes to pull the Tigers within two, and then Dillon Hunter’s mid-range jumper at the 3:25 mark gave Clemson a 62-61 lead with the game very much in the balance.
That is when McCray took over. Two free throws tied it, then pushed FSU ahead. A steal by Alex Steen on a Hunter turnover gave the ball back to FSU. McCray’s layup at 1:37 extended the lead to three, and from there the Noles made enough plays at the free-throw line to close it out.
Clemson’s bench outscored FSU’s 25-11, with Ace Buckner giving them 15 points off the bench and being a consistent thorn in FSU’s side. The Tigers also shot 10-of-33 from three overall, and FSU’s defense holding them to just 4-of-19 from beyond the arc in the second half was a major reason the Noles survived the late Clemson push.
LaJae Jones had a really solid afternoon with 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including three-of-five from deep. Jones has been quietly reliable in ACC play and gave FSU exactly what they needed offensively alongside McCray. Thomas Bassong chipped in six points and was active defensively. Wiggins added seven and came up with the big three late in the second half that pushed FSU’s lead to four at 56-60 with seven minutes left. Alex Steen had five rebounds.
Seven wins in nine games. Road win at Clemson. Two losses that were decided in the final minutes against quality competition. This FSU team has answered every question that was asked of it after that rough stretch early in the season. The offense is clicking at 50% from the field on the day, and the defense in the second half made the key stops when it needed to. That combination, built around a superstar performance from McCray, is a formula that can win a lot of basketball games.
Next up is the one Nole fans have been circling on the calendar. Miami comes to Tallahassee for a rivalry game that carries significant weight for both programs. FSU will be playing with confidence and momentum, and if McCray continues to play at this level, the Hurricanes are going to have a serious problem on their hands. The Noles already beat the Canes once this season and a win here would be big for Loucks and company. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!
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