Chauncey Wiggins scored 18 points to help Florida State survive blowing a 15-point second-half lead to escape with a 63-61 win over Cal on Wednesday evening in Tallahassee, Fla.
Wiggins scored 13 of those points in the first half. He made more half (three) of the team’s 3-pointers, as the Seminoles (9-12, 2-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) were just 6 of 28 (21.4%) from outside the arc for the game and 1 of 12 in the second half.
Robert McCray V (11 points, four assists) was the only other Seminole in double figures. Lajae Jones chipped in nine points on 3-of-14 shooting and a team-high eight rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end.
After an 0-5 start in conference play, Florida State has won two of its last three. The Golden Bears had a two-game winning streak snapped.
Justin Pippen scored 16 of his 19 points after halftime for Cal (15-6, 3-5), adding eight rebounds. He made 5 of 13 field-goal attempts and was 4 of 9 from 3-point range to lead a 6-of-14 (42.9%) second-half perimeter performance.
Pippen had an open look at a game-winning three in the closing seconds which bounced off the rim.
Chris Bell added 13 points, and leading scorer Dai Dai Ames had 11 points on 5-of-15 field-goal shooting for the Golden Bears.
After trailing by 13 at halftime, the Golden Bears gradually chipped into the deficit, taking their first lead in nearly 24 minutes of game time on a Pippen layup with 3:45 left.
But that proved to be Cal’s last made field goal as the team missed its last six field goals while the Seminoles scored five of the game’s final seven points.
Florida State held a 32-14 edge in points in the paint and won despite making 52.4% of its free throws (11 of 21).
Trailing 19-18 with 7:29 left before halftime, Florida State took control with an 18-4 half-ending run for a 36-23 lead at the intermission. The Seminoles finished the half making 7 of their final 10 shots while Cal was 2 of 11 from the floor over the final 5:26.
Wiggins finished the first half 5 of 5 from the floor (3 of 3 from outside the arc). He finished a 7-0 run with a three and then started a 9-0 run 31 seconds later with a layup to create separation.
Bell led the Golden Bears, who shot 32.1% in the first half, with 10 points at the break.
–Field Level Media
