Thornton Carries Noles Forward
Published: Mar 9, 2007
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TAMPA - Somewhere in those deep breaths between his first free-throw attempt and his second, Florida State's Al Thornton pushed away the uninvited guests in his mind.
All that rested on Thornton's second attempt - he clanked the first off the back of the iron - was a chance to extend his collegiate career by at least one more game and to keep FSU's slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
Thornton sank the free throw with 1.5 seconds left, giving FSU a 67-66 victory against Clemson on Thursday in the opening game of the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament.
"I was kind of nervous there," Thornton said shortly afterward. "I had never been in that type of situation before. I was able to shoot the second free throw very relaxed. I knew it was a shot I had to make."
With a fourth consecutive first-round ACC Tournament loss staring them in the face, the Noles overcame a 66-61 deficit in the final four minutes to win their 20th game of the season, and possibly more importantly in the eyes of the NCAA Tournament selection committee, avenge a pair of regular-season losses to the Tigers (21-10). FSU entered Thursday's game ranked 47th in the RPI standings, 11 spots lower than Clemson. Both teams finished 7-9 in conference play, which created a perception that the loser of Thursday's game is expected to have no shot at the NCAA Tournament.
As a parting gift, FSU (20-11) advanced to today's quarterfinals to face No. 1 seed North Carolina, a golden opportunity for the Noles to make another statement about deserving their first March Madness invitation in nine years.
FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said his team already deserves a spot in the tournament, but he felt that way a year ago, too, and FSU was locked out.
"What I've learned now is to worry about the things I can control," Hamilton said. "We need to go and be prepared for a very good North Carolina team."
If not from some late heroics from guard Toney Douglas and Thornton, FSU's stay at the Embassy Suites Hotel next to the St. Pete Times Forum would have been short and not so sweet.
Douglas hit a 3-pointer with 3:09 left to trim a five-point Clemson lead to 66-64, and then Thornton's drive and dunk with 1:31 left tied the game as Clemson struggled on offense, failing to score after K.C. Rivers' basket with 4:03 left.
In the final moments, the game featured three momentum swings that had a large FSU contingent in the crowd nearly as nervous as Thornton at the foul line.
Trying to break the tie, FSU's offense sputtered with 18 seconds left when freshman forward Ryan Reid was forced to take a shot with time running out on the shot clock. Reid's shot was blocked by Trevor Booker.
"To be honest with you, as soon as Ryan caught the ball, everybody was like, 'Oh, no.' I know everybody was saying that," said FSU guard Isaiah Swann. "But he had to do something because the shot clock was running down."
On the ensuing possession, FSU received the kind of break that seems to often go against it in close games. Attempting to set up a play, Clemson turned the ball over with 8.3 seconds left when a pass bounced off guard Cliff Hammonds' leg for a half-court violation. FSU then devised a plan for Thornton to either win the game or go to overtime. After passing up a jump shot, Thornton drove to the middle of the lane and earned a trip to the line on a controversial foul call on Rivers.
"I thought we were going to go overtime," said Thornton, who finished with a game-high 25 points. "I was kind of shocked I did get the call."
Swann, a target of Hamilton's in the first minute of the game when he was pulled for failing to guard Hammonds on a 3-pointer, was all smiles in the locker room.
FSU's dream remained alive for at least one more game.
"I'm just so glad we got this win. Thank you, Al."
Reporter Scott Carter can be reached at (850) 294-3088 or scarter@tampatrib.
com.
