ACC Basketball Roundup

Associated Press

The ACC roundup ...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Okaro White says he doesn’t mind being Florida State’s sixth man.

Florida State’s rail-thin 6-foot-8 sophomore came off the bench Saturday, scored 13 points and helped slow down Virginia star Mike Scott to spark the 21st-ranked Seminoles to a 58-55 victory.

“I really try to pinpoint what’s going on in the game,” White said about watching from the bench in the first few minutes of games. “I know when I go in what I can get.”

And he got plenty Saturday, adding five rebounds in relief.

“Okaro has really settled in to being a go-to guy in the second half,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said. “Okaro has been making an impact the whole year.”

Scott was limited to only three second half attempts and four points while being tagged by White for much of that time.

Xavier Gibson added 10 points to help White offset some scoring lost from leading scorers Michael Snaer and Bernard James, who combined for just 12 points in Florida State’s seventh straight ACC.

The Seminoles are in a first-place tie in the league.

“We’re not going away,” Snaer said. “We’re in the hunt to win the title.”

It’s the first time that Florida State (16-6, 7-1) has won seven straight games in ACC play since joining the league in 1991-92.

No. 16 Virginia (17-4, 4-3) climbed back from a 13-point second-half deficit, but Jontel Evans’ desperation 30-footer didn’t get off in time before the final buzzer — it bounced off the rim anyway. Virginia’s four losses this season have come by a total of 10 points.

Scott and Joe Harris led the Cavaliers with 16 points apiece. Scott also had 11 rebounds.

Virginia got the ball back with 34 seconds left and down three, but Harris missed a 3 and Deividas Dulkys was fouled on the rebound and sank the first of two shots to give Florida State a 56-52 lead with 14 seconds left.

Jeff Peterson added two free throws with 7 seconds left to make it 58-52, but Virginia’s Malcolm Brogdon countered with a 3 to make it 58-55.

Georgia Tech 51, BC 47

ATLANTA — Finally, after six tries, Georgia Tech coach Brian Gregory has his first victory at Philips Arena.

The offensively-challenged game wasn't pretty to watch, but Gregory was hardly concerned after his team held off Boston College.

"I thought our guys' effort for 40 minutes today was tremendous," he said. "You saw a glimpse of their scrappiness and intensity level that we now need to continue to play with."

Glen Rice Jr. scored three points in the final minute, Brandon Reed hit a pair of free throws in the closing seconds and Georgia Tech snapped a six-game losing streak with a 51-47 victory over Boston College.

Virginia Tech 67, Clemson 65

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Jarell Eddie scored 15 points and Dorian Finney-Smith snapped out of a six-game shooting skid and added 12 points on Saturday, and Virginia Tech squandered almost all of a big second-half lead and hung on to beat Clemson.

The Hokies (13-10, 2-6 ACC) led by double figures until the last four minutes, when Clemson went to a full court press that was effective and went on a 15-3 run that kept it tense until the final buzzer. The victory was just the second in nine games for Tech.