Ouch! Tigers Fall Flat in Tallahassee

After trailing by 17 points at halftime, the Tigers rallied to within four points late in the second half but could get no closer in a 65-54 loss to Florida State. Wit the loss, Clemson falls to 19-7 and 7-5 in the ACC.

Toney Douglas scored 23 points and Jason Rich 22 Tuesday to lead Florida State to a 64-55 win over Clemson, knocking the Tigers out of a third place tie with Maryland in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Florida State (15-12, 4-8 ACC) made six of its first eight shot to take an early 17-6 lead that it built to 35-17 at halftime, shooting 61.9 percent in the half.

Clemson, meanwhile, was equally cold -- connecting on just three of its first 16 attempts.

Clemson (19-7, 7-5) came into the game leading the ACC with a 39.9 team shooting percentage from 3-point distance, but went three for 27 from long range, missing 18 of its first 19.

But they still managed to almost catch up, pulling to within 47-43 with 4:39 left on Demontez Stitt's 3-point shot, but Rich and Douglas countered with six unanswered points to get Florida State's lead back to 10 points with 3:02 left.

The Tigers shot just 30 percent from the field and were not much better from the free throw line, making 12 of 23.

Cliff Hammonds led Clemson with 13 points, Trevor Booker added 12 and K.C. Rivers 10.

The loss dropped Clemson into fourth place in the ACC, a half game back of Maryland, which is 7-4, and a half game ahead of fifth place Wake Forest, which is 6-5 in league play.

Clemson won its first meeting of the season with Florida State, 97-85 in double overtime on its home floor.

The Tigers have the next seven days off before facing Miami on Feb. 27.