TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Interstat) — Nate Calmese’s floating jumper with six seconds remaining lifted Wake Forest to a 69-68 victory over Florida State in a tense Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball game on Saturday night at Donald L. Tucker Center.

The Demon Deacons, who led for just 4:21 of game time, closed the contest on a 7-0 run over the final 1:19 to steal a road win. Wake Forest improved to 11-7 overall, while Florida State fell to 7-11.

The game’s decisive sequence was a microcosm of the entire night. Trailing 68-62 after Florida State’s Robert McCray V sank two free throws, Wake Forest needed a spark. Juke Harris was fouled on a 3-point attempt and calmly made all three free throws to cut the deficit to 68-65 with 1:19 left.

On the ensuing possession, McCray committed his eighth turnover of the game, one of 16 for the Seminoles on the night. Calmese pounced, stealing the ball and converting a fast-break layup to bring Wake Forest within one point with 47 seconds remaining.

After a Florida State timeout, McCray was again stripped, this time by Wake Forest’s Tre’Von Spillers. The Demon Deacons called timeout with 24 seconds left to set up a final play. Out of the huddle, the ball found Calmese on the right wing. The guard from Gilbert, Arizona, drove into the lane, navigated traffic, and released a soft, high-arcing shot over a defender that dropped through the net for the go-ahead score.

Florida State had one final chance, but Martin Somerville’s contested jumper from the elbow as time expired missed off the rim, sealing the comeback for the visitors.

The contest was defined by stark statistical contrasts. Wake Forest’s defensive pressure was relentless, forcing those 16 Florida State turnovers while committing only five of their own. The Demon Deacons converted those miscues into a 19-4 advantage in points off turnovers. Wake Forest also tallied 10 steals, led by Calmese’s three, compared to just two for the Seminoles.

Florida State kept itself in the game through superior work on the glass, outrebounding Wake Forest 41-33 and grabbing 14 offensive boards, and by capitalizing at the free-throw line, making 17 of 19 attempts. Wake Forest shot just 9 for 12 from the stripe.

Offensively, both teams struggled from the perimeter on a night where clean looks were scarce. Wake Forest shot 26 of 63 from the field (41.3%) and a frigid 8 of 34 from 3-point range (23.5%). Florida State was even colder, finishing 22 of 58 overall (37.9%) and 7 of 31 from deep (22.6%).

Calmese led all scorers with 18 points, adding three assists and three steals in 34 minutes. Myles Colvin added 15 points and three assists for Wake Forest, while Harris also scored 15. Cooper Schwieger provided a critical late contribution, scoring eight points, including the tip-in that set up the final sequence, and adding a block and a steal.

Florida State was led by Chauncey Wiggins and Thomas Bassong, who each scored 15 points. McCray finished with 12 points and a game-high five assists, but his eight turnovers proved costly. Bassong added 11 points for the Seminoles.

The first half set the stage for the frantic finish. Florida State used an early 11-2 run to build a lead it would hold for most of the period. The Seminoles led by as many as nine points and took a 34-31 advantage into halftime behind efficient free-throw shooting and second-chance opportunities.

Wake Forest chipped away in the second half, but Florida State repeatedly answered. The Seminoles built their largest lead at 61-52 following an AJ Swinton layup with 7:11 remaining and still led 66-59 with just over three minutes to play before the Demon Deacons’ final, game-saving push.

The win gives Wake Forest a positive start to a critical stretch of ACC play, while Florida State was left to lament another close loss in a season that has featured several narrow defeats in conference action.

Wake Forest returns home to face SMU on Tuesday night. Florida State travels to face Miami on Tuesday.