CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — In a heart-stopping finish that defied all pregame projections, the Duke Blue Devils escaped with a one-point victory over the Florida State Seminoles, 80-79, in an Atlantic Coast Conference tournament thriller Thursday night at Spectrum Center.

The game, a stark contrast to the teams’ regular-season meeting in January that Duke won by four, was decided in the final seconds as Florida State’s last-gasp attempt to win rimmed out. The result advanced top-seeded Duke, now 30-2, while the Seminoles’ season ended at 18-15.

The contest’s defining sequence, and its most important part, unfolded over the final 37 seconds. Trailing 78-75, Florida State’s Lajae Jones was fouled on a three-point attempt and calmly sank all three free throws to tie the game with 28 seconds remaining. Duke, holding for the last shot, saw its initial attempt blocked by Florida State’s Alex Steen. But the Blue Devils’ relentless effort on the offensive glass, a theme all night, produced the decisive score. Cayden Boozer grabbed the offensive rebound and put it back in for an 80-78 lead with just over a second left.

Florida State had one final chance. After a timeout, the Seminoles inbounded to Chauncey Wiggins, who hit a stepback jumper as time expired, but it only counted for two points, leaving Florida State a single point short.

The game was a masterpiece of tension, featuring 18 lead changes and neither team building a double-digit advantage. Duke’s survival was largely due to a monumental rebounding advantage, particularly on the offensive end where they secured 20 second-chance opportunities compared to Florida State’s five. This allowed the Blue Devils to overcome a subpar shooting night where they made just 28 of 64 from the field and 10 of 34 from three-point range.

Florida State, conversely, was more efficient from the floor, shooting 51.9% overall and 39.3% from deep, but was ultimately undone by Duke’s extra possessions and a crucial disparity at the free-throw line, where Duke attempted 23 shots to Florida State’s 18.

The individual duel between star guards was spectacular. Duke’s Isaiah Evans, a sophomore from Fayetteville, North Carolina, led all scorers with 32 points, adding three assists and a key block in the final minute. He was the steadying force for the Blue Devils, especially during a first half where he scored 19 points to keep pace with the Seminoles.

He was matched nearly shot-for-shot by Florida State’s backcourt. Lajae Jones, a 6-foot-7 guard from Neptune Beach, Florida, poured in 28 points, including three critical free throws late. His backcourt mate, Robert McCray V of Columbia, South Carolina, was equally brilliant, scoring 25 points and dishing out four assists. The duo combined for 53 of Florida State’s 79 points.

Duke’s Cameron Boozer, a 6-foot-9 forward from Miami, provided crucial interior balance with 23 points, four assists, and relentless work on the boards. Florida State’s Chauncey Wiggins added 13 points, including the final basket, and a block.

The first half set the stage for the drama, ending with Florida State clinging to a 44-43 lead after a back-and-forth period where both teams shot well from distance. The second half continued the pattern, with neither team able to secure separation until the final possession.

The outcome stunned a statistical model that gave Duke a 96.1% probability to win and contradicted a pregame point spread that installed the Blue Devils as 18.5-point favorites. The combined score of 159 points also went over the posted over/under line of 152.

For Duke, the narrow escape advances them in their pursuit of an ACC tournament championship. For Florida State, the loss concludes a season of resilience, ending just short of a seismic upset against one of the nation’s premier teams in a game that will be remembered for its frantic final minute and a rebound that made the difference.