Miami 64, Florida St. 63

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Posted 4:55PM on Saturday, January 15, 2005

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) Guillermo Diaz hit an 8-footer with 8 seconds left to cap a comeback by surprising Atlantic Coast Conference newcomer Miami, which won its third consecutive league game Saturday, beating Florida State 64-63. The Seminoles led for most of the game and were up by four points with 90 seconds left, but endured their 26th straight conference road loss. After Miami forced a turnover on an inbounds pass with 34 seconds to go, Diaz made a slashing, spinning move in the lane to beat four defenders, then sank the game-winner. Florida State's Anthony Richardson tried a 15-footer that was short with 2 seconds left, and Anthony Harris rebounded for Miami to clinch the win. The Hurricanes (12-3, 3-1) won for the 11th time in 12 games. Picked for last place in the league before the season, they're instead in the thick of the race heading into a showdown at home Wednesday against No. 5 Duke. The Seminoles (9-8, 1-3) remained winless in road league games since March 2001. They lost despite a career-high 25 points by Von Wafer. Diaz led Miami with 19 points and plenty of emotion. He sank a 3-pointer over Wafer early in the second half then pounded his chest and screamed in Wafer's face while retreating upcourt. Robert Hite added 18 points for the Hurricanes, and William Frisby had 12 rebounds to help give them a 41-31 edge on the boards. The Seminoles scored nine straight points, five by Wafer, for a 55-52 lead with 5 minutes left. Wafer's 3-pointer made it 61-57, but Hite answered with a 3 to cut the lead to one. Adam Waleskowski made two free throws for Florida State with 51 seconds left for a 63-60 lead. Harris had a chance to tie the game with 37 seconds remaining but made only two of three free throws. Then came the costly turnover by the Seminoles. Waleskowski's pass from under the Miami basket led teammate Isaiah Swann too much, and the ball rolled out of bounds next to the Hurricanes bench, prompting a roar from the crowd of 6,323. Diaz then made his move to give Miami the victory.