CLEMSON, S.C. -- After his team's 109-61 demolition of Clemson on Feb. 5, Florida State Coach Leonard Hamilton said he knew his team wasn't 48 points better than the Tigers.
Hamilton was right.
But being two points better was plenty good enough for the Seminoles on Saturday.
Xavier Rathan-Mayes scored 15 points as No. 19 Florida State dealt Clemson its latest in a gut-wrenching series of close defeats, 76-74, in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Rathan-Mayes made only 5 of 12 shots from the floor, but came up big by scoring 13 of his points in the second half, including four in the final 1:45 as the Seminoles staved off a strong upset bid by Clemson.
"It was a typical ACC blowout -- a two-point victory," Florida State Coach Leonard Hamilton said.
Florida State improved to 23-6 overall and 11-5 in ACC play and remained in a tie for second place in the league standings.
The Seminoles, who play at No. 10 Duke on Tuesday, won on the road for the first time since Feb. 1 and improved to 3-5 in ACC road games.
"There's no doubt that this was an important game for us," Hamilton said. "It keeps us at pace with some of the other teams that are fighting for position in the ACC Tournament. It gives us the opportunity now to go on the road and control our own destiny.
"Any time you're in a position like we're in, where you can control your own destiny, it motivates you and definitely you're your attention."
Clemson (14-14, 4-12) was bidding for its first victory against a Top 25 team in Littlejohn Coliseum since the arena reopened last November following a $63.5 million renovation.
But the result was painfully familiar for the Tigers, who have lost 10 games by six or fewer points this season, including nine losses by six or less points in ACC play and five by two points or less.
"You feel for your players because you know how hard they're working," Clemson Coach Brad Brownell said. "It's hard when you work and put energy and effort and the emotional side of you into all of these games, and you don't get rewarded."
The Tigers led 74-71 with under two minutes remaining, but that's when Rathan-Mayes took over. He made two free throws to cut Clemson's lead to one point with 1:45 left, then scored on a driving layup with 1:15 remaining to put the Seminoles ahead for good.
After Florida State's Trent Forrest made one of two free throws with 8.4 seconds left, Clemson guard Marcquise Reed missed a jumper in the lane with five seconds left to seal the Tigers' fate.
"We got the shot we wanted," Brownell said. "He backed them off, he spun -- probably had a little more time than he realized and let it go a little quick -- but he got 12 to 13 feet from the bucket, and he's our best player at that. So it's one you can live with."
Florida State led at halftime, 38-37, and the game remained close throughout, with neither team leading by more than seven points. The score was tied seven times and there were 12 lead changes.
Both teams shot 45 percent from the floor and Clemson held a slight edge from the free throw line (82 to 81 percent).
"It was a typical, hard-fought ACC game," Hamilton said. "This is the new ACC, where regardless of who you're playing, if the team is ranked, and regardless of your position in the league, anyone is capable of winning."
Freshman forward Jonathan Isaac added 14 points for Florida State, while sophomore forward Dwayne Bacon had 12.
Senior forward Jaron Blossomgame led Clemson with 24 points. Guard Shelton Mitchell scored 15, while senior center Sidy Djitte added 12 points and nine rebounds. Reed scored 10 for the Tigers.
NOTES:
-- G Marcquise Reed is averaging 13.7 points over Clemson's last seven games.
-- F Jaron Blossomgame needs three field goals to rank in the top 10 in Clemson history in field goals, points, rebounds, free throws and 20-point games.
-- C Elijah Thomas has made 21 of his last 31 field goal attempts.
-- Florida State G Xavier Rathan-Mayes has an ACC-leading 3.6:1 assist/turnover ratio in league games.
-- F Jonathan Isaac leads the Seminoles with 40 blocked shots and has at least one block in 11 consecutive games.
-- G Terance Mann is shooting .625 from the field over Florida State's last six games.
