Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Men's Basketball By HANK KURZ Jr.

Clark Drives Virginia Past No. 5 Florida State 61-56

WATCH: Kihei Clark & Jay Huff Connect on the Alley Oop to Slam The Seminoles?

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP)
Kihei Clark scored 15 points, including a go-ahead layup with 59 seconds left, and Virginia ended No. 5 Florida State's 10-game winning streak, 61-56 on Tuesday night.

Mamadi Diakite had 19 points and nine rebounds for Virginia, which has won two straight after losing four of its previous five. That stretch raised questions about whether the defending national champions would even make the NCAA Tournament this year.

The game was tied 11 times and neither team could get any separation over the final 10 minutes. Virginia trailed 56-55 before Clark drove down the left side of the lane, reached across and banked his shot in on the right side. After Devin Vassell missed a jumper for the Seminoles, Mamadi Diakite hit a pair of free throws with 13.9 seconds left for Virginia (14-6, 6-4 Atlantic Coast Conference).

The Seminoles (17-3, 7-2) had two chances to tie it, but Wyatt Wilkes missed badly on a 3-point try from the top of the key and Trent Forrest also missed from the left corner. Braxton Key added a pair of free throws for Virginia.

Vassell led Florida State with 17 points. The loss was the Seminoles' first since Dec. 3 at Indiana.

Key added 13 points and nine boards for Virginia, which snapped a two-game slide against the Seminoles and split the season series.

UP NEXT

The Seminoles remain on the road, and in Virginia, playing at Virginia Tech on Saturday.

The Cavaliers don't play again until Clemson visits next Wednesday night.