Snaer hits another game-winner for FSU
by Corey Clark, USA TODAY Sports
TALLAHASSEE — Apparently, all Florida State has to do is keep a game close in the final seconds. If they can do that, you-know-who is going to win it.
Senior Michael Snaer converted a running, left-handed, “and-one” basket with 4.4 seconds remaining to lift Florida State to a 53-51 win over Virginia on Thursday night at the Civic Center.
It was his sixth game-winning bucket in the last 14 months, and fourth of the 2013 ACC season.
“I knew I was getting the ball at the end of the game, and I knew I was going to make a play,” said Saner, who finished with 14 points. “Some way, some how. Either I’m going to shoot it or one of my teammates will get an open look if someone helps.”
After the ball was in-bounded to freshman point guard Devon Bookert (nine points, four rebounds, three assists, zero turnovers in 32 minutes), Snaer ran around two baseline screens to get the ball at the wing.
Virginia junior Joe Harris was right up on the California native.
Then Snaer just blew by him into the paint.
“That was the design, to run him along the baseline to try to give himself a chance to free himself up a bit,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said. “And hopefully they weren’t going to call any more moving screens. But he did get the ball, and he was able to explode to the basket and was fortunate enough to make the basket and the free throw.”
Said Virginia coach Tony Bennett: “Joe was on him. We thought we made him make a tough shot. He made a floater going to his left. It comes down to those situations as making a play, either offensively or defensively.
“I’ll look at the tape, but it seemed like a pretty tough shot.”
Bookert had perhaps the best view of the play. And he said it was plenty tough.
“He double-pumped, probably jumped five feet, wiggled the ball around and shot it with his opposite hand,” Bookert said with a smile. “So it was pretty hard.”
The shot improved the Seminoles’ record to 16-14 overall and 8-9 in the ACC. … [For more on Michael Snaer hits another winner as Florida State tips Virginia, click here.]
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