Tar Heels edge Seminoles

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Teyshawn Terry got the message: Big-time players make plays when it counts.

With some 11,589 mostly hostile fans screaming at Terry, the North Carolina junior made two free throws with 23 seconds left to lift the 24th-ranked Tar Heels to an 81-80 victory over Florida State on Sunday night.

“The fans were definitely into the game a whole lot more this year,” Terry said. “They really thought we were just drained out and didn’t have anything left.”

But Terry was thinking about coach Roy Williams’ talk with him earlier.

“He wants people to rely on me,” Terry said. “He said I’m a big-time player. I feel like that’s my part … to step up to the challenge.”

Wes Miller led the Tar Heels (11-4, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) with a career-high 18 points and Terry added 17 points and eight rebounds. Miller got all of his points from outside, hitting 6 of 10 3-pointers.

Alexander Johnson connected on two foul shots with 39 seconds to play to give the Seminoles an 80-79 lead, setting the stage for Terry. Al Thornton’s desperation jumper from the top of the circle in the final seconds was well off the mark for Florida State (11-4, 2-3), which lost its first game at home this season.

“It’s painful, to lose a close game like this,” Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton said.

“Close is not what we’re trying to do. You’ve got to get over the hump by winning these types of games.”

Florida State’s three ACC losses are by a total of 10 points.