Mark Turgeon

When Florida State guard Michael Snaer made a layup with 1:07 remaining in the game, it looked as though all had already been lost for the Terrapins men’s basketball team. It trailed by eight, hadn’t scored a point in more than three minutes, and fans were filing toward the exits.

But as the game clock ticked below a minute, the Terps began to show some signs of life. Center Alex Len made a dunk, and guard Seth Allen drained a 3-pointer, and suddenly it was just a three-point game with 36 seconds to play.

The Terps traded baskets for free throws with the Seminoles over the next 25 seconds, cutting their deficit all the way down to one with 11 seconds to play. But when Snaer blocked Allen’s game-winning three-point attempt with two seconds left, the Terps comeback bid fell short, just like forward Charles Mitchell’s desperation heave at the buzzer.

Florida State defeated the Terps, 65-62, in front of 14,157 at Comcast Center on Wednesday, ending their 13-game winning streak and handing them their first ACC loss.

“We panicked offensively; we panicked as players; we panicked as a coaching staff,” coach Mark Turgeon said after the game. “I am disappointed. We didn’t play well, but give them a lot of credit for why we didn’t play well.”

That panic came after a first half where it looked like the Terps (13-2, 1-1 ACC) might run away with their second consecutive conference win. They outshot the Seminoles (10-5, 2-0) 43 percent to 31 percent and outrebounded them by 15, taking a 36-27 lead into halftime despite 11 turnovers.

“We were up 10 or 11 in the first half,” Turgeon said, “but we should have been up 15 or 16.”

Those missed opportunities in the first half helped let Florida State back into the game in the second. The Seminoles opened the half on a 19-7 run, turning a nine-point deficit into a three-point lead. They would only relinquish that lead once in the final 8:45.

“We let them outrebound and outhustle us in the second half,” guard Nick Faust (14 points) said. “They ended up winning the 50-50 balls, and that’s why they ended up winning.”

Those hustle plays helped Florida State turn the second half into the polar opposite of the first. The Seminoles outshot the Terps 42 percent to 31 percent, outrebounded them by 12 and outscoring them, 38-26.

Forward Okaro White led that charge, scoring 16 of his 20 points in the second half, including a six-minute stretch where he scored all 15 of his team’s points.

“At the end tonight they just had the best player on the floor,” Turgeon said. “We had no answer for him.”

They had a chance at the end, though. After Snaer hit one of two free throws to put the Seminoles up 63-61 with 8.8 seconds left, Allen brought the ball up the floor with a chance to tie or win the game. But Snaer blocked Allen’s three-point attempt from the top of the key, all but ending the Terps’ comeback chances.

“I wanted to attack, but I feel like I didn’t have enough time. I probably did,” Allen (13 points) said. “I’m going to learn from this mistake. I’m young, a freshman — I have a lot more games to play. In the future, if I ever get an opportunity like that, I plan on driving to the basket to try to get fouled or make a layup.”

After a 13-game winning streak carried the Terps through a less-than-challenging nonconference schedule, tonight’s loss serves as a reminder of just how difficult conference play can be.

“We’ve got to get the flow of ACC play,” Faust said. “Learn you’ve got to bring it every day, every play.”

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