TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Charleston Southern led Florida State early in the second half and played the Seminoles to a two to three possession game virtually the whole way before falling, 75-64, at the Tucker Center on Monday.

PDF Box Score - Florida State 75, Charleston Southern 64

CSU (4-8) put forth a strong effort to take some momentum into its Christmas break. The Bucs trailed Florida State (9-2) by just three points at halftime and took a one-point lead early in the second stanza on a Patrick Wallace three-pointer. The Seminoles regained the lead for good shortly after but could never fully put the Bucs away thanks in large part to Armel Potter. Potter tallied 15 of his 20 points following intermission to help CSU hang around.

Dwayne Bacon compiled a double-double of 20 points and ten rebounds to help FSU hold CSU at bay in a close game for the third straight year. Malik Beasley added 16 for a Seminoles squad that has won five straight and is expected to be back among the contenders in the ACC.

CSU head coach Barclay Radebaugh was pleased with a showing his squad will hope to build on as it heads into Big South play. The Bucs host St. Andrew's (N.C.) on Dec. 29 before resuming conference action on Jan. 2.

"We have a very young team and we've had a very rigorous schedule," Radebaugh said. "I thought we showed some progress. I've been really disappointed in our defensive effort but I thought we showed some progress tonight just in terms of our defensive positioning and guarding the ball, not letting elite athletes go by us so that was a step in the right direction for us."

"They're very tough to guard and presented us a tremendous number of problems of usual," continued Radebaugh on FSU'S 50 percent shooting in the second half. "I thought we fatigued a little bit and their size and strength just wore us down. It was an overall solid effort that we can use going forward."

Wallace went 0-for-5 from the field in the first half but buried a trey from the left wing to give CSU its first and only lead of the game 1:13 into the second half. FSU answered with an 8-0 spurt, and had another later in the period, but CSU kept responding.

Potter rattled off five straight points to answer the Seminoles first run. He drove the lane for a layup and buried a long three from outside the top of the key to draw CSU within two.

Bacon had a number of inside scores throughout the second half to help Florida State hold on. The 'Noles looked like they had put the game away with 4:34 left, with two Bacon free throws providing a 66-54 edge. Potter sparked CSU again, though, as he drove baseline and hit Rae Robinson for a triple. On CSU's next trip, Potter knifed his way through past the foul line and banked in a runner en route to a three-point play.

Potter's three-point play allowed him to match his career-high of 20 points (set at Arkansas), and brought CSU to within 66-60. The Bucs got a stop and had an opportunity in transition but turned it over themselves and the 'Noles persevered to prevail.

Both teams turned it over 13 times in a fast-paced back and forth first half. Florida State reaped the benefits, though, enjoying a 14-4 advantage in points of turnovers to take the lead into halftime.

Bacon scored six early points to pace the 'Noles during their 10-3 start. CSU chipped its deficit down to two twice over the ensuing minutes behind threes by Ugo Mmonu and Potter.

Demetrius Pollard led CSU with eight points in the first half, and sailed home a three to close the gap to 21-20 at the 7:23 mark. Aaron Wheeler had a three-point play barely over a minute later to tie the contest at 23 apiece.

Threes by Pollard and Robinson late in the period knotted the score at 28-28 and 31-31. Robinson's triple came off a pretty pass from Potter. Xavier Rathan-Mayes swished a three of his own to send Florida State into the locker room in front, 34-31.

CSU will break for Christmas before returning for practice on Dec. 26. The Bucs host St. Andrew's (N.C.) for their final non-conference game on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m.