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Florida State easily handles Duke for 12th straight win

Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Xavier Rathan-Mayes scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half, helping No. 9 Florida State beat No. 7 Duke 88-72 on Tuesday night.

Dwayne Bacon and Terance Mann had 13 points apiece as the Seminoles (16-1, 4-0) set a school record with their 11th straight win, breaking a mark that had stood since 1970. It is also the first time they have started 4-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Blue Devils took a 50-48 lead on a Luke Kennard jumper before the Seminoles, who were playing their first regular-season game as a top-10 team since 1993, grabbed control with a 16-4 run over a five-minute span.

Kennard led Duke (14-3, 2-2) with 23 points. Jayson Tatum had 21.

HELLO, GRAYSON

In his first true road game since coming back from a suspension, Duke's Grayson Allen heard several profanity-laced chants from Florida State's student section, and there were a handful of signs about tripping opposing players. One of those incidents last season was against Rathan-Mayes, drawing a reprimand from the ACC.

Allen, who scored just nine points, was slightly injured with 5:35 remaining and did not return.

BIG PICTURE

Duke: Senior forward Amile Jefferson was sidelined by a bone bruise on his right foot from last Saturday's win over Boston College. Senior Matt Jones got the start as the Blue Devils went with three guards, but they were dominated in the paint by the Seminoles.

Florida State: Midway through a run of possibly facing six straight ranked teams, the Seminoles are 3-0 with two of the wins coming against teams ranked in the top 12. The past two times an ACC team has had a similar run in the regular season - 1992-93 Maryland and 1979-80 NC State - those teams were a combined 2-10.

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