TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Raheem Appleby scored 27 points and Alex Hamilton added 16 to help Louisiana Tech rally from a nine-point second half deficit to beat Florida State 71-66 in a first round National Invitational Tournament game Tuesday night.
Appleby, who made 12 of 19 shots, had 21 of points in the second half, including three quick baskets in a 52-second span that keyed an 11-0 run that gave the lower-seeded Bulldogs a 37-35 lead.
Louisiana Tech (27-6) will meet the winner of Wednesday's game between Southern Miss and Charleston Southern in second-round play of the NIT.
Michael Snaer led Florida State with 24 points in his final game for the Seminoles while junior Okaro White added 11. Snaer's 14 points in the first half led Florida State to a 28-24 lead.
Florida State (18-16) completed a disappointing season after winning the Atlantic Coast Conference a year ago.
