Jacari White sparks Virginia rally past Florida State

White's late dunk lifts No. 15 Virginia to comeback win

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Jacari White delivered a spark off the bench, scoring 19 points and throwing down a go-ahead dunk with 1:12 remaining to lift No. 15 Virginia to a 61-58 comeback victory over Florida State on Tuesday night. The Cavaliers (21-3, 10-2 ACC) closed the game on an 11-0 run to secure their fifth straight win.

Why it matters

This was an important ACC matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions. Virginia is ranked 15th and looking to solidify its position in the conference standings, while Florida State has struggled this season and was looking to pull off an upset at home.

The details

White, an Orlando native, shot 5-for-9 from beyond the arc in his return to the Sunshine State. Florida State (11-13, 3-7 ACC) was led by Lajae Jones' 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Robert McCray V added 20 points in the loss. Thijs De Ridder put Virginia ahead 61-58 on a short jumper with 25 seconds left, and Jones and McCray both missed 3-pointers to tie the game in the final seconds.

  • The game was played on Tuesday night.

The players

Jacari White

A key player off the bench for Virginia, scoring 19 points and hitting the go-ahead dunk in the final minutes.

Lajae Jones

The leading scorer for Florida State with 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Robert McCray V

Scored 20 points for Florida State in the losing effort.

Thijs De Ridder

Scored 9 points and grabbed 9 rebounds for Virginia, including the go-ahead jumper in the final seconds.

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The takeaway

This was a hard-fought ACC matchup that came down to the final seconds. Virginia's bench players, led by Jacari White, made the difference in the comeback win, while Florida State's shooting struggles ultimately doomed their chances of pulling off the upset at home.