ATLANTA — The last time North Carolina came down to the wire against Florida State, Ty Lawson bailed out the Tar Heels.

This time, all he could do was watch as two teammates missed.

Toney Douglas outshined reigning national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough, scoring 27 points including the go-ahead free throws, as the No. 22 Seminoles ended top-ranked North Carolina's quest for a third straight Atlantic Coast Conference championship with a 73-70 upset in yesterday's semifinals.

Florida State (25-8) advanced to its first ACC final in school history. The Seminoles will meet No. 9 Duke today.

As for the Tar Heels, it's time to start focusing on a national championship. Despite the loss, North Carolina (28-4) is still likely to get a top seed in the NCAA tournament, especially after No. 2 Pittsburgh and No. 3 Connecticut both lost in their opening games at the Big East tournament.

"We understand," said Hansbrough, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds but fumbled away the ball in the lane with about 20 seconds remaining. "We lose now, it's over."

During the regular season, Lawson hit a running 3-pointer as time expired to give the Tar Heels an 80-77 victory over Florida State.

He watched this ending from the bench, missing his second straight game because of an injured big right toe.

The Tar Heels had a couple of chances to force overtime. Wayne Ellington, who led North Carolina with 24 points, missed from beyond the arc. Danny Green chased down the rebound, stepped outside the line and fired up another 3 at the buzzer. It came up short, and the Seminoles erupted in a raucous celebration.

"We've come a long way," said Douglas, who grew up about 15 miles from the Georgia Dome and is the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons receiver Harry Douglas. "But we're still hungry. We're never satisfied."

Tar Heels coach Roy Williams made clear his top priority when he decided to sit Lawson at the ACC tournament, trying to ensure he's as healthy as possible to make a run at a national title.

"We wanted to win this real bad," said Lawson, who did some shooting before the game and proclaimed his toe much improved. "But our big goal is the national championship."

No. 9 Duke 67, Maryland 61: Jon Scheyer scored 22 points and the third-seeded Blue Devils (27-6) rode a 12-2 second-half run to beat the seventh-seeded Terrapins (20-13).

Duke led only 44-41 before Gerald Henderson's 3-pointer with 8:53 started the 12-2 run. Scheyer and David McClure each had back-to-back baskets in the run, which ended with Duke leading 56-43 with 5:35 remaining.

"You can't do much better than hold them to 32 and 35 in two 20-minute periods," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "Duke usually makes you pay if you don't make the shots you're supposed to make."

AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE

AT VASTEL, N.Y., SEFCU ARENA

Binghamton 61, UMBC 51: Senior forward Reggie Fuller had 19 points and 10 rebounds, D.J. Rivera added 16 points, and the top-seeded Bearcats (23-8) held the sixth-seeded and defending champion Retrievers (15-17) scoreless in the game's final 4:49 to capture the America East tournament title.

"We just persevered and fought all year long," said Kevin Broadus, conference coach of the year in just his second year at Binghamton. "They never gave up."

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

AT ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., BOARDWALK HALL

Temple 69, Duquesne 64: Dionte Christmas scored 29 points and the four-seeded Owls (22-11) became the first team to win consecutive Atlantic 10 Conference tournaments in eight years with a victory over the seventh-seeded Dukes (21-12), who were looking for their first NCAA berth in 32 years.

The A10 title was the eighth for Temple, and the second in three years since Fran Dunphy replaced John Chaney as coach.

BIG EAST CONFERENCE

AT NEW YORK, MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

No. 5 Louisville 76, No. 18 Syracuse 66: Earl Clark had 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead the top-seeded Cardinals (28-5) past the sixth-seeded Orange (26-9), giving the regular-season champs their first Big East title.

The conference title in their fourth season in the Big East will probably translate into a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the Cardinals.

"These guys have bought into total team," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. "We did it in the toughest year in the history of the Big East to sweep both. I'm gushing with pride."

BIG TEN CONFERENCE

AT INDIANAPOLIS, CONSECO FIELDHOUSE

Ohio State 82, No. 7 Michigan State 70: Evan Turner had all 18 of his points in the second half, along with 10 rebounds, and the fifth-seeded Buckeyes (22-9) hit 9 of 16 3-pointers to upset the top-seeded Spartans (26-6), who went just 3-of-21 from 3-point range, and moved into today's Big Ten championship game against No. 24 Purdue.

"I'm trying to decide am I more disappointed with us or more impressed with the way they shot the ball," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "The better team won today. It's disappointing, because I don't think we gave it our best shot."

No. 24 Purdue 66, Illinois 56: Robbie Hummel had 19 points and 12 rebounds, and JaJuan Johnson had 20 points and three blocks to lead the third-seeded Boilermakers (24-9) past the second-seeded Illini (24-9) and into the tournament final for the first time since 1998.

"I think we've just been coming out with a lot of intensity," said JaJuan Johnson, Purdue's all-conference center. "We had a bitter taste in our mouths coming into this tournament. I think it's important having these wins going into the NCAA tournament."

BIG 12 CONFERENCE

AT OKLAHOMA CITY, THE FORD CENTER

No. 14 Missouri 73, Baylor 60: DeMarre Carroll scored 20 points and the third-seeded Tigers (28-6) ended the surprising run of the ninth-seeded Bears (20-14) through the Big 12 tournament, with their first postseason conference title in 16 years.

Missouri, won the Big Eight regular-season championship in 1994. Baylor was trying to become the first to win four games in as many days to claim the Big 12 title.

BIG WEST

AT ANAHEIM, CALIF., CONVENTION CENTER

CS Northridge 71, Pacific 66: Rodrigue Mels scored 23 points and the Matadors (17-13) earned their first NCAA tournament appearance in eight years with an overtime victory over the Tigers (19-12) in the Big West Conference tournament final.

CONFERENCE USA

AT MEMPHIS, TENN., FEDEX FORUM

No. 4 Memphis 64, Tulsa 39: Tyreke Evans scored 18 points, Robert Dozier added 18 points and 14 rebounds, and the top-seeded Tigers (31-3) won their fourth straight Conference USA tournament title, beating the Golen Hurricane (24-10) to extend the nation's longest winning streak to 25 with their 61st straight league victory.

"It's just one of our goals we accomplished," said Dozier, a senior. "The next big thing is the (NCAA) tournament. We want to be national champions, so we've got to go get ready."

MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE

AT CLEVELAND, QUICKEN LOANS ARENA

Akron 65, Buffalo 53: The fifth-seeded Zips (23-12), who watched as other teams cut down the nets the past two years after the championship, won their first Mid-American Conference tournament title and the NCAA berth that goes with it by beating the third-seeded Bulls (21-11).

Akron is back in the NCAA tourney for the first time since 1986, and they'll be there for the first time as a MAC member. The Zips were in the Ohio Valley Conference 23 years ago.

MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

AT WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., COLISEUM

Morgan State 83, Norfolk State 69: Reggie Holmes scored 20 points and the top-seeded Bears (23-11) used an 18-0 first-half run and an 11-0 second-half surge to claim their first NCAA tournament berth by beating the third-seeded Spartans (13-18) in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship game.

MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE

AT LAS VEGAS, THOMAS & MACK CENTER

Utah 52, San Diego State 50: Luke Nevill scored 10 of his 18 points in the second half, and Shaun Green stole the ball right before the buzzer as the second-seeded Utes (24-9) held off the fourth-seeded Aztecs (23-9) to capture the Mountain West Conference tournament title.

"Usually, Shaun is slow, but on that instance, he wanted that ball," said teammate Carlon Brown said with a bit of disbelief. "So he went and got it."

PACIFIC-10 CONFERENCE

AT LOS ANGELES, THE STAPLES CENTER

Southern California 66, No. 23 Arizona State 63: Daniel Hackett hit two free throws with 42 seconds remaining for a 64-63 lead and the sixth-seeded Trojans (21-12) held on to upset the fourth-seeded Sun Devils (24-9) to become the lowest seed to win the Pac-10 tournament championship.

"We focused on our practice and preparation and we took it one game at a time," Hackett said. "It got us to a championship."

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE

AT TAMPA, FLA., ST. PETE TIMES FORUM

Mississippi State 67, No. 20 LSU 57: Jarvis Varnado scored 19 points, Barry Stewart added 17, and the Bulldogs (22-12) used a 12-1 run to open up a 63-47 lead in beating the top-seeded Tigers (26-7) to move into position for their first Southeastern Conference tournament title since 2002. Mississippi State will play Tennessee in today's final.

Tennessee 94, Auburn 85: Wayne Chism scored a career-high 27 points, Tyler Smith added 23 and the Volunteers (21-11) opened up a 14-point halftime lead and the Tigers (22-11) were unable to get closer than five points the rest of the way.

SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

AT BIRMINGHAM, ALA., FAIR PARK ARENA

Alabama State 65, Jackson State 58: Andrew Hayles scored 17 points and made three 3-pointers during a 15-3 spurt that opened up a 47-36 lead midway through the second half as the top-seeded Hornets (22-9) beat the Tigers (18-15) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament championship game.