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Johnson's tip-in with 0.8 seconds left helps No. 14 Miami beat No. 19 NC State 79-78

Associated Press
Published | Updated

North Carolina State's Rodney Purvis (0) shoots over Miami's Julian Gamble (45) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. North Carolina State's C.J. Leslie (5) and Miami's Kenny Kadji (35) watch the play. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) (The Associated Press)

North Carolina State's Richard Howell (1) shoots as Miami's Tonye Jekiri (23) and Reggie Johnson defend during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) (The Associated Press)

Reggie Johnson tipped in a missed shot with 0.8 seconds left to help No. 14 Miami edge No. 19 North Carolina State 79-78 on Saturday.

Johnson's left-handed tip in traffic off a miss from Shane Larkin capped a back-and-forth second half and kept the Hurricanes (17-3, 8-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) unbeaten in the league. Johnson finished with 15 points in his best game since returning from a thumb injury four games earlier.

Durand Scott led Miami with 18 points and Julian Gamble added 16 to help the Hurricanes win their ninth straight game.

C.J. Leslie had 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Wolfpack (16-6, 5-4), who played without starting point guard Lorenzo Brown due to an ankle injury. N.C. State nearly topped Johnson's tip when freshman Rodney Purvis launched a heave from beyond halfcourt at the horn, a shot that hit the rim and rattled out to end it.