UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Jamir Watkins led the charge for Florida State with 19 points, while Malique Ewin achieved personal bests with 15 points and nine rebounds, contributing to the team’s victory over Temple with a final score of 78-69 in the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off on Friday evening.

Florida State improves its record to 5-1 and will take a breather before facing UMass on Sunday. Temple, now at 3-2, prepares to compete against the Minutemen the previous day.

During the first half, Florida State found themselves trailing for most of the time until Jerry Deng put them ahead with 5:28 left to play. The Seminoles concluded the half with a strong 7-2 run, giving them a 39-33 lead as they entered the locker room.

In the second half, Temple managed to cut the lead down to six points on three separate occasions, the last instance occurring with 7:54 left as Jamal Mashburn Jr. sunk free throws. Despite their efforts, Temple was unable to close the gap any further.

Ewin played a critical role, showcasing his athleticism with dunks at 4:58 and 2:51, which helped Florida State extend their lead to 11 and later 12 points.

Chandler Jackson also contributed significantly for Florida State, adding 10 points. Watkins was particularly effective from the charity stripe, going 10 for 13, while the remainder of the team managed to connect on only 5 of 11 attempts.

For Temple, Mashburn was the standout performer, leading the team with 20 points, marking his fifth consecutive game scoring 20 or more. Additional support came from Zion Stanford, who scored 15 points, and Steve Settle III, who contributed 14 points.