Jamir Watkins scores 19 and Florida State tops Temple 78-69 to begin Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Jamir Watkins scored 19 points, Malique Ewin set career highs with 15 points and nine rebounds and Florida State beat Temple 78-69 on Friday to begin the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off.

Florida State (5-1) has a day off before facing UMass on Sunday. Temple (3-2) faces the Minutemen on Saturday.

Florida State trailed for a majority of the first half before Jerry Deng gave them the lead with 5:28 left. The Seminoles extended their advantage to 39-33 after closing the half on a 7-2 run.

The Seminoles had their lead trimmed to six points three times in the second half, the last with 7:54 remaining on free throws by Jamal Mashburn Jr., but Temple could not get any closer.

Ewin had dunks at 4:58 and 2:51 for 11- and 12-point leads.

Chandler Jackson added 10 points for Florida State. Watkins went 10 of 13 from the free-throw line and the rest of his teammates combined to go 5 of 11.

Mashburn led Temple with 20 points as he reached 20 for the fifth straight game. Zion Stanford added 15 points and Steve Settle III scored 14.