SUNRISE, Fla. (Interstat) — Daniel Hankins-Sanford scored 24 points as Massachusetts upset Florida State 103-95 on Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena. The Minutemen, who trailed 47-43 at halftime, erupted for 60 second-half points to secure the victory. Hankins-Sanford added four assists for Massachusetts (8-3). K’Jei Parker also scored 24 points, while Leonardo Bettiol added 20. Robert McCray led Florida State (5-5) with 21 points and 11 assists. The Seminoles, a 9.5-point favorite, saw their two-game winning streak snapped. Massachusetts dominated inside with 48 points in the paint and scored 18 points off turnovers to fuel the comeback. The teams combined for 198 total points, far exceeding the pregame over/under line of 159.5.

SUNRISE, Fla. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive firepower and a relentless second-half surge, the Massachusetts Minutemen overcame a halftime deficit and a significant pregame projection to outlast the Florida State Seminoles 103-95 in a nonconference men’s basketball showdown Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena. The contest, which featured a combined 198 points, saw Massachusetts improve to 8-3 while Florida State fell to an even 5-5. The Minutemen’s victory defied the odds, as national statistical models gave the Seminoles a 71.9% chance to win, and Florida State entered as a 9.5-point favorite. The most critical phase of the game unfolded early in the second half, where Massachusetts transformed its offensive approach and seized control. After trailing 47-43 at intermission, the Minutemen erupted for 60 points in the final 20 minutes, shooting a blistering 54.3% from the field in the period. The turnaround was ignited by a decisive 17-6 run over the first five minutes of the half, flipping a four-point deficit into a 60-53 lead. This stretch was characterized by efficient interior scoring from Leonardo Bettiol and Daniel Hankins-Sanford, and it established an offensive rhythm that Florida State could never fully disrupt. While the Seminoles, led by Robert McCray’s 21 points and 11 assists, repeatedly answered with baskets to stay within striking distance, they could not string together the defensive stops needed to reclaim the lead. Massachusetts consistently countered every Florida State push with a critical score, often from beyond the arc, where they finished 12 for 22 compared to Florida State’s 12-for-41 performance. The Minutemen’s offensive balance proved overwhelming. Daniel Hankins-Sanford, a 6-foot-8 forward from Charlotte, North Carolina, led all scorers with 24 points, adding four assists and a block in 32 minutes. He was complemented by a breakout performance from guard K’Jei Parker of Lakeland, Florida, who also scored 24 points, including four three-pointers. Bettiol, a 6-foot-9 forward from Italy, dominated inside with 20 points, and Marcus Banks added 18. Florida State’s McCray orchestrated the offense effectively, and AJ Swinton provided 12 points off the bench, but the Seminoles’ reliance on perimeter shooting against Massachusetts’s more diversified attack, which produced 48 points in the paint, was a key differentiator. The Seminoles also committed 12 turnovers, which Massachusetts converted into 18 points. The game’s frantic pace and scoring output far exceeded expectations, with the total soaring over the pregame over/under line of 159.5. Despite the loss, Florida State’s offensive rating of 116.0 on 82 possessions was strong, but it was eclipsed by Massachusetts’s exceptional efficiency, posting a 124.1 offensive rating on 83 possessions. The victory extends Massachusetts’s winning streak to three games following earlier wins over Boston College, Massachusetts-Lowell and Harvard. Florida State, meanwhile, has dropped three of its last four contests, with previous losses to Houston, Georgia and Texas A&M. Massachusetts returns home to face Kent State on Dec. 20. Florida State travels to face Dayton on Dec. 16.

SUNRISE, Fla. (Interstat) — A surging Massachusetts team aims to extend its winning streak against a Florida State squad seeking stability when the Minutemen and Seminoles meet in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena. The Minutemen (7-3) arrive with momentum, having won four straight games, including a 76-74 victory over Boston College on Wednesday. Their success has been fueled by the hot hand of guard Marcus Banks, who scored 29 points in that win and has averaged 22.4 points over his last five contests. “We’re building confidence with each game,” said Massachusetts coach Frank Martin. “But we know we’re walking into a tough environment against a very athletic team from a major conference. We have to be sharp.” Florida State (5-4) looks to rebound from a difficult stretch where it dropped three consecutive games, most recently an 82-67 loss at then-Houston on Dec. 6. The Seminoles’ defense has struggled during the skid, allowing an average of 94.7 points in losses to the Cougars, Georgia and Texas A&M. “Our focus is on getting back to our identity, which starts on the defensive end,” said Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton. “Massachusetts is playing very well, and Banks is a tremendous scorer. We need a complete effort.” The matchup at point guard will be pivotal. Banks’ scoring prowess for UMass will be challenged by Florida State’s Robert McCray, a dynamic playmaker who averages 12.2 points and 6.4 assists per game. McCray dished out 11 assists against Texas A&M on Nov. 28. This game represents a final major nonconference test for both sides before holiday breaks. Massachusetts will rely on its recent clutch performances, while Florida State hopes its challenging early schedule prepares it for this moment. “This is an opportunity for us to measure ourselves,” Hamilton said. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on the ACC Network.