NEW YORK -- Little had gone right for the Temple Owls before they gathered around coach Fran Dunphy during a timeout. It would have been easy for them to lament their woes.Instead, as Shizz Alston Jr. recalled, their message to each other was cloaked in defiance.Were on a big stage, were not going out like this, Alston said after Temples 89-86 victory over No. 25 Florida State on Thursday in the first game of the NIT Season Tip-Off. We want to fight back.Quinton Rose scored 26 points, including two free throws with 2 seconds left. Alston Jr. added 22 points and Obi Enechionyia had 16 points and eight rebounds for the Owls (3-2).Dwayne Bacon had 22 points for the Seminoles (4-1). Jonathan Issac added 19 points. Xavier Rathan-Mayes had 11, and Terance Mann 10.Theyre so deep, Dunphy said about Florida State. So athletic. They can make shots, too.Trailing by 12 with 9:26 left, Temple went on a 15-2 run to take a 73-72 lead. The stretch began when Alston made a 3. That was followed by Roses putback, Enechionyias lay-in, two made free throws by Alston, and consecutive 3s from Alston and Damion Moore.The Owls were able to extend their advantage to 85-80 after Enechionyias made 3 with 3:18 left. But Trent Forrests lay-in with 77 seconds cut the deficit to one, 87-86.They spread the floor, Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said of Temples offensive approach in the second half. They were shooting the 3s and they spread the floor, did a great job of taking us off the dribble when they got to the foul line.Give them credit: They did what they had to do.Florida State had a chance to win, but Isaac air-balled a layup attempt with four seconds left. Roses two free throws sealed the win.We started making every shot we took, Dunphy said.BIG PICTURE:Temple: Coming off a berth in the NCAA Tournament, the Owls are looking for a repeat trip and a win over a Top 25 team is good for the resume. The biggest issue for Temple, though, will be its ability to defend well and, as Shizz Alston Jr. said, can the Owls win games comfortably?Florida State: Following five wins against lesser competition, Florida State took a step up in weight class and was fairly impressive for 30 minutes. However, college basketball games last 40. The Seminoles vaunted defense was broken down repeatedly by Temples guards and, as Leonard Hamilton noted, his team will get its fill of strong opposition once ACC play begins.POLL IMPLICATIONS:Temple: Despite the win, it is unlikely that the Owls will move into the Top 25. Temple had dropped close decisions to New Hampshire and UMass in its second and third games of the season.Florida State: During his postgame press conference, Leonard Hamilton stressed one game does not determine the outcome of a season. But it may -- and likely will -- cost the Seminoles their No. 25 ranking.NOTABLETemple: The National Invitation Tournament Tip-Off marks the sixth time in program history that the Owls participated in the early season event. Temples six appearances are tied with St. Johns for second most in tournament history; Arizona and Duke have made seven appearances apiece.Florida State: The first of two NIT Tip-Off games marked the first time since the third round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament that the Seminoles were a nationally ranked team. Following a 62-56 loss to Cincinnati in the third round, the Seminoles finished the season ranked 10th in the nation.QUOTABLEI think you can come up with a philosophical theory if you want to, but they just had a great night. They did a very good job. Im sure theyre hoping they shoot the ball that well for the remainder of the year. Im hoping we dont defend as poorly as we did tonight and I dont think we will, Florida States Leonard Hamilton, in response to a question regarding his concern about the Seminoles defense.UP NEXTTemple: Will meet West Virginia in championship game Friday.Florida State: Will meet Illinois in the consolation game Friday.---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 Colorado Avalanche Store . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. Colorado Avalanche Gear . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. https://www.cheapavalanche.com/ . Woodson said during a radio interview Thursday that the Knicks Carmelo Anthony doesnt get the same calls as other superstars. Fake Avalanche Jerseys . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Cheap Avalanche Jerseys . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables has won the Broyles Award, given annually to the top assistant coach in college football.Venables was a finalist for the third time for the award, which is named after former Arkansas coach Frank Broyles.The 45-year-old helped the Tigers (12-1) return to the College Football Playoff for a second straight year this season, guiding a defense that was ninth in the country while allowing an average of 313.9 yards per game. He did so despite losing seven defensivee starters from a season ago, when Clemson lost to Alabama in the national championship game.dddddddddddd.The second-seeded Tigers face Ohio State in the semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.Other finalists included Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, Colorado defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt, Michigan defensive coordinator Dan Brown and Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Matt Canada. ' ' '