Associated Press

The national roundup …

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Coach Leonard Hamilton has been waiting a long time to see his Florida State team play like it did Tuesday night.

“We are getting better,” Hamilton said shortly after Al Thornton scored 27 points and Jason Rich added a career-high 24 points as the hot-shooting Seminoles defeated Maryland 96-79. “It was one of those nights where everybody contributed a little bit.”

Florida State (16-6, 4-4 ACC) made 30 of its first 43 shots to maintain a double-digit lead for most of the second half as it evened its ACC record halfway through the conference schedule after an 0-3 start.

“We’re still trying to claw our way out,” Hamilton said. “We’re getting better. We have to have the sum of our parts working for us to be successful.”

Everything was working Tuesday.

Thornton, the ACC’s top scorer in league games, made 12 of 17 shots and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds while Rich was 10 of 12 from the field for Florida State, which shot 61.7 percent for the game and enjoyed a 33-19 rebound advantage.

No. 21 Notre Dame 103, Syracuse 91

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Luke Harangody had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 21 Notre Dame beat Syracuse 103-91 on Tuesday night behind an impressive display of 3-point shooting. Notre Dame (18-4,

6-3 Big East) won for the first time in four conference road games and halted a three-game losing streak against the reeling Orange (15-7, 4-4), who lost their third straight game.

Ole Miss 85, Mississippi St. 73

OXFORD, Miss. — Bam Doyne and Clarence Sanders scored 23 and 22 points, respectively while Todd Abernethy had 19 points and 10 assists for Mississippi in an 85-73 win over Mississippi State.

The backcourt trio was decisive. Dwayne Curtis added 14 points and eight rebounds inside.