Late Rally Stalls for Women's Basketball Against Penn

Thursday, January 21

McGonigle Hall

7:00 p.m.

Temple University

11-7, 2-2Big 5

Penn

12-2, 2-1Big 5

Penn

Temple

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Late Rally Stalls for Women's Basketball Against Penn

1.21.16 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple women's basketball team rallied from a 10-point third quarter deficit, taking the lead with 3:40 to play, but ultimately fell to Big-5 rival Penn, 60-54, on Thursday night at McGonigle Hall. The loss dips Temple to 11-6, 2-2 in the Big 5, while Penn improves to 12-2, 2-1 in Big 5 play.

After falling behind 45-35 late in the third quarter, Temple mounted a comeback that saw the Owls take the lead with under four to play. Penn responded with a go-ahead three on the nest possession and didn't look back, as the Quakers finished out the victory.

In a defensive-minded battled that featured eight blocks from each team, Penn out-rebounded Temple, 59-35, providing the difference that the Quakers needed.

Sophomore Alliya Butts led the Owls with 16 points, while classmate Tanaya Atkinson had 14 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Donnaizha Fountain had eight points and seven boards, while graduate student Ugo Nwaigwe finished with a career-high six blocks, also adding five points.

After a Covile bucket opened the game for the Owls, Penn went on an 8-0 run to lead by six with 5:44 on the clock. Temple answered back with six-straight to knot things as 8-8, but another Penn run, this one 7-2, put the Quakers up 15-10 with 2:05 to play. The Owls were able to close the deficit to three, scoring four out of the quarter's final six points to set the score to 17-14 after one.

Temple took its first lead of the game, going up 19-17, after a 5-0 start to the second quarter. Penn regained its advantage on a three from Kelsey Chambers (24-22) with under two to play, but Temple quickly tied it up with a Covile score. From there, the teams traded baskets making it a 26-26 game at the break.

Butts led the Owls at the half with eight points and two steals, while Nwaigwe had five points. Atkinson added four points and four rebounds in the frame. For Penn, Michelle Nwokedi led all players with 10 points, also adding four boards and three blocks.

The teams traded buckets to open the third quarter, making it 30-30. From there, Penn used an 13-2 run to take its largest lead of the game (43-32) with 4:10 left in the frame. Temple finally broke its scoring drought with a Butts three, closing the frame with a 5-2 spurt to make it an eight-point game at 45-37.

Temple came out scoring the fourth quarter, going on a 13-4 run, backed by three steals that turned into points. The surge erased the Penn lead and put Temple ahead 50-49 with 3:40 on the clock. On the next possession, the Quakers' Lauren Whitlatch nailed a three, which proved to be the final blow Penn needed. That strike put the Quakers up, 52-50, but they would not relinquish the lead.

Temple missed a three on its next trip down the court and Nwokedi added two points in the paint to make it a 54-50 game. The Owls were able to cut the deficit to two points on two more occasions, but Penn, despite missing free throws down the stretch, was able to hold on for the 60-54 win.

Nwokedi finished with a double-doubles of 21 points and 16 boards, while Sydney Stipanovich had nine points and 16 boards.

Temple's Saturday contest has been postponed to February 12, so the Owls will next be in action on Tuesday at Tulane.

Box Score (PDF) | Post-Game Press Conference