Men's Basketball Loses a Back-and-Forth Contest at UConn, 72-66

Wednesday, February 28

Storrs, Conn.

7:00 p.m.

Temple University

16-13, 8-9AAC

UConn

14-16, 7-10AAC

Temple

UConn

Men's Basketball Loses a Back-and-Forth Contest at UConn, 72-66

2.28.18 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

STORRS, Conn. - In a tight game that saw 13 total lead changes, Temple men's basketball ultimately came out on the losing end as UConn (14-16, 7-10) won 72-66 on its Senior Night at Gampel Pavilion. The Owls (16-13, 8-9) have just one game remaining in the regular season, and will head to Tulsa on Sunday.

Keys to the Game
> Temple smashed its previous season high for rebounds (40), grabbing 53 to UConn's 41 and finishing with a 16-4 edge in second-chance points.
> Despite the performance on the glass, the difference in the game came at the three-point line, as the Owls hit just six treys to the Huskies' 11.
> Turnovers also proved costly for Temple with UConn earning a 17-6 advantage in points off turnovers as the Owls committed 12.
> UConn junior guard Jalen Adams proved unstoppable, scoring a game-high 25 points and draining 5-of-9 from long range.
> The Owls were within a point with 2:38 remaining, shortly after the game's fourth and final tie, but UConn used an 8-2 run to pull ahead for good.

Individual Highlights
> Four players reached double figures in scoring for Temple, led by Obi Enechionyia with 15 points and eight rebounds.
> Shizz Alston, Jr. tied his career high with eight boards, also scoring 13 points.
> Quinton Rose added 11 points for the Owls, while Nate Pierre-Louis came off the bench for 10.

First Half
> There were three ties and 10 lead changes in a very back-and-forth period, with six points being the largest lead for either team.
> Alston scored eight points early to give Temple a 15-10 lead just under six minutes in, as the Owls hit six of their first 11 shots from the field.
> UConn used a six-point spurt for a 24-19 lead at 7:22, but the Owls answered with a 13-2 run that included nine straight points for their largest lead of six, 32-26 with 1:52 left.
> The Huskies hit two from long range in the final minute and 19 seconds of the half, and the Owls' lead was down to two at the break, 34-32.
> Temple had a 26-17 edge on the glass after the first half, including a 9-3 edge in offensive boards.

Second Half
> The Huskies started the half with a 10-0 run for a 42-34 lead at 16:19, and held the lead until five minutes remained.
> UConn's ninth three-pointer gave the Huskies their first double-digit lead at 12:47, 46-36.
> The scoring pace slowed for both teams over a stretch, until Adams drained his fifth three-pointer of the game for UConn to put his team up 51-42 at 8:22.
> Temple freshman De'Vondre Perry answered with a trey, and it was followed by a Rose dunk off an Alston steal to get the Owls back within four, 51-47 at 7:34.
> Those buckets became part of a 12-2 run for the Owls that briefly put them back in the lead by a point, 54-53 at 4:55.
> After the game's fourth tie at 56-56, UConn took the lead back and did not relinquish it the rest of the way. The Owls were within a point with 2:38 remaining, but an 8-2 Husky run sealed the deal for UConn.
> Pierre-Louis hit two buckets in the final 10 seconds, but could get Temple within no fewer than four.

Next Up
> Temple plays its final regular season game at Tulsa on Sunday, March 4 at 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT (ESPN3 / 1210 AM WPHT).