Temple University Athletics
OWLS FALL TO ALABAMA, 70-67 IN JIMMY V CLASSIC
12.19.01 | Men's Basketball
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ-- For the second time in as many games, Coach John Chaney's Temple basketball team dropped a game in which it fell behind early in the second half, played lethargically down the stretch, rallied for a chance in the final minute, then lose it on a turnover. The Owls fell to 22nd-ranked Alabama, 70-67, in the first game of the Jimmy V Classic doubleheader at the Continental Airlines Arena .
On December 8, Temple (3-5) fell to Villanova at the Palestra in Philadelphia in much the same fashion. In the Owls' first game ever versus the Crimson Tide, Temple was out-rebounded 49-18 and out-shot from the field, 45.6 percent (26-57) to 35.4 (23-65). Alabama (8-2) also outshone the Owls at the foul line, connecting on 11-16 from the charity stripe (68.8 percent) to Temple's 10-20 (50%).
The good news for Owl fans was the return of sophomore guard David Hawkins, who missed the team's first seven games under NCAA eligibility restrictions. A starter in 26 games as a true freshman, Hawkins came off the bench to play 27 minutes and finish with an impressive double-double, scoring 16 points and pulling down a team-high 12 rebounds. The rebound total was also a personal career high. Lynn Greer led the Temple scoring with 23 points, while Alex Wesby added nine and a career-high six steals.
The Owls achieved their biggest lead of the game 21-16 at the 6:12 mark of the first half, on a three-point jumper by Greer from the left corner. But the offense went cold until the break , and Alabama took a 26-23 halftime advantage on a three-point field goal by Rod Grizzard at the 1:52 mark.
In the second half, Alabama ran the margin to 40-30 on a three-pointer by Terrance Meade with 16 minutes to play. The Tide extended the lead to 15 with just 4:13 remaining, as Maurice Williams scored on a short jumper to give Alabama what seemed to be a game-clinching 62-47 advantage.
But the Owls fought back, completing an 8-0 run on Wesby's layup at the1:43 mark. After a 'Bama score by Kenny Walker , Hawkins scored on two consecutive put-backs that pulled the Owls to within two at 64-62. Erwin Dudley's two foul shots gave Alabama a 66-62 lead on its next possession, but Greer made two of three foul shots after being hit in the act of shooting beyond the arc with 20 seconds left. Alabama's Travis Stinnett made one of two from the foul line on the next 'Tide possession, giving Temple the ball and trailing by three with eight seconds left. But Greer was stripped of the ball near mid court and Alabama closed it out with foul shots.
