Temple University Athletics
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CAN'T OVERCOME SHOOTING WOES IN 52-42 LOSS TO RUTGERS
12.10.02 | Women's Basketball
Senior point guard Stacey Smalls paced the Owl offense with 11 points. Freshman center Candice Dupree, the reigning Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Week, chipped in with eight points and a team-high nine rebounds. First-year sophomore Khadija Bowens also scored eight points and grabbed three steals for Temple.
Cappie Pondexter led Rutgers with 16 points and nine rebounds. Dawn McCullouch added 10 points for the victors. The Scarlet Knights' starting backcourt of Pondexter, Mauri Horton and Chelsea Newton combined for 26 rebounds.
Temple built its largest lead of the game at 9-5 behind four early points by Dupree before Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer was forced to call a timeout. The Scarlet Knights came out of the timeout with a lay-up by Amber Petillon and two consecutive lay-ups by McCullouch to take an 11-9 lead. An ensuing 16-3 run put Rutgers ahead, 21-12.
The Scarlet Knights took a 32-20 lead into the locker room after a 7-0 spurt to close the half. Rutgers held a 24-12 rebounding advantage at the intermission.
Defense prevailed in the second period as both teams shot less than 30 percent from the field after halftime. Temple's pressure defense forced 11 second half turnovers, including three steals by Bowens.
For the game, Temple shot just 27 percent. The Owls converted on only two of their 13 three-point attempts. Rutgers also controlled the boards throughout the game, winning the rebounding battle 44-35.
Up next for the Owls is a trip to face nationally-ranked Notre Dame on Saturday, December 14, at 1:00 p.m. EST.
