Temple University Athletics
MEN'S BASKETBALL HANGS TOUGH AT NO. 14 ILLINOIS BUT FALTERS LATE IN 70-54 LOSS
12.14.02 | Men's Basketball
Saturday's loss to the Fighting Illini completed a string of six straight away games, a school record for consecutive contests played on the road.
Temple opened the scoring on an Alex Wesby three-pointer. Illinois answered by depositing 21 of the games next 26 points to take a 21-8 lead with 10:04 showing on the first half clock. The Owls reduced the margin to seven with scores on consecutive possessions before the Illini took its largest lead of the first half, 14 points (28-14) on a James Augustine slam dunk with 5:34 showing in the first stanza. Temple, with first assistant Nate Blackwell calling the shots, responded by scoring 13 of the final 15 first half points and entered the locker room at the midpoint facing a 30-27 deficit.
The Fighting Illini went to the charity stripe 14 times in the first half and deposited its first 13 attempts. For the game, the home squad shot 90.5 percent (19-21) from the foul line.
The Owls kept the game within reach for the better part of the second half before Illinois pulled away. With 5:54 remaining, the Owls trailed by seven (50-43) after David Hawkins converted two free throws. Deron Williams responded with a 20-foot trey to extend UI's lead to double digits and the Illini never looked back, running its advantage to 18 points (70-52) before Wesby closed out the scoring with a layup.
Hawkins led the Owls in the scoring column with 22 points while playing the entire 40 minutes.
The Owls have two weeks off before hosting nationally-ranked Indiana at the Liacouras Center on Saturday, December 28 in a 3:30 p.m. tip-off. The game is the Owls' third straight against a Big Ten Conference opponent and will be televised nationally on ESPN.
GAME NOTES: Points in the paint proved a problem once again for Temple, as the Illini held a 28-16 advantage ... Illinois' bench also provided 13 points to the Owls' eight ... Two of Temple's three freshmen starters (center Keith Butler and forward Antywane Robinson) were held scoreless ... Junior Brian Polk, after sitting out the first six games, saw his first action of the season ... The Harbeson, Del. native scored five points and grabbed four rebounds playing 28 minutes of the bench.
