Temple University Athletics
OWLS DEFEAT VILLANOVA, 63-57, ADVANCE TO NIT FINAL FOUR
3.22.02 | Men's Basketball
The win puts Temple (18-14) into the semifinal round of the NIT, where they will meet the winner of Saturday's game between Tennessee Tech (27-6) and Memphis (24-9) at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Tuesday (Mar. 26). The game time will be televised by ESPN at either 6:30 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. (to be announced), in a semifinal double-header that also features Syracuse (23-11) vs. South Carolina (21-14). Tuesday's winners will meet for the NIT Championship on Thursday (Mar. 28) at 9:00 p.m., following a consolation game at 6:30 p.m.
Chaney, who has coached Temple to the NCAA's round of eight five times in his 20-year tenure but has yet to reach the Final Four, turned in perhaps the best coaching job of his legendary career to advance his team. Suffering from a high ankle sprain incurred in the final minute at Louisville this past Tuesday, top-scorer Lynn Greer was unavailable. And although shooting just 39.3 percent from the field (24-61), the Owls committed just three turnovers, came up with six steals and limited the Wildcats to a paltry 19 first-half points to notch the victory.
For the Owls it was truly a team victory. Four players scored in double-figures to pace Temple, including David Hawkins with a team-high 16, Alex Wesby and Kevin Lyde with 12 and Brian Polk with 10. Lyde also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds which put him in a selected conpany. Lyde now joins Temple greats, John Baum and Jim Williams as the only three Owls ever that scored 1,000 points with 1,000 rebounds. Ron Rollerson contributed seven points and six rebounds of his own. Hawley Smith was instrumental off the bench, scoring five points a dishing to Lyde for a clutch second-half assist. Reggie Bryant paced Villanova (19-13) with 19 points.
Temple will make its fourth appearance in the NIT Final Four, having won the prestigious championship in 1938 and 1969 and finished third in 1957.
