Temple University Athletics
SENIOR GUARD STACEY SMALLS SETS MULLINS CENTER WOMEN'S RECORD IN 89-80 OVERTIME LOSS AT MASSACHUSETTS
1.17.03 | Women's Basketball
Temple (5-10, 1-3) got off to a good start, leading 28-19 with 6:55 remaining in the first half with the help of four three-point baskets, including three by Smalls and another by Cynthia Jordan (Chesapeake, Va./Deep Creek). But UMass would outscore the Owls, 14-5, down the stretch to knot the game at 33 entering halftime. Massachusetts outrebounded the Owls, 22-11, in the first half but the Owls hit on five-of-eight shots from beyond the arc to stay in the contest. Senior Amber Sneed was a spark plug off the bench for UMass, scoring 10 first-half points on five-for-eight shooting. Smalls led Temple at the break with 12 points, including four-for-six from three-point range.
The second half was a tightly contested contest with neither team gaining more than a five-point lead. UMass took a 40-35 lead with 18:01 remaining but the Owls fought back to take a 56-51 lead of their own with 10:25 left on a short jumper by Candice Dupree (Tampa, Fl./Wharton). With the Owls up 68-67, a layup by Temple's Christena Hamilton (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) gave the visitors a 70-67 lead with 3:12 left, but a three-point basket by Massachusetts' Ebony Pegus tied the game for the 10th time with 2:54 remaining in regulation. UMass would take a four-point lead with just 1:29 left on a layup by Jennifer Butler, but the Owls wouldn't die. Smalls hit a three-pointer to bring the Owls back to within one at 74-73 and following a pair of free throws made by Butler, the second with just eight-seconds remaining, Smalls hit her ninth trey of the game, knotting the score at 76 with just 2.6 seconds to send the game into overtime.
It was all Massachusetts in the overtime as they outscored the Owls 13-4, including the games final eight points, to up their overall record to 10-5 and even their record in the A-10 at 2-2. For Dawn Staley's troops, they dropped to 5-10 overall and 1-3 in Atlantic 10 Conference play.
The Owls wasted a superb effort by Smalls who also set a Mullins Center women's record with nine three-point field goals in addition to her 35 points. Temple's 11 three-point field goals and 75 field goal attempts also set records at the Mullins Center. Dupree (10 points, eight rebounds) was the only other Owl to score in double figures.
The Owls continue their two-game road trip with a stop down in Kingston, Rhode Island this Saturday afternoon when they take on Rhode Island at 2:00 p.m.
