Temple University Athletics
OWLS' VALIANT EFFORT FALLS SHORT AT ARIZONA STATE, 70-66
12.10.03 | Men's Basketball
The Owls almost pulled off what would have been a truly memorable win. The game started with sophomore forward Antywane Robinson hitting a baseline jumper and then slamming home a missed shot to put Temple up 4-0. That, however, would be all for the TU forward as he landed on an Arizona State player's foot and sprained his ankle.
Then senior guard David Hawkins (15 points) picked up two quick fouls and took a seat on the bench for the remainder of the half at the 16-minute mark. He was soon joined by sophomore center Keith Butler, who was called for his second foul with 11:59 left in the first half and Temple leading 11-10.
Against a Pac-10 team fresh off an NCAA Tournament season, that should have been all for the young Owls. But, instead, Temple made a stand as newcomers Dustin Salisbery, Dion Dacons and Mario Taybron all stepped up their game, especially on the defensive end. Salisbery, who posted his first collegiate double-double (18 points, 13 rebounds), played stronger defensively in Robinson's slot. Dacons created havoc with hustle plays while Taybron turned in another fine performance, running the offense and leading the team in steals with four.
The glue to the young unit was sophomore Mardy Collins. With Robinson, Hawkins and Butler on the bench, Collins stepped up on the offensive end, tallying 12 of his 14 first half points in the stanza's final 12 minutes to propel Temple to an improbable 34-29 halftime lead.
"They showed me a lot of heart," stated Hawkins on the play of the team's newcomers. "They showed me they are trying to learn and want to win."
With Hawkins and Robinson back in the lineup to start the second half things looked promising for the Cherry and White. But no one expected the game would become a walk to the free throw line.
The Sun Devils, which connected on 29-of-36 from the charity stripe during the game, would not make their first basket of the second half until the 14-minute mark. It would be one of only 10 second half baskets for ASU as the home team attempted 25 shots from the foul line in the second half, making 19.
"I do not come on the road to be robbed," lamented an exasperated Temple coach John Chaney. "This is a good team (ASU), they did not need this."
Temple was still able to overcome the overwhelming number of fouls (27) called against them until the final moments. First junior reserve Nehemiah Ingram, playing in place of Butler, fouled out with 16:21 to play in the game. Butler and Dacons would follow in the game's waning moments.
Still, ASU was not even able to forge a tie in the contest until Diogu converted a three-point play to knot the game at 62 with 3:08 left. Collins, who led the Owls with 19 points, then nailed a runner in the lane to put Temple back on top. On the Owls' next possession, Butler was called for his fifth foul trying to rebound a Hawkins' miss. Diogu converted both free throws to tie the game at 64.
A Salisbery follow shot with 1:57 remaining made it 66-64 Temple, but Diogu answered with a lay-up with 1:25 on the clock. Dacons committed his fifth foul on the play, but the ASU All-American was unable to give the Sun Devils the lead on the free throw line.
Collins then missed a runner on the Owls' next possession. Hawkins came down with the rebound but was stripped by ASU's Kevin Kruger. That set up Moore with the game-winner.
On Temple's final possession, Hawkins drove the lane but unlike so many calls on the other end of the floor, a foul was not called on his attempt. Salisbery's follow shot was too hard and the Sun Devils claimed the rebound and the win.
Temple, which falls to 1-4 on the season, will now head back to Philadelphia for a two-game homestand starting on Saturday afternoon against Penn State (5:00 p.m.). Arizona State improves to 4-1.
