Temple University Athletics
OWLS HOLD OFF LATE GAMECOCK CHARGE TO POST SECOND STRAIGHT WIN, 71-61
12.15.03 | Men's Basketball
The Butler also did it, as center Keith Butler scored a career-high 14 points while grabbing a game high and career-high tying 12 rebounds. Fellow sophomore Mardy Collins also registered double digits in scoring with 12 points and freshman Dustin Salisbery chipped in 10. It marked the first time this season that Temple had four players score in double-figures.
Temple (3-4) looked to have a safe 19-point buffer after a Hawkins' jumper registered a 57-38 score with 6:48 remaining in the game. South Carolina (8-1), however, decided to make things interesting and went on a 21-5 run to reduce the Owls' advantage to three points on a Carlos Powell lay-up with 1:10 to go. The Owls answered the challenge with a pair of Collins' free throws and a Salisbery slam dunk to increase the lead to seven with 30 seconds to play. Salisbery proceeded to convert four attempts from the charity stripe in the closing seconds to secure the 10-point win.
The Gamecocks did not help themselves at the foul line, missing their first eight free throws, including front ends on two one-and-one's with under a minute to play. USC shot just 20 percent (2-10) from the charity stripe for the evening.
The Owls largest lead of the night was 20 points after a Collins lay-up resulted in a 55-35 score with 7:41 showing on the second half clock.
After South Carolina deposited the game's first basket, Temple scored the next eight points. USC's Tarance Kinsey halted the run with a three-pointer to register an 8-5 score with 15:47 remaining before the break. Butler proved a strong inside scoring presence early, contributed seven of the Owls' initial 13 points.
Collins helped fuel an eight-point Temple run with an assist and a three-pointer as the Owls led, 23-11, at the 8:33 mark after a Dion Dacons bucket. USC's Carlos Powell stopped the run with a lay-up and the Owls proceeded to score seven consecutive points to take their largest lead of the half, 32-15, on a Hawkins jumper with 2:21 remaining before the half.
Collins also made a difference on the defensive end, taking a charge on a three-on-one break to bring the appreciative home crowd to its feet with 7:45 remaining and Temple leading, 23-11.
After shooting at fifty percent or above for the majority of the first half, the Owls missed four of their final five attempts from the field to head to the locker room at the midpoint shooting 44 percent (11-25). Temple's shooting from behind the arc, however, is what provided the early difference as the home squad made 56 percent (5-9) of its first half three-pointers. The Cherry & White entered the game shooting just 25 percent (36-143) from behind the arc.
The Gamecocks had no answers for John Chaney's match-up zone and made just 24 percent (8-33) of their field goal attempts prior to the break, including a paltry six percent (1-16) from behind the arc.
Temple committed an uncharacteristic 15 turnovers on the evening and was out-rebounded by the visitors, 45-41. Mike Boynton, who arrived at the Liacouras Center just minutes before opening tip after attending commencement ceremonies on the USC campus earlier in the day, led the Gamecocks with a career-high 16 points.
Temple returns to the hardwood this Saturday in a 6:00 p.m. tip-off versus Big East Conference-member Miami at American Airlines Arena. The game is being produced by the Sunshine Network in Florida but will not be televised in the Philadelphia region. The contest will mark the second meeting between the schools and the first in 42 years. The Owls hold a 1-0 series advantage after an 85-67 victory on Dec. 29, 1961.
