Temple University Athletics
MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS TO DAYTON 79-72 IN A-10 CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
3.15.03 | Men's Basketball
Junior Brian Polk scored a game-high 22 points on 7-12 shooting, including 4-7 from behind the arc, to lead three Owls in double figures. Junior David Hawkins and freshman Maurice Collins scored 20 and 16 points, respectively. Polk was named to the 2003 Atlantic 10 All-Tournament Team after averaging 22.3 points-per-game in the tourney.
Things did not go Temple's way early. Dayton jumped out to a 14-0 lead, courtesy of three, three-pointers. The Owls registered their first basket at 14:42 on an Alex Wesby trey. Dayton's lead remained at 10 points or better until a Polk three-pointer at 10:17 brought the Owls to within seven (20-13). The teams traded baskets until a pair of Brooks Hall free throws at 4:42 gave UD an 11 point lead and the advantage would remain in double-figures for the rest of the half. The Flyers established a 17-point advantage at 1:07 before a pair of Hawkins' free throws sent the Owls to the locker room trailing 39-24.
Freshman center Keith Butler got in early foul trouble for Temple, playing only the first six minutes of the initial stanza. Sophomore Glen Elliott replaced Butler and committed four personal fouls prior to the intermission. The lack of stability at the center position paved the way for Flyers' big man Sean Finn, who scored 14 first half points on 6-7 shooting. Finn finished the game with a career-high 20 points.
After the break, the Owls gradually chipped away at the deficit. Trailing 57-44, Temple went on a six-point run, capped by a Polk layup with 8:21 remaining to register a 57-50 score. The Flyers increased their lead to nine (61-52) before a Hawkins lay-up and then a Collins jumper at 5:01 diminished the advantage to 61-56. The Flyers responded before a hometown crowd of 11,537, running its lead to 12 on two occasions.
Temple, however, was not ready to give up. The Owls went on a seven-point run to get within five points, 70-65, once gain after a pair of Polk free throws with 1:47 on the clock. Dayton, however, made its free throws down the stretch, stopping the Owls' comeback effort short.
Temple made 45.0 percent (27-60) of its field goal attempts, including 52.8 percent (19-36) after the break. Dayton made 45.3 percent (24-53) of its shots, including 52.6 percent (10-19) after the midpoint.
The Flyers held a 37-29 advantage in rebounds and posted 17 more assists (20-3) than the Owls.
