Temple University Athletics
DEFENSE LACKING AS MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS AT GEORGE WASHINGTON, 78-60
1.7.04 | Men's Basketball
"We have players who feed off of scoring unlike Temple teams," stated Hall of Fame coach John Chaney following the game. "We have guys that when the ball is not going in the basket they do not have any other answers. They do not realize that the defense is what has always made us a great team."
Defense was noticeably absent for the Owls, especially in the second half. After leading 34-29 at intermission, Temple allowed George Washington open look after open look from the perimeter, and the Colonials made them pay. GW drained eight-for-13 from long range in the period (61.5%), including two treys in the first two minutes of the half to quickly tie the game at 37. That was part of an 11-3 run that lifted the Colonials to a 40-37 lead with 17:09 remaining.
After the Owls main scoring threat, senior guard David Hawkins, picked up his third foul a minute later, GW went on another spurt, scoring 14 of the next 17 points, to take a 54-42 lead at the 13-minute mark.
Hawkins, who was playing his final collegiate game in front of his hometown fans, returned at that point, but the Owls never got within seven points the remainder of the contest.
The game started out with George Washington taking a 15-8 lead in the first seven minutes. The Owls rebounded behind Hawkins, the nation's ninth-leading scorer, who scored nine of his game-high 22 points in succession to give the Cherry and White a 17-15 lead. That outburst was part of a 17-5 Temple run that gave the Owls their biggest lead of the contest, 25-20, with 5:46 to play.
The teams traded baskets the rest of the half with Temple entering the locker room with a 34-29 lead.
Besides Hawkins, freshman guard Dustin Salisbery contributed on the offensive end, tallying a career-high 19 points, including 14 in the second half.
Sophomore Mardy Collins continues to be mired in a shooting slump. The Owl point guard hit just one-for-nine from the floor and over the past four games is shooting 14-for-60 (.233) over the last four games.
"I am just in a slump right now, just can not make any shots," said Collins, who had his streak of 40-minute games come to an end at five. "I am just trying to keep shooting. Coach tells me to keep shooting and I guess sooner or later it will come around."
Chaney gave credit to the Colonials (7-6, 1-1), which have become a team to be reckoned with the Atlantic 10 under third-year coach Karl Hobbs.
"This team is a great shooting ball club," stated Chaney. "They shot the ball extremely well."
T.J. Thompson led four Colonial double figure scorers with 21 points. Thompson, who also dealt six assists, hit five-of-12 three-pointers in the game. Sharpshooter Greg Collucci came off the bench to hit four treys and score 14 points.
GW controlled the boards, 43-27, with Mike Hall (12 points) and Omar Williams (10 points) each pulling down 12 rebounds to post double-doubles. Micheal Blackshear came off the bench for Temple to lead the Owls with eight rebounds.
Temple, 4-6, 0-1, must now regroup and travel to Dayton to take on the Flyers on Saturday afternoon (1:00 p.m.) in a nationally-televised contest (ESPN2).
