Temple University Athletics
MEN'S BASKETBALL OPENS TOUGH STRETCH AT #18 ALABAMA SATURDAY
12.10.04 | Men's Basketball
- Temple travels south to take on one of its "Big Four" non-conference opponents, the University of Alabama, Saturday evening in Tuscaloosa. The #18 Crimson Tide is the first of four Temple non-conference nationally-ranked foes. The Owls will also take on Wake Forest (#6 AP/#7 USAToday/ESPN) Monday night (Dec. 13) and Duke (#9/9) and Maryland (#23/17) in early January. The game, which tips off at 7:00 p.m. (EST), can be heard on WPHT 1210 AM. It will also be carried on a tape-delayed basis (11:00 p.m.) on Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia.
The Owls are coming off consecutive one-point wins over Philadelphia Big 5 rivals Villanova (54-52, 12/4) and Penn (52-51, 12/8). Junior co-captain Mardy Collins had a hand in the deciding play in both victories, dishing an assist on the game-winning three-pointer against Villanova and converting two free throws with fours seconds remaining in the Penn game. The Owl point guard leads the team in scoring (14.7 ppg.), assists (5.0 apg.) and steals (3.0 spg.). Freshman Mark Tyndale (13.3 ppg.) and sophomore Dustin Salisbery (11.0 ppg.) are also averaging double figure points while junior center Keith Butler tops the squad in rebounding (6.5 rpg.).
Senior guard Earnest Shelton leads the high-scoring Crimson Tide (89.2 ppg.) with a 19.1 ppg. average. Junior forwards Kennedy Winston (18.5 ppg.) and Chuck Davis (16.9 ppg.) give Alabama three solid offensive weapons.
This is just the second meeting between the schools with Alabama taking the first contest, 70-67, at the Jimmy V Classic on December 18, 2001.
