Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE TO FACE SAINT JOSEPH'S IN ALL-PHILLY ATLANTIC 10 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
3.8.04 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - With a guaranteed NCAA Tournament bid on the line, the Temple women's basketball team (20-9) will face host Saint Joseph's (20-9) in the Atlantic 10 Championship Final on Monday, March 8. The game, which will be televised on ESPN2 with Kara Lawson and Dave Pasch calling the action, is scheduled for a 5:00 p.m. tip-off.
Temple, the number one seed in the A-10 East, is 18-38 all-time against East number two Saint Joseph's. The Owls swept the season series over the Hawks this year, including the last meeting on February 19 where Temple prevailed, 58-56. The two games with Saint Joseph's were decided by a total of three points. The Owls and Hawks last met in an A-10 Championship Final on March 4, 2002. Temple won 63-58 to claim its first ever Atlantic 10 Title.
Sophomore center Candice Dupree is Temple's top scorer (14.2 ppg) and rebounder (7.4 rpg.). Dupree, a second team all-conference selection and all-defensive team member, is averaging 18 points, 11 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game in the A-10 Championships. Junior guard Cynthia Jordan, Temple's second-leading scorer (9.7 ppg.) tops the team in assists (3.8 apg.) and leads the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.7/1).
Saint Joseph's, which enters the game fresh off its 70-57 upset win over West number one seed George Washington, boasts three double-digit scorers led by reserve Irina Krasnoshiok (12.7 ppg.) Stephanie Graff, who joined Dupree on the all-conference second team and the all-defensive team, averages 12.6 points per game and leads the Hawks in rebounding at seven boards per contest.
