Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE WOMEN ROLL TO TENTH STRAIGHT WIN AT LA SALLE, 57-47
1.17.05 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA--Candice Dupree and Kamesha Hairston each earned double-doubles to lead Temple to its tenth straight win and a share of the Big 5 title on Monday afternoon after topping the LaSalle Explorers, 67-57. Hairston led the Owls with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Dupree tallied 12 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and game-highs of five assists and five steals. Temple is now 13-3 overall and 5-0 in the Atlantic 10, while the Explorers fall to 7-9 overall and 1-4 in conference play. With today's win, the Owls also have clinched a share of the Big 5 title, one which they share with Villanova.
Temple jumped out to an early lead, holding the Explorers without a basket for the first 10 minutes of the game. The Owls led 8-3 by the 15-minute mark, with LaSalle's only points coming from three foul shots by Crista Ricketts. Davineia Payne finally scored La Salle's first basket when she drove the lane at 9:43 but Temple had already built an 11-point lead. The Explorers rallied back from this deficit to pull within five points at 4:08 with a three-pointer by Megan Wilkinson. Carlene Hightower got La Salle within three with just under two minutes remaining but a Cynthia Jordan trey would allow Temple to go into the locker room with a 26-19 lead at halftime. Temple committed eight first half fouls to La Salle's three, sending Ricketts to the line nine times. It was the Explorers' 18.5% shooting that let the Owls lead throughout the first stanza.
The second half looked much like the first, with the Owls holding the Explorers scoreless until the 17:00 minute mark. After opening up as much as a 20-point lead, Temple began to pull back a bit and let La Salle to get within 12 points with 3:30 remaining. The Owl bench did a great job in the final two minutes, allowing TU to walk away with a double digit lead, 57-47.
Jordan was also in double figures for Temple, tallying 12 points, six rebounds and two steals. Hairston now has two double-doubles on the year, while today's game earned Dupree her seventh. Ari Moore earned three steals.
Ricketts led all scorers with 22 points, thanks in part to her 10-for-13 shooting performance from the charity stripe. Ricketts added team-highs of three steals and two blocks to her impressive performance. Wilkinson was the only other Explorer in double-figures with 11.
The Owls return home to take on Fordham University on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the Liacouras Center.
