Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE DEFEATS #19/22 ALABAMA IN NATIONALLY TELEVISED TILT AT THE LIACOURAS CENTER
12.10.05 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA -- Temple committed just three turnovers and overcame field goal droughts in both halves to defeat #19/22 Alabama, 68-58, Saturday in a late afternoon, nationally-televised, contest at the Liacouras Center. It marked the Owls' first win over a ranked opponent since a 63-57 defeat of then #10 Xavier on March 14 in the 2003 Atlantic 10 Tournament and was TU's first home win over a ranked foe since a 71-64 defeat of then #10 Indiana on December 28, 2002.
Junior guard Dustin Salisbery made steak out of the visiting Crimson Tide, scoring a game-high 20 points, courtesy of four, first half three pointers. Antywane Robinson (17), Mardy Collins (15) and Mark Tyndale (10) also registered double figures for the Owls, who received 62 points from their starting five.
Temple looked to have the game in cruise control early in the second half. A pair of Dionte Christmas free throws with 14:21 remaining extended Temple's lead to 55-35, its largest advantage of the contest. The pair from the charity stripe followed a dunk by Collins 30 seconds earlier that would prove to be the Owls' only field goal for over 11 minutes on the game clock.
Meanwhile, a persistent Alabama squad chipped away at the deficit and reduced it to 57-50 on a pair of Jean Felix free throws with 4:43 remaining. Felix led Alabama in the scoring column, posting 19 points off the bench. Temple continued to play tough defense and scatter free throws, however, before a Collins jumper at 3:31 broke the field goal drought and returned the lead to double-digits, 62-52. The teams traded points evenly in the final few minutes and the Owls came away with the win.
Temple shot 38 percent (21-56) from both the field overall and from behind the arc (10-26) as well. Alabama made 39 percent (19-49) of its shots and 37 percent (11-30) from three. The Crimson Tide committed seven more (10) turnovers than the Cherry & White, including eight miscues in the second half. Temple out-rebounded a much taller Alabama team, cleaning the glass six more times (37-31) than the Tide.
The Owls jumped-out to a 4-0 lead before the visitors scored seven straight to quiet the rambunctious home crowd. A Tyndale three pointer at 13:31 broke a 7-7 tie and returned the lead to the Cherry & White. It would be a lead the home squad would not relinquish for the remainder of the contest. Ahead 24-20 in an up-and-down contest, the Owls utilized a hot shooting hand from behind the arc to take a 33-20 lead on a Robinson trey with 6:35 remaining before the break.
Temple's hot hand, however, went bitterly cold and the Crimson Tide took advantage. A Chuck Davis tip-in capped an 11-point 'Bama run and made it a two-point contest with 1:13 to go before intermission. A Dion Dacons tip-in halted a scoring drought of six and a half minutes and Temple entered the locker room at the midpoint with a 35-31 edge.
The teams combined for just three turnovers in the opening stanza, with the Owls committing just one miscue. Alabama shot 48 percent (11-23), including 47 percent (7-15) from behind the arc. Temple made 42 percent (13-31) of its field goal attempts, including 53 percent (9-17) from three.
Temple (5-2) returns to the hardwood next Sunday, Dec. 18, at Auburn in a 2:00 p.m. contest that will be televised on CN8. It will mark the fourth meeting between the schools, with TU holding a 2-1 advantage. The Tigers hit a school-record 18 three-pointers to defeat the Owls 80-78 last year at the Liacouras Center to give head coach Jeff Lebo his first win at the helm in the season-opener for both schools.
