Temple University Athletics
HEROES ABOUND IN OWLS' 59-53 WIN AT RICHMOND
2.19.05 | Men's Basketball
RICHMOND, VA -- Junior Antywane Robinson nailed a go-ahead three-pointer and Temple drained four free throws in the final 10 seconds to pull out a key 59-53 Atlantic 10 Conference win at the University of Richmond Saturday evening. The win pushes the Owls to record to three games above .500 (13-10, 9-3) for the first time all season. Richmond, which lost for the first time all season when leading at intermission, falls to 11-13 overall and 6-7 in league play.
The Owls had many heroes in defeating the Spiders for just the second time in six A-10 meetings. Junior Keith Butler, maligned all season by Hall of Fame coach John Chaney, had his best game of the 2004-05 campaign. The 7-1 center played up to his size, tallying a season-high 13 points on four-of-six shooting (5-5 from the line) and grabbed seven boards. He scored nine of his points in the first half to keep the Cherry and White within one point (26-25) at intermission.
Robinson, who scored nine of his 13 points in the second half on three-of-four three-point shooting, had his second straight big game for the Owls. It marked the tenth time he has scored double figures this season and his three-pointer to give Temple the lead for good may have been the biggest shot of his career. He also led the Owls, which out-rebounded the Spiders, 35-26, with eight caroms.
Then there was Mardy Collins. The 6-6 point guard, named to the NABC all-District team Friday, struggled with his shot most of the night. He rebounded to direct the offense during a critical second half run, penetrating the lane and dishing assists on three-pointers to Robinson and Mark Tyndale to give the Owls their biggest lead, 45-37, with 7:51 remaining.
Richmond, which lived by long-range three-pointers all night, made its run on the strength of Patrick O'Malley and Jermaine Bucknor treys. O'Malley, who entered the game averaging just over six points per game, hit a career-high six three-pointers for 18 points. His last NBA-range three ended a 13-4 run that gave the Spiders the lead, 50-49.
"We do not normally see that from too many teams, shooting from that far out and I think our guys were just not ready for that," said Chaney on the Richmond offense.
Collins, who had two offensive fouls during the Spider run, made one of two free to knot the game at 50 on the next possession. He then teamed with Dustin Salisbery to steal the ball from Andres Sandoval at mid-court with Salisbery finishing the play on a lay-up to put TU back in front, 52-50.
Bucknor, who had three 3-pointers for 11 points, gave the Spiders a 53-52 advantage with his final trey at the 0:55 mark. Robinson then hit the big three-pointer off an assist from Collins for the 17th and final lead change of the tightly-contested game.
"The kid can shoot the ball there is no question about," said Chaney on Robinson.
Tyndale then pulled off the final heroics for the Owls, deflecting a Sandoval pass off a teammate to give Temple possession with 12 seconds left. He was then fouled and calmly sank two free throws to seal the win.
Collins again led the Owls in scoring with 15 points despite shooting five-of-15 from the field. He also dished six assists, but made five of the team's eight turnovers.
Temple shot 11-of-21 from the field in the second half in winning just its second game of the season when trailing at the half. It was Richmond's first loss in eight games when holding a halftime lead.
Richmond hit 10-of-23 from three-point range, but were outscored in the paint, 26-18. Junior Kevin Steenberge, their leading scorer entering play (12.4 ppg.), was held to just six points.
The Owls now host A-10 leader Saint Joseph's at the Liacouras Center Tuesday night (7:00 p.m./CSN/WPHT 1210 AM). Temple will be looking to remain undefeated in Philadelphia Big 5 play and to close within one game of SJU in the East Division standings.
