Temple University Athletics
DUPREE'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE LEADS TEMPLE OVER LA TECH, 66-61 IN NCAA FIRST ROUND
3.20.05 | Women's Basketball
STORRS, CT - Candice Dupree notched her 13th double-double of the season, leading Temple (28-3) with 20 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks, to push the Owls over Louisiana Tech, 66-61 in an NCAA First Round game at Gampel Paviilion Sunday afternoon. This is the first time that the Owls have advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 1989 and only the second time in school history. Dupree led four players in double figures as Temple extended the nation's longest winning streak to 25 games. Kamesha Hairston netted 15 points, while Khadija Bowens provided a second half offensive spark with 11 of her 13 points in the stanza. Ari Moore rounded out the scoring with 11 points.
Louisiana Tech jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, due to seven straight Temple turnovers. Moore finally got the Owls on the board with a jumper at 15:08 and Hairston made it a two-point contest (6-4) at 14:51. That would be as close as the Lady Techsters would allow, however, as La Tech opened up a 21-8 lead by the nine-minute mark. Temple continued to fight and a trey by Cynthia Jordan with 1:35 remaining got TU within eight (29-21). The Lady Techsters went on a 6-4 run to end the half and took a 35-23 lead into the locker room. Though Temple was getting killed by fouls left uncalled, 12 first-half turnovers and a 34.6 shooting percentage did not help its cause.
The second half began with a recharged Temple squad. The Owls came out with renewed energy and cut La Tech's lead to seven points before again dropping back by 12 points at 15:43. Dupree hit two free throws at 13:42 to cut it down to three (42-39), and then that is when Bowens stepped in. Known for her ability to provide an offensive spark from the bench, Bowens scored 11 of the next 13 points to give Temple its first lead of the game. La Tech's Tasha Crain tied the game at 50 with a jumper at 8:10, but the Owls opened up a six-point lead by 6:35. Erica Taylor's trey and jumper tied the game yet again at 61 with 2:09 remaining, but Hairston sank two free throws at 1:40 to give TU a lead once again. Jordan added one more free throw with 36 seconds remaining to make it 64-61. Taylor tried desperately for the trey to tie it, but missed both times and Dupree grabbed the rebound and was fouled. The junior All-America candidate hit two free throws down the stretch to give the Owls the 66-61 win.
Crain scored a game-high 28 points for La Tech, while Taylor added 13. Margaret DeCiman blocked five shots for the Lady Techsters who ended their season with a 20-10 record.
The Owls will take third-seeded Rutgers on Tuesday night at 9:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
