Temple University Athletics
OWLS DEFEAT LA SALLE IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE TO EARN SHARE OF BIG 5 TITLE
3.5.05 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA -- Junior All-America candidate Mardy Collins scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed a contest-best 10 rebounds as Temple defeated La Salle 73-67 to earn a share of the 2004-05 Big 5 title Saturday afternoon at the Liacouras Center. The regular season finale win gives Temple a 3-1 record in city series play to share the title with Villanova. It marks the Owls first Big 5 crown since the 1999-2000 season and provides a record 23rd city title overall.
Temple (15-12, 11-5) looked to have the game in cruise control in the second stanza, holding a 13-point, 43-30, lead with 16:56 remaining and an 11-point, 53-42, advantage with 7:25 on the clock. The Explorers, however, persistently chipped away as junior forward Steven Smith, who was held to just two points in the first half, came alive to post 18 after the break. La Salle (9-18, 5-11) went on a 10 point run to reduce the deficit to one point (56-55) with 3:47 remaining.
Collins answered the run in all-star style. After completing a three point play, he made a steal on La Salle's ensuing possession. He then brought the house to its feet with a high-flying slam dunk to register a 61-55 score with 2:31 remaining and sent a message that an Explorer comeback was not on Temple's agenda.
Temple increased its lead to double digits twice in the final minutes before exiting the floor with a six-point victory to give acting head coach Dan Leibovitz a 2-1 record at the helm.
Temple shot 46.2 percent (24-52) overall and 32.1 (9-28) percent from behind the arc as nine players posted points. La Salle connected on 44.8 percent (26-58) of its field goals and shot 37.1 percent (13-35) from three. Twenty-one of the Owls' points came courtesy of the bench, while the visitors failed to gain a single digit from their reserves.
Smith and sophomore guard Jermaine Thomas paced La Salle in the scoring column with 20 points, as freshman guard Darnell Harris chipped-in 15.
La Salle opened-up an early, 15-10, lead before the first television timeout. Harris and Thomas made two and three, three-pointers respectively, as the Explorers connected on five of their first eight field goals. The Owls responded with a stifling defense and a 13- point run to take a 23-15 advantage as the visitors went scoreless for nine minutes and 47 seconds. The Owls extended their lead to 10 points on two occasions in the final three minutes of the first half before taking a 34-27 lead into the locker room at the midpoint.
Temple shot 56.5 percent (13-23) prior to the break and 46.2 percent (6-13) from behind the arc as Collins poured-in 16 points. La Salle connected on 41.7 percent (10-24) of its first half field goal attempts and shot 46.7 percent (7-15) from three. The Owls scored 11 points off of seven Explorer turnovers while the visitors failed to capitalize on five Temple miscues. The Cherry & White committed just one personal foul prior to intermission.
Guard Wilbur Allen, the lone senior on the Temple roster, made his first career start and scored three points and dished-out an assist. He was recognized in a senior day ceremony prior to the game for his contributions to the University both on the court and in the classroom. Allen, who arrived in Owl Country as a walk-on and has been cited on both the Athletic Director's and Commissioner's honor rolls, earned a scholarship and will graduate in May with a degree in international business.
Temple sophomore guard Dustin Salisbery did not play in the game due to a minor ankle injury.
Temple returns to the hardwood Thursday evening at approximately 8:30 p.m. in the quarterfinal round of the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Owls, who earned an opening round bye and are the East's #2 seed, will play the winner of the Dayton (West #3) versus St. Bonaventure contest on Wednesday.
