Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE TO BATTLE ARMY IN PRESEASON NIT OPENER
5.19.05 | Men's Basketball
- The Temple men's basketball team will open its 2005-06 season on Tuesday, November 15 with a home game against Army in the Preseason NIT. The Owls, under the direction of Hall of Fame coach John Chaney, will be appearing in the preseason NIT for the fifth time. Temple owns a 7-3 all-time record in the tournament, advancing to the Final Four twice (1986, 2000) and finishing runner-up to then #1 Duke in 2000.
Temple owns a 3-2 all-time record in the series with Army. The last time the teams met on the hardwood was on December 10, 1968. The Black Knights won that contest, 60-59 in overtime at West Point. Mike Krzyzewski served as team captain and head coach Bob Knight roamed the sidelines for Army. Both teams advanced to the postseason NIT that year with Temple captain John Baum leading the Owls to the tournament championship.
The Owls return all but senior reserve Wilbur Allen from last year's team that posted a 16-14 record and advanced to the NIT. It marked the 22nd straight postseason trip for Temple, all under its legendary coach. Senior All-America candidate Mardy Collins, a first team all-Atlantic 10 Conference and Philadelphia Big 5 selection, led the Owls in scoring (17.5 ppg.), rebounding (5.9 rpg.), assists (3.6 apg.) and steals (2.7 spg.) in 2004-05. The Owl point guard was named Player of the Week by both the Big 5 and the A-10 five times during that season.
Chaney, who embarks on his 24th year at the helm of the Cherry and White, will post his 500th win at the school with his next victory. He owns a 499-238 record at Temple and a 72-4-297 mark in his 33 years as a college coach. Chaney is the fourth active winningest coach at the Division I level and is 724 wins ties him for 15th on the all-time win list.
The Black Knights, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Jim Crews, posted a 3-24 record last year while fielding a squad comprised almost entirely of freshmen and sophomores. Sophomores Matt Bell led Army last season with a 14.3 scoring average.
These two storied programs have battled once previously in an NIT-sanctioned event, when Temple downed the Black Knights 79-66 in the 1961 postseason NIT.
Second-round games of the Preseason NIT will be played Nov. 16 and 17 at campus sites, with the semifinals and finals set for Madison Square Garden on Nov. 23 and 25, respectively.
2005 Preseason NIT Matchups
Monday, Nov. 14
Boston University (20-9) at Duke (27-6)
Manhattan (15-14) at Seton Hall (12-16)
Sam Houston State (18-12) at Missouri (16-17)
Drexel (17-12) at Princeton (15-13)
Tuesday, Nov. 15
Army (3-24) at Temple (16-14)
Miami (Ohio) (19-11) at Alabama (24-8)
Wisconsin-Milwaukee (26-6) at Memphis (22-16)
New Mexico State (6-24) at UCLA (18-11)
