Temple University Athletics
#21/20 TEMPLE WOMEN STUN #9 RUTGERS, 48-47, IN BATTLE OF OLYMPIC STARS
1.19.06 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, NJ - It was a billing made in international competition heaven. Olympic veteran Dawn Staley against Olympic coach C. Vivian Stringer. USA Basketball teammates Candice Dupree vs. Cappie Pondexter. That should have been the story, however Fatima Maddox had other plans. The junior transfer netted a career-high 15 points to lead the Owls to a 48-47 win over #9 Rutgers at the Louis Brown Athletic Center, marking the program's first win against a Top 10 team in school history. Temple improves to 13-4 with the win, while Rutgers drops to 12-3.
The first three minutes of the game weren't good to Temple. The Owls went scoreless, All-America Candidate Dupree got two quick fouls and starting point guard Jennifer Owens went down with an ankle injury. Rutgers took an early 4-0 lead until Fatima Maddox finally made the Owls' first basket at 16:23. Two free throws by the transfer tied the score at four at 15:25. Temple suffered a slight offensive breakdown and allowed the Scarlet Knights to go on a 7-0 run and take an 11-4 lead. Dupree finally broke the scoring drought at 12:56 but RU continued to dominate, taking a 13-6 advantage by the 11:50 mark. Khadija Bowens got Temple back in an offensive rhythm with four straight points but TU's nagging turnover and foul issues started to get the best of them. Temple committed 11 first-half turnovers and nine fouls to RU's nine and four, respectively. Rutgers took a 21-12 advantage with six minutes to go before the Owls were able to regain their composure. A 5-0 run got Temple within four points (21-17) at 4:10 and a Dupree jumper made it 24-21 at 2:36. The senior drove the lane at 1:13 to make it 24-23 and Maddox did the same with 36 seconds to give Temple its first lead, 25-24. Hairston sank an insurance jumper with three seconds remaining to make it 27-24 at the break.
Lady Comfort began the half with a basket, making it 29-24 with 19:30 to go and starting a 4-0 Temple run. Cappie Pondexter gave RU its first basket at 15:31, its first since the 3:20 mark of the first half. Temple was able to hold on to its five point advantage until a three point play by Pondexter made it 37-35 with 10 minutes to go. A Pondexter jumper tied the game at 37 just a minute later and Matee Ajavon sank a trey to return the game to Rutgers' favor (40-37) with eight minutes to go. A full court press allowed RU to take a five point lead of its own, 44-39, at 6:07 but Temple was able to keep it close and cut it to two with 3:30 to go. Maddox tied the score at 44 and Dupree put the Owls back on top with a jumper at 1:43, making it 46-44. As the clock began to wind down, it seemed that the Owls could break the Scarlet Knights 20-home game winning streak and topple a Top 10 team for the first time in school history. Though Pondexter sank a trey as the buzzer expired, the Owls were able to secure their place in history with a 48-47 win.
Dupree netted 14 points and grabbed a season-low two boards. Bowens led Temple with seven rebounds. Hairston chipped in with team-highs of three steals and two assists to go along with her five points.
Pondexter led RU with 19 points, while Ajavon scored 12.
Temple returns to A-10 play with a game at Xavier on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN2.
