Temple University Athletics
MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS IN FINAL SECONDS TO SAINT JOSEPH'S, 59-57
1.8.06 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA -- Saint Joseph's connected on 14 three-pointers, including 11 in the first half alone, but it was a Hawk air ball that eventually proved to be the fatal blow to the Temple Owls Sunday afternoon in an Atlantic 10 Conference/Big 5 showdown at The Palestra.
Sophomore guard Abdulai Jalloh launched a soft runner from the foul line that landed untouched in the hands of Robert Ferguson. The SJU sophomore forward put the rebound in from two feet away with 2.2 seconds to play lifting the Hawks (6-5, 1-1) to a 59-57 win. Temple fell to 6-6 overall and 0-2 in Atlantic 10 play.
Senior guard Mardy Collins launched a desperation three-point attempt from just beyond half court that hit the backboard, but not the mark. That was the end of a memorable game that featured three ties and nine lead changes.
Jalloh, who connected on all six of his three-pointers in the first 20 minutes, led all scorers with 22 points. The Owl defense clamped down on the Hawks' leading scorer (16.6 ppg.) in the second half, allowing him just four made free throws.
Collins led a balanced Temple attack with 14 points while three Owls -- Wayne Marshall, Antywane Robinson and Mark Tyndale -- each added 11.
The game started slowly for both teams with a Collins steal and slam on the game's first possession accounting for the lone points over the first three-and-a-half minutes. Jalloh then connected on his first three-pointer to give the Hawks a lead they would not relinquish the remainder of the frame.
Once SJU got warmed up, it seemed that all of their long range bombs were finding the mark. Despite an aggressive, swarming Temple defense that forced eight first half turnovers (14 overall), the Hawks were able to work the shot clock and find open sharpshooters.
Besides Jalloh's uncanny accuracy (6-7 3PT), senior guard Chet Stachitas (2-6), Ferguson (1-2) senior guard Dwayne Lee (1-1) and sophomore guard Pat Calathes (1-1) combined for 11-of-17 from behind the arc in the first stanza. All but one of the Hawks first half field goals were three-pointers.
Temple, who has struggled at times this season with its shooting, was able to keep pace. The Owls, on the strength of five-of-six shooting from Collins (1-2 3PT), connected on 11-of-22 from the field (4-6 3PT).
Trailing 35-29 at intermission, the Owls stormed out of the locker room scoring the first eight points, five by Robinson and a three-pointer by Tyndale, to take a 37-36 lead. The lead then switched hands four times before the Owls ran off seven straight points, capped by a Robinson trey, giving them their biggest margin, 47-41, with 10:05 to play.
Then senior Dave Mallon, who suffered a scratched cornea in the Hawks' loss to Xavier Wednesday, took over. The 6-10 forward scored seven straight points to put SJU back in front, 48-47.
A Tyndale dunk off a nice feed by Collins put Temple back on top, but Stachitas drained a three-pointer from the corner and Lee added two free throws to give St. Joe's a 53-49 lead with 5:39 remaining.
Marshall, who played his best ball since returning to the lineup in late December, then muscled his way for two quick baskets to even the contest.
"I thought he was outstanding, outstanding," said Temple head coach John Chaney on Marshall. "He's getting his feet underneath of him, and he's going to make a difference on our ballclub."
Jalloh then made four free throws to put the Hawks back in front 57-53 with just over two minutes on the clock.
Marshall calmly sank two free throws on the Owls' next possession and then, following a Jalloh missed three-pointer, Collins tied the game on a runner in the lane with 1:07 remaining.
Stachitas missed a three-pointer with 34 seconds on the clock, but Lee, the smallest player on the court, pulled down the offensive rebound to set up the final possession and Ferguson's winning basket.
The Owls' Achilles heel this season, free throw shooting, again had a hand in the outcome. Temple made just seven-of-15 (46.7%) from the line while Saint Joseph's made nine-of-10 from the charity stripe.
Temple next travels to St. Bonaventure for a Wednesday night (7:00 p.m/WPHT 1210 AM) with the improved Bonnies (6-7, 0-2).
