Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE EARNS A SWEET VALENTINES DAY VICTORY OVER SAINT JOSEPH'S
2.14.06 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA -- Temple held Saint Joseph's to the second-lowest point total of the Phil Martelli Era in a 57-44 Valentine's Day win Tuesday evening that snapped a string of seven straight losses to the Hawks. The win was Temple's 62nd straight when holding its opponent under 50 points and improved the team's record to 10-1 this season at the Liacouras Center.
Senior Antywane Robinson scored a game-high 18 points courtesy of five three-pointers to lead three Owls in double-figures, as Mardy Collins and Dustin Salisbery both chipped in 11. Collins, who spent the entire 40 minutes on the floor with Robinson, scored nine of his points in the second half while also contributing four steals and a team-high eight rebounds. Temple (14-9, 7-5) made 13 steals in the contest to contribute to a season-high tying 19 turnovers for the Hawks.
Early in the second half, it looked as though the contest might go down to the wire, as both team's battled in a manner indicative of the 75-year rivalry. A Rob Ferguson three-pointer at 18:53 reduced
Temple's advantage to two points, 28-26. Five minutes later, Salisbury threw down a thunderous slam dunk off of a Collins miss to bring the crowd to its feet and give the Owls a 37-28 lead with a 13:22 to play. It looked as though it might be the arrow to ground the Hawks, but Chet Stachitas quickly answered with a three pointer to bring the visitors to within six.
Fortunately for the Cherry and White faithful, the Hawks would get no closer. Temple extended its lead to 17 points on two occasions in the game's final minutes to earn its fifth victory over its last seven games.
The Owls shot 37.2 percent (16-43) from the field and 42.1 percent (8-19) from behind the arc. Saint Joseph's (10-12, 4-7) made 35 percent (14-40) of its shots, including a 23.1 percent mark (6-
26) from long distance.
SJU was led in the scoring column by Abdulai Jalloh, who posted 11 points. Stachitas scored 10 as just two Hawks registered double figures.
The game began in sluggish fashion. Temple had four steals before the first media timeout at 15:41, but also made just one of its first five field goal attempts as the teams took their first breather with the score tied at four. The Owls shooting gradually improved, as they made four of their next seven shots to take a 17-11 lead on a Salisbury trey. Robinson had the hot hand early for the hosts, hitting a trio of three pointers among his first five shots.
Salisbury connected from long distance once again with 6:44 remaining before the break to cap a 13-2 Temple run and give the hosts a double-digit advantage, 21-11. The Hawks answered on their next trip down the floor, with Stachitas performing the honors from behind the arc to snap a field goal drought of seven minutes, 35 seconds. SJU then utilized a Pat Calathes three-pointer and Stachitas jumper to reduce the deficit to two points, 23-21, with 2:42 on the clock.
Robinson provided the final points of the opening stanza with his fourth three pointer in five attempts from behind the arc to send the Owls to the locker room at the midpoint with a 26-21 advantage.
Temple made 32 percent (8-25) of its first half field goal attempts but hit at a 50 percent (6-12) clip from long distance. Saint Joseph's made 37.5 percent (6-16) of its shots, including a 25 percent (3-12) mark from behind the arc. The Owls made eight steals prior to intermission, with Collins and Salisbery, thieving four and three, respectively. Temple had two turnovers, while the Hawks committed nine miscues prior to the break.
Saint Joseph's 44-point output was its lowest since a 50-42 loss to the Owls on February 17, 1998 at the Liacouras Center.
Temple returns to the hardwood this Saturday evening in an 8:00 p.m. contest at A10 newcomer Saint Louis. The Billikens (12-10, 6-4), who lost 46-44 at Dayton last Saturday after winning their prior three contests, play at Duquesne tomorrow evening.
