Temple University Athletics
LIFE LESSON PROVES COSTLY FOR MEN'S BASKETBALL IN 66-59 LOSS AT CHARLOTTE
2.8.06 | Men's Basketball
CHARLOTTE, NC -- To Temple coach John Chaney teaching life lessons has always come first. He proved that again Wednesday night in a key Atlantic 10 Conference game at new league member Charlotte. The Hall of Fame coach sat two of his starters for a good portion of the second half and the host 49ers overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to post a 66-59 win.
"We try to teach our kids...," explained Chaney. "As much as I want to win a ballgame I had two guys on the floor that I took off for that reason. Maybe they will learn a lesson. Maybe it will pay off for us later."
The two guys in question were starting guards Mark Tyndale and Dustin Salisbery. Tyndale lost his cool at the 10 minute mark of the second half, and was called for an intentional foul on Charlotte All-America candidate Curtis Withers when the two were entangled in the corner following a missed three-pointer by the Owl guard.
"You can't lose you head, you just can't," said Chaney.
As far as Salisbery, Chaney was not happy with his overall play, citing that he did not listen to direction.
"I was very dissatisfied with him," he explained. "He throws the ball away. He got into the middle and he was supposed to shoot the ball and he throws the ball back out. Then he drove the ball on the baseline with nothing there."
The need for life lessons overshadowed what turned out to be a game of two halves for Temple.
The Owls played arguably the best 20 minutes of the season to start the game, draining 10-of-14 three-pointers to take a 38-27 lead at the break. Senior forward Antywane Robinson, playing in front of over 20 family members in his home city, led the way, hitting four threes (on five attempts) for 12 points. Mardy Collins, a teammate of Withers on the U21 USA World Championship squad this past summer, had 10 points while dishing three of the team's 10 assists. Tyndale added five assists in the half and Salisbery six points.
Defensively, Temple shut down Withers, who was coming off a 23-point, 21-rebound game in a win over Dayton. The Owls held the Wooden Award candidate scoreless in the frame with a smothering inside defense. Charlotte, the A-10's top three-point shooting team, was able to stay relatively close on the strength of seven three-pointers.
The Owls' opening possession of the second half would set the stage for remainder of the contest. Collins fed Wayne Marshall for an easy dunk, but the 6-11 junior center missed it badly, one of five straight misses to start the period. Charlotte, meanwhile, drained four straight three-pointers, the last by Leemire Goldwire (21 points) to cap a 12-0 run. That made it 39-38 in favor of the 49ers with 16:28 on the clock.
Temple stayed even for the next six minutes, and even took a 46-42 basket after consecutive baskets by Collins, who led the team in scoring for the seventh straight game with 18 points.
De'Angelo Alexander (19 points) then connected on one of his game-high six three-pointers (12 attempts) to cut the deficit to one. Then the Tyndale intentional foul sent Withers to the line where he calmly hit both attempts to make it a 47-46 lead for the hosts.
Chaney inserted seldom-used freshman Semaj Inge for Tyndale and sophomore guard DaShone Kirkendoll for Dionte Christmas (7 points) at this point. The Owls kept pace with the 49ers for the next four minutes and tied the score at 52 on two Marshall free throws with 5:26 to play.
Salisbery and Tyndale reentered, but Charlotte would score eight unanswered points to take a 60-52 lead at the three-minute mark. The Owls cut the margin to five (62-57) on a Robinson three with 55 seconds left and looked to have a chance to get even closer after an Alexander missed free throw.
However, Marshall had the rebound stripped, his sixth turnover of the game, and Chris Nance dunked it for a 64-57 advantage, effectively sealing the win.
The Owls, who were red-hot from three-point range in the first half, hit just one-of-14 in the final 20 minutes (7.1%). The 49ers made eight-of-14 (57.1%), which proved to be te difference.
Temple, now 12-9, 5-5 in conference play, returns home to host Duquesne Saturday (2:00 p.m.). Charlotte, who posted its 100th win at Halton Arena, improves to 14-8, 7-3.
