Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE TO HOST AKRON IN NIT OPENING ROUND
3.12.06 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - Temple University's men's basketball team extended its string of postseason appearances to 23 seasons when it accepted an invitation to the 2006 NIT. The seventh-seeded Owls (17-14) will host eighth-seeded Akron of the Mid-American Conference on Tuesday night at the Liacouras Center in an opening round game. The winner travels to second-seed Creighton for a Thursday game.
Temple head coach John Chaney, who announced his retirement at a Monday media conference, will not be with the team for the game due to a personal situation. Top assistant Dan Leibovitz will serve as the team's acting coach. Chaney's status for the remainder of the NIT will be a game-by-game decision.
Senior All-America Mardy Collins leads the TU attack. The 6-6 point guard tops the Cherry and White in scoring (16.6 ppg.), assists (122) and steals (86). A two-time first team All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection, he was named to the 2006 A-10 All-Tournament team.
Collins leads a balanced Owl offense that features four double-figure scorers. Senior forward Antywane Robinson ranks second on the team with a 12.7 scoring average while sophomore guard Mark Tyndale (10.5 ppg.) and junior Dustin Salibsery (10.1 ppg.) also have double digit averages. Junior center Wayne Marshall (7.3 ppg.) completes the team's starting five.
Akron enters the NIT with a 22-9 record, finishing second in the MAC East Division with a 14-4 record. Junior forward Romeo Travis leads a balanced attack with a 13.5 scoring average. The backcourt tandem of junior Dru Joyce (10.5 ppg.) and sophomore Nick Dials (10.0 ppg.) also average double figures for second-year head coach Keith Dambrot's Zips. Akron is making its first postseason appearance since a NIT invite in 1989.
