Temple Ends Winning Streak at 11 as Familiar Foe Rutgers Hands Owls, 62-48 Loss

Jan. 24, 2007

PHILADELPHIA- All good things must come to an end...no matter how well senior All-America Candidate Kamesha Hairston plays. Hairston netted 20 points, including 12 points in the first half, and had six rebounds to lead Temple (15-5) but it was not enough as Rutgers (11-6) ended the Owls' 11-game winning streak with a 62-48 victory on Wednesday night.

Ahead 25-24 at the half, the Owls fell apart in the second stanza. Temple made just seven field goals, while the Scarlet Knights shot a blazing 61% from the field to open up the 16-point lead. Hairston was the lone offensive power for Temple, as the next closest scorer was Fatima Maddox with nine points.The 48 points is the lowest point total since the Owls defeated the Scarlet Knights, 48-47, on January 19, 2006.

Epiphanny Prince led four Rutgers players in double-figures with 20 points, while Kia Vaughn had 13 points.  Essence Carson and Heather Zurich chipped in with 12 points a piece.

The two evenly matched teams went basket for basket in the opening minutes of the game, with the game either tied or within one point. Shenita Landry and Lady Comfort accounted for all of Temple's offense during that stretch, though it was not for a lack of effort by Rutgers, which tripled down on defense on every Owl possession. The Scarlet Knights led 14-11 with 11 minutes to go but then Hairston went to work. The Toledo, Ohio native scored 10 of the next 12 points to put Temple on top 25-19 with 3:22 left to play. The Scarlet Knights weren't finished yet, however, as they went on a 5-0 run to make it a one point game (25-24) going into halftime.

Rutgers continued its momentum into the second half with Carson hitting a jumper to begin the stanza. Hairston finally hit Temple's first field goal at 17:16 to tie the game at 28 and though the Owls had multiple chances to go ahead on free throws, the game remained tied for the next four minutes. And then everything fell apart for Temple. Carson hit a jumper at 13:24 to spark a 16-4 Rutgers run and give RU a 51-38 lead with just over 16 minutes to play. Hairston finally broke the three and a half minute scoring drought with a jumper at the six minute mark but it was too little, too late as the Scarlet Knights finished with a 12-8 run to end the game and take the 62-48 decision.

After dominating the boards, 20-12, in the first half, the Owls finished with just a three rebound advantage (30-27).

LaKeisha Eaddy dished five assists in the loss and had a team-high two steals.

Vaughn had a game-high four blocks, while Prince finished her well rounded game with team-highs of six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Temple returns to A-10 play and looks to claim its third Big Five crown when it travels to Saint Joseph's on Sunday night. The game, which can be seen on CSTV, will tip-off at 5 p.m.

Temple University Athletics

Temple Ends Winning Streak at 11 as Familiar Foe Rutgers Hands Owls, 62-48 Loss

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