Temple University Athletics
Temple Opens Atlantic 10 Conference Play With A 76-68 Loss At Xavier
1.6.07 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2007
CINCINNATI, OHIO - Senior forward Dion Dacons played his best game, posting his first career double-double, but it was not enough as Temple dropped its Atlantic 10 Conference opener, 76-68, to the preseason Conference favorite Xavier Musketeers Saturday night at a sold-out Cintas Center. It was the third straight loss for the Owls, who fall to 6-7 overall. Xavier improves to 11-4.
Dacons made six-of-seven field goal attempts for 14 points while grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds. He played the entire second half in the post before fouling out in the game's final minute.
Senior Dustin Salisbery, who scored his 1,000th career point on a free throw with 2:20 remaining to become the 42nd Temple player to reach the milestone, led four Owl double-figure scorers with 15 points. It will not be a memorable game for the Lancaster, Pa. native as he, along with junior guard Mark Tyndale, did not start the second half. Both entered at the 10-minute mark.
"I was disappointed in the play of Dustin and Mark," said Dunphy. "I thought the guys who finished the first half did a good job...My conversation with them is that you can do better. Hopefully they will."
Sophomore guard Semaj Inge turned in a stellar game, scoring nine of his 12 points in the second half. He nearly doubled his previous high (7) with 13 field goal attempts, connecting on five. He also tied Chris Clark with a team-high four assists, while committing one turnover.
Sophomore guard Dionte Christmas, who struggled to find openings against Xavier's overplaying man defense, added 13 points on four-of-15 shooting.
Junior guard Stanley Burrell tallied his 1,000th point for Xavier and tied teammate Justin Doellman for game-high honors with 21 points. Burrell drained four three-pointers (9 attempts) while Doellman provided a strong inside presence, hitting six-of-10 from the field and all eight attempts from the line.
Xavier connected on 30-of-36 from the charity stripe (83.3%), including 22-of-27 in the second half as Temple was charged with a season-high 27 personal fouls. Temple made 14-of-20 from the line, but just five-of-eight over the final 20 minutes.
The game started with the teams trading baskets, until the Musketeers went on a 13-1 run over a three-minute stretch to break open a tied contest (16-16) and take a 27-17 advantage with 4:29 to play in the half. Doellman had five points, including his lone trey, in the run.
The Owls cut it to 33-28 at intermission, scoring the final four points over the final two minutes after pulling Salisbery and Tyndale.
Starting a lineup that consisted of Clark, Inge, Christmas, Dacons and DaShone Kirkendoll, the Owls were able to deadlock the game again at 44, with 12:01 to play. Temple had a few chances to take the lead, but Xavier held them off. Holding a one-point lead, 63-62, with 3:22 remaining, the Musketeers went on a 7-1 run, the lone Owl point being Salisbery's 1000th, to take a 70-63 lead with 1:59 on the clock.
Salisbery cut the margin to five with a lay-up, but Justin Cage (10 points) added a lay-up and two free throws to extend the lead to nine, 74-65, with just 44 seconds to play. Burrell connected on two free throws following a Kirkendoll three-point play to account for the final score.
The Owls will try and snap their three-game losing streak when they return home Wednesday to take on Saint Joseph's. The A-10 game will also be the Big 5 meeting of the season. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. It will be broadcast on The Big Talker, 1210 WPHT. There is no television.
