Temple University Athletics
Men's Basketball Tops Marist, 73-69, In Overtime
11.18.07 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2007
SAN JUAN, PR - Senior guard Mark Tyndale scored a game-high 23 points and made 13 of 14 free throws to lead Temple to a 73-69 overtime win over Marist Sunday afternoon in the seventh-place game of the Inaugural O'Reilly ESPNU Puerto Rico Tip-off Classic. The win was the Owls' first of the season, improving their record to 1-3. Marist falls to 1-3.
"It was a much-needed win and a welcom win," said Temple head coach Fran Dunphy. "I see some good things on the horizon. I think we are coming together as a basketball team."
After blowing double-digit leads in its first two games of the tournament, it was Temple that had to climb out of a second-half deficit. The Owls led 34-28 at the break, but a 24-6 run helped by a Temple scoring drought, gave the Red Foxes a 54-46 lead with 8:54 remaining.
The Cherry and White, who would go nearly 12 minutes without a field goal during one stretch, whittled the lead down at the line. The Owls, led by Tyndale, hit 21-of-23 (91.3%) from the charity stripe, including 14-of-15 in the second half.
Trailing 56-48, Tyndale made five of six free throws to cut the lead to 56-53. Louie McCroskey, who led Marist with 18 points, made a layup to bring the margin back to five (58-53), before sophomore guard Luis Guzman, made a basket to end the field goal drought, and converted a free throw to cut the TU deficit to two, 58-56. Tyndale then connected on four straight free throws to give Temple its first lead, 60-58, since the 11-minute mark, with 36 seconds to play. Ryan Stilphen then tied it at 60 with a lay-up with 12 seconds on the clock.
Tyndale drove the lane on the Owls' final overtime possession, but his jumper missed, sending Temple to its first overtime since Mar. 3, 2004.
The Owls offense clicked on all cylinders in the extra frame. After turning the ball over on its first possession of the frame, Temple scored on its final six possessions. Sophomore guard Ryan Brooks started the spree with a driving lay-up. Ben Farmer answered for Marist with a three-pointer to give the Red Foxes a 63-62 lead. Freshman Lavoy Allen took a feed from Tyndale to make it 64-63, but Spongy Benjamin (10 points) regained the lead for Marist with a lay-up.
Junior Dionte Christmas (15 points) drained a three-pointer, his first points since scoring 10 in the first half, to give the Owls a 67-65 advantage. Shea McNamara tied it with a put-back with 1:51 on the clock. Brooks then gave the Owls the lead for good with a trey off a Guzman assist. Christmas iced the contest with two free throws.
Guzman, who played most of the second half and all of the overtime at the point, posted career highs in minutes (23), rebounds (6) and assists (3). Sophomore Sergio Olmos also played well, scoring six points, grabbed six rebounds, dished three assists and made a career-high five blocked shots.
Allen also scored a career-high 14 points, making seven of nine field goal attempts.
The Owls are off until Saturday, November 24 when they travel to Bowling Green for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off.
