Temple University Athletics
Temple Women's Basketball Opens Big Five Play With 54-46 Win Over Villanova
12.21.07 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2007
PHILADELPHIA - Temple women's basketball opened Philadelphia Big Five play with a 54-46 win over Villanova on Friday afternoon at the Liacouras Center. The victory was a record-tying 15th consecutive Big Five win for the Owls, a feat accomplished just one other time in history. The Saint Joseph's Hawks won 15 straight city series games between the 1991-92 season and the 1995-96 seasons.
Temple improved to 6-6 overall and 1-0 in Big Five action, while Villanova fell to 9-3 overall and 3-1 in the Big Five. Today's defeat also blocks the Wildcats from a perfect sweep this season. The Cherry and White still have to play Penn (12/27), Saint Joseph's (1/30) and LaSalle (2/2) in their quest to capture their fourth straight Big Five crown.
The Owls dominated the first half. Temple scored the first four points before VU nailed back-to-back threes to take its only lead of the game, 6-4. Following a 6-6 tie, TU went on a 14-4 run to go ahead by 10 points, 14-4, over a nine-minute span. The Wildcats responded with an 8-2 run to close out the stanza, coming within four, 22-18, at halftime.
In the second half, Villanova came within one point on three occasions. The Owls pushed their lead to as many as 11 points to close out the game. TU converted eight free throws over the final 1:10 to seal the win.
Point guard Ashley Morris led the Owls with 13 points and five assists. Junior Shenita Landry followed with a season-high 12 points, including shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the line. Junior Shanea Cotton came off the bench for 10 points. Senior Lady Comfort grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds.
"We can't simulate their team, and they can't simulate ours," TU head coach Dawn Staley said about trying to scout Villanova. "We want to win the Big Five. We're going to go after all of them."
Laura Kurz and Lisa Karcic led the Wildcats with 14 points each.
"She dangerous," Staley said of Kurz, who transferred from powerhouse Duke. "She can do so many things when she has the ball."
Overall, Temple out-rebounded the Wildcats, 40-28. The Owls shot 40 percent from the field, while holding Villanova to 44 percent for the game. TU shot 75 percent from the line.
Temple hosts Penn on Thursday, Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Liacouras Center.
