Temple Looks for Third Straight Big 5 Crown When it Hosts La Salle Monday at 7 p.m.

Feb. 11, 2007

PHILADELPHIA- Temple (19-5, 9-0 A-10, 3-0 Big 5) will hope to capture its third straight Big Five Crown and remain undefeated in Atlantic 10 play when it hosts the La Salle Explorers (16-9, 4-6 a-10, 2-1 Big 5) on Monday at 7 p.m. The game can be heard live on The Big Talker 1210 WPHT.

A win tonight would give the Owls their third straight Big Five title. A loss would result in a three-way tie of the city series crown with La Salle and Saint Joseph's, as all three schools would be 3-1 vs. Big 5 opponents.

Behind a game-high 21 points from junior center Lady Comfort, Temple remains unbeaten in Atlantic 10 play following a 64-52 win over Richmond Friday. In front of a crowd of 2,832 for the fifth annual Dawn Staley School Day, the Owls shot an even 50 percent from the field en route to their 14th victory in 15 outings. After dropping a team-high 14 points in the first half, Kamesha Hairston finished with 17 points, on seven-for-16 shooting, while grabbing five rebounds. Fatima Maddox shot four-for-seven from the field, and five-for six from the charity stripe, en route to 14 points and four assists.

Hairston leads Temple in scoring and rebounding, averaging  20.3 ppg and 8.9 rpg. Comfort is second with 13.7 ppg and 6.7 rpg. Maddox is third, averaging  11.9 ppg. LaKeisha Eaddy continues to put up great numbers, with the guard fourth in scoring (6.7 ppg) and first in assists (95).

A 10-0 run at the start of the game by Dayton and another at the end was the difference as La Salle lost a 59-57 decision to the Flyers Thursday. Despite a game-high 20 points by Carlene Hightower, who also had game-highs with nine rebounds, four assists and two steals. Jenna Graber gave the Explores a three-point lead at 51-48 on a three pointer with 4:15 left in the game. However, the Flyers held La Salle scoreless for the next four minutes and scored 10 unanswered to put the game almost out of reach at 58-51 with 25 seconds remaining.

Hightower and Christa Ricketts lead the Explorer charge, averaging 17.8 ppg and 16.7 ppg, respectively. The two are also tops in rebounding, with Ricketts pulling down 7.5 rpg and Hightower averaging 7.2 rpg.

Gimmie Five...A Big Five
Temple has won the last two Philadelphia Big Five titles and three of the last five. The Owls have gone a perfect 4-0 through the city series for two straight seasons and have strung together 13 straight Big Five wins. TU is currently 3-0 in city series play after defeating Villanova, 68-66, (12/22), Penn, 68-49 (12/29) and Saint Joseph's, 78-71 in OT (1/28). A win tonight would give Temple its third straight title but a loss would tie the Owls with La Salle and Saint Joseph's.

Temple University Athletics

Temple Looks for Third Straight Big 5 Crown When it Hosts La Salle Monday at 7 p.m.

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