Temple University Athletics
Temple to Face Duke in NCAA Second Round
3.19.07 | Women's Basketball
March 19, 2007
RALEIGH, N.C.-Eighth seeded Temple will face the #1 overall seeded Duke Blue Devils in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday at 5 p.m. The game can be seen live on ESPN2. The winner of this game will advance to the Greensboro Regional, taking on the winner of the Rutgers/Michigan State game on March 24.
The Owls are 0-1 vs. Duke but have not faced the Blue Devils since the 1998-99 season. Duke defeated Temple, 112-34, on December 12, 1998 in Durham.
Eight vs. 11
Today's game features two of the top rebounding teams in the nation, with the Owls ranked eighth in the country in rebounding margin (9.7 rpg) and the Duke Blue Devils in 11th place with a 8.8 opponent rebounding margin.
Temple vs. the ACC
This is Temple's fifth ACC meeting of the season. The Owls have posted a 1-3 record thus far, with a 76-62 win over Georgia Tech (11/20) and narrow losses to Virginia (71-65) on Nov. 29, NC State (59-57) on Dec. 2 and then #1 Maryland (77-66) on Dec. 10.
Winning Combination
This is not first time that head coaches Dawn Staley and Gail Goestenkors have shared the sidelines. The duo are assistant coaches for the United States Olympic Women's Basketball Team and helped the team to a bronze medal at the FIBA World Championships this summer.
Top Ranked Competition
This is the first time that Temple has competed against a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament but it is not the first time that the Owls have faced the top-ranked team in the nation. The Cherry and White has squared off against Penn State, Tennessee and Maryland while they occupied the top spot. The Owls are 0-4 in those meetings.
Twice Biten, Twice Shy
This is Temple's third trip to the NCAA Second Round in program history. The Owls have never advanced past the round of 32. TU's most recent trip to the Second Round was in 2005 when Rutgers broke the Owls' 25-game winning streak with a 61-54 victory.
Free Fallin
Fatima Maddox sank four free throws in the final minute of the Nebraska game and was a perfect four-for-four from the charity stripe to ensure Temple's trip to the NCAA Second Round. This is not the first time that the senior point guard has been a posted a perfect performance from the line. She was a perfect six-for-six in games against Drexel, Georgia Tech and Maryland. She also had unblemished free throw shooting performances against Toledo, Stony Brook, St. Bonaventure, Saint Joseph's, Dayton and George Washington. Temple is 7-2 in games where Maddox has been perfect at the free throw line. She leads the team with a 79% free throw shooting percentage.
