Temple University Athletics
Owls Travel To Defending National Champion Kansas For Saturday ESPN2 Tilt
12.16.08 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 16, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - Temple travels to the hallowed halls of Allen Fieldhouse to take on defending NCAA Champion Kansas Saturday in a nationally-televised (ESPN2, 2:30 PM ET) showdown. The Owls (5-3) are coming off an impressive 88-72 win over then #8/8 Tennessee while the JayHawks (7-2) had their 30-game home winning streak snapped with a 61-60 loss to UMass at the Sprint Center on Dec. 13
All-America candidate Dionte Christmas snapped a mini-scoring slump with a season-high 35 points against the Vols to earn ESPN.com National Player of the Week honors. Christmas, who leads the A-10 in scoring (21.0 ppg.), is on pace to become the first player to lead the league in scoring in three consecutive seasons.
Senior center Sergio Olmos (12.8 ppg., 2.8 bpg.) had a career game in the upset of Tennessee. The 7-0 Spaniard tallied career bests of 19 points and 39 minutes while matching his top output in blocked shots (5). Junior Ryan Brooks, second on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg.), also came up big for the Owls. The 6-4 guard posted his first career double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing a personal best 10 rebounds.
Sophomore Lavoy Allen (9.4 ppg.), playing with a fractured left thumb, continues to lead the Cherry and White with a 7.7 rebound average while senior Semaj Inge (9.3 ppg.) directs the offense with a team-high 36 assists. Junior Luis Guzman (3.0 ppg., 34 assists) splits time at the point with Inge while freshman Ramone Moore (6.6 ppg.) provides offense off the bench.
Junior guard Sherron Collins (17.9 ppg.) leads sixth-year head coach Bill Self's JayHawk team. Sophomore center Cole Aldrich (14.1 ppg., 10.4 rpg.) mans the paint for KU and is one of just two Big 12 players to average a double-double this season. Freshman guard Tyshawn Taylor (10.8 ppg.) also scores in double figures for Kansas.
Kansas leads the series 5-3, but the Owls have won the last two meetings, including a rare 73-59 victory at Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 1, 1993. Kansas has won 29 straight in its historic arena, and owns a 81-6 mark there under Self.
