Temple University Athletics
Men's Basketball Continues Road Trip With Monday Game At Long Beach State
12.21.08 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2008
LONG BEACH, CA - Temple will look to rebound from a tough loss to defending National Champion Kansas when it takes the floor Monday night (6:00 p.m./1210 AM WPHT) at the Walter Pyramid against Long Beach State. It is the return game of a home-and-home series initiated with a 74-49 Temple win at the Liacouras Center on December 2, 2006.
The Owls (5-4), making their first trip to California since a 2005 Preseason NIT loss at UCLA, continued to be led by All-America candidate Dionte Christmas. The 6-5 senior guard matched his season scoring average with 21 points in the team's 71-59 loss at Kansas. The two-time A-10 scoring champion sits atop the conference points per game list while also leading the league in three-pointers per game (3.88).
Junior Ryan Brooks (12.8 ppg,) and senior Sergio Olmos (11.8 ppg., 2.4 bpg.) also average double-figure points for the Owls while sophomore Lavoy Allen (9.5 ppg.) is the team's leading rebounder at 7.6 boards per game. Senior Semaj Inge (40 assists) and junior Luis Guzman (35 assists) split time at he point for third-year head coach Fran Dunphy's squad.
Senior guard Donovan Morris leads second-year head coach Dan Monson's 49ers. Morris, in his second year at LBSU after transferring from Fresno State, averages 16.5 points per game. Junior guard Stephan Gilling (10.4 ppg.) also tallies in double figures and leads LBSU with 31 three-pointers.
Long Beach (4-6) enters play on a four-game losing streak after winning the four contests prior to the skid. The 49ers are 3-1 this season at the Pyramid with the lone loss coming Saturday to Montana State, 75-61.
