Temple University Athletics
Men's Basketball Travels To #16/18 Villanova Monday
12.26.08 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - Temple opens its 2008-09 Philadelphia Big 5 schedule with the team it shared last season's city-series title, the #16/18 Villanova Wildcats, Monday night (7:00 p.m./ESPNU). The teams entered this season tied for the most Big 5 wins (113) since the league began formal play in 1955 with the Owls owning the most city-series titles (25).
The Cherry and White will be looking to end a two-game losing skid that started following an impressive win over then #8/8 Tennessee. In their losses at Kansas (71-59) and Long Beach State (76-71), All-America candidate Dionte Christmas was held in check in the first half, scoring a combined three points in the first stanzas of two games. The 6-5 senior guard, who leads the A-10 with a 20.8 average, exploded for 40 second half points in the two contests, but it was not enough to lead his team to victory.
Junior Ryan Brooks (12.5 ppg.) and senior Sergio Olmos (12.0 ppg.) also score in double figures for third-year head coach Fran Dunphy's Owls. The Cherry and White mentor is the only person to serve as head coach at two different Big 5 institutions in the league's history.
Senior forward Dante Cunningham leads eighth-year head coach Jay Wright's Wildcats, averaging 17.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Junior guard Scottie Reynolds averages 14.7 points per game while sophomore guard Corey Stokes also scores in double figures, tallying 12.2 points per game.
Villanova leads the all-time series 42-40. The Wildcats topped the 100-point plateau for the first time against the Owls in last season's 101-93 shootout at the Liacouras Center (12/9/07). VU has won three straight overall in the series and five in a row at the Pavilion. The last Temple win at Villanova came on December 20, 1986, a 67-65 overtime thriller.
