Temple University Athletics
Dayton Flys Past Temple, 77-66
2.16.08 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2008
DAYTON, OHIO - Senior guard Brian Roberts showed why he is a finalist for the Wooden Award, scoring 10 of his game-high 23 points in a back-breaking second half 13-4 run to lead the host Dayton Flyers to a 77-66 win over visiting Temple Saturday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd at the University of Dayton Arena. Dayton stopped a skid of three losses in its last four games in improving to 16-7 and 5-6 in the Atlantic 10. Temple, which had won seven of its last nine, fell to 13-11 and 6-4.
"They have one of the best players in the league and he showed it tonight," said Temple coach Fran Dunphy on Roberts.
The only healthy Flyer averaging double figures (18.8 ppg.), Roberts made seven-of-11 from the field, including four-of-six from behind the arc. He also made his teammates better, dishing four assists, and drawing multiple Owl defenders which led to easy baskets.
The game started off badly for Temple as freshman Lavoy Allen did not start. The Pennsbury product was disciplined by Dunphy for missing a study hall during the week. Junior guard Semaj Inge, who matched his career high with 17 points in the team's win over Rhode Island, took his place in the starting lineup.
"He put his team in jeopardy a little bit," said Dunphy. "That is a tough lesson to learn and hopefully it will never happen again. He is a great guy, a low maintenance guy but it was just one of those things where he forced my hand."
Allen, who entered the game at the 11:37 mark of the first half, never was a factor, scoring four points and pulling down two rebounds in 25 minutes of action.
Both teams blistered the nets in the first half with Dayton connecting on 14-of-25 for 56 percent while Temple was nearly as hot, hitting 50 percent (12-24) from the field. The Flyers were able to take a 34-29 lead into the locker room courtesy of six-of-nine shooting from three-point range.
Dayton was able to push the lead to double-figures early in the second half as sophomore Marcus Johnson (14 points) converted consecutive three-point plays within 36 seconds to make it 48-35 with 15:09 remaining.
"That was the killer stretch for us," said Dunphy. "When you go on the road you have to pay attention to details and we missed some details."
Junior Dionte Christmas, who tied senior Mark Tyndale for team scoring honors with 19 points, connected on the rare four-point play, to cut the deficit under 10. The teams then traded baskets until the Owls made it a seven-point game on an Allen jumper with 11:07 to play.
Then Roberts took over. The Dayton playmaker drained two three-pointers among his 10 points in the Flyers' 13-4 run that made it 68-51.
"He made some tough shots at some tough times," said Tyndale on Roberts.
The Owls did not fold, however. Allen capped a nine-point Temple run with a jumper in the lane to make it 68-60 with 3:35 on the clock.
That was as close as the Cherry and White would get as the visitors turned the ball over four times over the final three minutes in losing by double figures for just the fourth time this season, and first since Duke (74-64) on January 9.
Temple received some good news as sophomore Ryan Brooks, mired in a six-game shooting slump, contributed 12 points on four-of-seven three-point shooting. The Owls again were stellar at the line, making 14-of-15 with Tyndale extending his free throws made streak to a career-high 20 straight.
Senior guard Andres Sandoval added 15 points on six-of-seven shooting. The Flyers made nine-of-15 from three-point range and 28-of-49 overall (57.1%).
The Owls next travel to Olean, N.Y. for a Wednesday night game at St. Bonaventure (7:00 p.m./1210 AM WPHT/OwlAccess).
