Temple University Athletics
Christmas, Tyndale, Allen Earn All-Conference Honors
3.10.08 | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - The Atlantic 10 Conference announced its All-Conference men's basketball teams today and three Temple Owls were among the honorees. Junior guard Dionte Christmas was named to the first team with his backcourt mate, senior Mark Tyndale earning second team honors. Freshman Lavoy Allen was selected to the All-Rookie team.
Christmas, who is tied for the A-10 scoring lead (20.3 ppg.) with Conference Player of the Year - UMass forward Gary Forbes, was a second team honoree as a sophomore in 2006-07. Named this week's A-10, Big 5 and espn.com Player of the Week, Christmas is looking to become just the third player in A-10 history and first since John Battle of Rutgers (1984, 1985) to lead the A-10 in scoring in successive years. The other player is St. Bonaventure's Earl Belcher (1980, 1981).
Tydale, an honorable mention all-conference selection last season, leads the team in rebounding (6.8 rpg.), assists (124), steals (47), while tying Dionte Christmas for the lead in minutes played (37.4 mpg.). The 6-5 guard is currently 10th in scoring (16.1 ppg.), eighth in rebounding (6.8 rpg.) and fifth in assists (4.1 apg.). He would be the first A-10 player to rank in the top 10 in scoring and rebounding and top five in assists.
Allen is the 16th Temple Owl and first since Tyndale (2004-05) to be named to the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Rookie team. The 6-9 forward is averaging 8.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. His rebound average is second highest in the conference among freshmen while his 45 blocked shots head the freshman class.
Temple (18-12, 11-5), the #2 seed, opens play in the 2008 Atlantic 10 Championships against the winner of #7-seed La Salle - #10-seed Duquesne on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. (Comcast SportsNet/1210 AM WPHT) at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
