Temple University Athletics
Temple To Meet Charlotte In A-10 Semifinals
3.14.08 | Men's Basketball
March 14, 2008
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - Temple (19-12) advanced to the A-10 semifinal round for the 23rd time in school history with a 84-75 win over La Salle Thursday. The Owls have now won five in a row for the first time since February 2004 and will look to increase their win streak to six with a victory over Charlotte (20-12) in the A-10 Semifinals (9:00 p.m./CN8/1210 AM WPHT).
The Owls split their meetings with the 49ers in the regular season with each team winning on their own floor. Charlotte won the first contest, 60-58, on January 12 while Temple took home a 75-61 victory on February 27. Junior Dionte Christmas, who torched the Explorers for a game-high 29 points in the quarterfinal win, leads the Atlantic 10 with a 20.6 scoring average. Senior Mark Tyndale tops the Owls in rebounding (6.9 rpg.), assists (4.2 apg.) and steals (1.5 spg.) while ranking second in scoring (16.0 ppg.). Junior center Sergio Olmos (5.9 ppg., 48 blocks) has been hot of late, scoring in double figures a career-best three straight games, including 14 last night on six-of-six shooting.
Senior Leemire Goldwire (19.1 ppg.), a third team all-conference selection, leads Charlotte. The 49er guard erupted for 24 points to lead his team to a 69-65 upset of third-seed Massachusetts last night. Lamont Mack (12.9 ppg.) added 23 points as Charlotte overcame an 18-point second half deficit to advance to the semifinals.
Temple will be looking to make its 14th trip to the A-10 Finals and first since 2003 when the Owls lost to Dayton, 79-72, at the University of Dayton Arena. Temple is 6-7 in A-10 title games with its last tournament championship coming in 2001.
