Temple University Athletics
Owls Clinch A-10 Bye With 90-85 Win Over Duquesne On Senior Night
3.5.08 | Men's Basketball
March 5, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - Senior Night is always an emotional one, and it was just that for the Temple owls at the Liacouras Center Wednesday night. First, Temple honored its six senior members of the program with former coach John Chaney joining Fran Dunphy at center court in the ceremony. Then the Owls held off a stubborn Duquesne Dukes team, 90-85, behind a career-high from junior Dionte Christmas. The win clinches an all-important first-round bye in the Atlantic 10 Tournament next week for the second place Owls (17-12, 10-5).
It was a night of milestones for the Owls. Tyndale, who will go down as one of the best all-around players in Temple history, The senior co-captain ovecame a scary moment, when he was toppled at center court by Duquesne's Gary Tucker and hit hit head hard on the court, moved past Aaron McKie, Mike Vreeswyk and Granger Hall and into eighth place on the Owls' all-time scoring list. He scored 15 points on the night and now has compiled 1,657 points in his stellar career.
Junior center Sergio Olmos shattered his career high with 16 points on six-of-nine shooting. Sophomore Luis Guzman, who played just four minutes in the win over Saint Joseph's, notched career highs with seven rebounds and 34 minutes played.
It was Christmas, however, who would provide the present for his senior teammates. The 6-5 guard scored 24 of his career high 37 points in the second half, making 12 of 23 (also a career high) shots from the field and all nine of his free throw attempts. The 37 points ties for the third most in the Liacouras Center, and is also the most by an A-10 player this season.
"He was great," said Dunphy. "He is a talented scorer and when he gets going he is fun to watch."
"Christmas was phenomenal," added Duquesne coach Ron Everhardt. "I can't see how he's not the best NBA prospect in the league."
The Owls needed all of Christmas' points, and then some to hold off a Dukes team that was playing without Shawn James, its leading scorer (13.2 ppg.) and the defensive stallwart (4.1 blocks per game) who injured his right shoulder at Charlotte.
The Dukes (16-12, 6-9), led by Reggie Jackson (25 points) and Kieron Achara (24 points), hung around on the strength of its high-tempo offense and three-point shooting. Duquesne connected on 13 of 25 three-point attempts with Achara, a 6-10 center, making five of six from behind the arc.
Temple led by seven at the break (45-38), and extended that to a 13 (53-40) on the strength of an 8-2 run to start the second half. The Dukes did not fold and tied the contest at 62 with 10 minutes remaining,
The visitors would never take the lead, but remain within striking distance the rest of the way.
The Owls led by just three, 77-74, with 3:49 on the clock following an Achara trey, and would only get one more basket, a Christmas three-pointer, the rest of the contest. Temple did, however, connect on all 10 of its free throw attempts with Guzman, a 38 percent shooter entering the contest, making four.
Temple concludes its regular season at La Salle on Saturday (4:00 p.m./Comcast SportsNet/1210 AM WPHT). A win would not only clinch second place in the A-10, but also earn the Owls a share of the Big 5 title.
