Temple University Athletics
Owls Hold Off Spiders, 74-65, In Tale Of Two Halves
1.31.09 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2009
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PHILADELPHIA - On a night where Liacouras Center records for offensive prowess and futility were set, Temple had five players score in double figures and held off Richmond, 74-65, on Saturday night. The two teams combined for a facility-low 29 points in the opening stanza, with the Owls holding a 16-13 lead going into the locker rooms. Thanks to 30 second half free throws, the Cherry and White poured in another Liacouras Center mark for points in a half (58), and improved to 5-1 in the building this season.
"It was really a hard-fought game," head coach Fran Dunphy said. "I knew we'd have some problems scoring, but I didn't think it would be that difficult in the first half."
Senior Semaj Inge rebounded from a scoreless effort at Rhode Island on Wednesday with a career-high tying 19 points. All but two came after intermission.
Classmate and All-America candidate Dionte Christmas added 17 points and a career-high 13 boards. Like his backcourt mate, all but two came after intermission.
Freshman Juan Fernandez, who played a career-high 24 minutes after struggling at Rhode Island, also chipped in with a career-high 15 points, all in the second half.
Junior Ryan Brooks (13 points) and sophomore Lavoy Allen (10 points, 11 boards) also finished in double-figures for the Owls.
It took Temple (12-8, 4-2 A-10) nearly five minutes to get on the scoreboard after the opening tip, but the drought was nothing compared to Richmond's. After a Justin Harper lay-up with 16:49 to go, the Spiders did not score again for over 12 minutes.
The Cherry and White was unable to take advantage, scoring just 12 points over that span to hold a 12-6 lead with 4:40 to play before half. The scoring picked up slightly over the final minutes of the half, but both teams were booed off the court as the halftime buzzer sounded with the Owls holding a 16-13 lead.
Richmond's David Gonzalvez, who poured in a career-high 36 points, scored as many points (29) in the second half as the two teams combined for in the first. His total was a Liacouras Center record for a visiting player and fifth on the all-time list.
He scored 15 points in the final 1:33, keeping the game close and ensuring that the visitors would continue to put the Owls on the foul line. The hosts took every advantage of the opportunity, connecting on their final 12 free throws during Gonzalvez's hot-streak.
Temple came out of the locker room with some energy, scoring the first eight points of the half to take a 24-13 lead after a little over a minute of play. Richmond (11-10, 3-3) would eventually take the lead on a Ryan Butler layup with 13:31 to play, but TU went on an 18-4 run over the next six minutes to take a commanding lead.
Dunphy went with a four-guard lineup during most of the half. Inge, Christmas, Fernandez, and Brooks joined with Allen in the post to break away from UR.
Sophomore Craig Williams made his return after missing the Rhode Island game due to an injury, but played only nine minutes. Senior Sergio Olmos started but played 14 minutes, all in the first half, and freshman Micheal Eric did not play, leaving Dunphy with little choice than to play a four-guard lineup.
The Owls continue to win on their home court and have won five straight in the building since a loss to Miami (OH) on December 3.
Temple visits #10 Xavier (19-2, 7-0) on Thursday in a nationally-televised contest on ESPN. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM.
"Every game down the stretch is going to be a war, and that starts with Xavier," Dunphy said.
The game begins a four-game stretch that could determine the Owls' postseason fate. TU hosts Rhode Island (15-7, 4-3) on Sunday before visiting Saint Joseph's (12-7, 5-0) and Duquesne (13-6, 4-2) the following week.
