Temple University Athletics
Women's Basketball Begins A-10 Play At Saint Joseph's Sunday
1.9.09 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 9, 2009
PHILADELPHIA- Women's basketball (8-5) opens Atlantic 10 play with a game at Saint Joseph's (8-7) on Sunday, capping off nearly a month-long road trip. The contest, which tips off at 2 p.m. at Philadelphia University's Gallagher Center, will also be the third Big Five game of the year for both squads. Temple is 1-1 in city series play, while the Hawks are 2-0.
Series Record
This is the 65th meeting between Temple and Saint Joseph's. Saint Joe's leads the series, 39-26, but the Owls have won 11 of the last 12 meetings. The teams last played on February 20, 2008, when the Owls defeated the Hawks, 63-60.
Atlantic 10 Openers
Temple is 13-13 all-time in Atlantic 10 openers and has won four out of the last five.
Close For Comfort
The last six games between Temple and Saint Joseph's have been decided by seven points or less, including a three-point differential in both meetings last year.
Gimmie Five...A Big Five
Temple has won the last four Philadelphia Big Five titles and five of the last seven. The Owls have gone a perfect 4-0 through the city series for four straight seasons and won a record-setting 18 consecutive Big Five games before falling to Villanova, 65-56, on 12/20. The Owls are currently 1-1 in city series play.
Scouting the Owls
Chante Black led four Blue Devils in double figures with 15 points as #5/11 Duke defeated Temple 87-52, on Monday night in Durham. The Owls were able to keep it close in the first 10 minutes of the game but Duke's stifling full court pressure defense proved to be too much for the visitors. Shanea Cotton led all scorers with 18 points, 16 of which came in the second half. Kristen McCarthy and Shaqwedia Wallace each had nine points, while Shenita Landry grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
Cotton leads three Owls in double figures with 13.4 ppg, while Landry is second with 12.2 ppg and a team-high 9.1 rpg. Wallace is third with 11.6 ppg. LaKeisha Eaddy has dished a squad-high 53 assists.
Scouting the Hawks
Backed by 16 points from Brittany Ford, Saint Joseph's posted a 72-59 victory over George Mason on Tuesday. The Hawks started out quickly, opening a 14-3 lead as Ford tallied 10 points for SJU. A Ford layup at 14:38 gave Saint Joseph's its first double-digit lead of the game, while the Hawks' defense held the Patriots to just 1-of-8 from the field and caused four turnovers to start the game. In the second half, Saint Joseph's opened up a quick 42-26 lead on a three pointer by Jenna Loschiavo, but the Patriots refused to yield. George Mason chipped the deficit to single digits, but the Hawks responded, as a pair of layups by Mariame Djouara opened up a 70-52 lead for the Hawks with under three minutes left Djouara and Mary Kate McDade chipped in with 12 and 11 points apiece, respectively, with McDade added seven assists.
Ford leads two players in double figures with 13 ppg, while Djoura is second with 12.5 ppg. Ashley Logue is tops in rebounding, averaging 5.8 rpg.
