Temple University Athletics
Men's Basketball Opens Its A-10 Schedule At La Salle Sunday Night
1.9.09 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 9, 2009
PHILADELPHIA - Temple (7-6, 0-0) opens its Atlantic 10 Conference slate Sunday at city-rival La Salle in a nationally-televised (CBS College Sports) game. The tip-off time has been moved from 2:00 p.m, to 8:00 p.m. to avoid a conflict with the Philadelphia Eagles playoff game.
The Owls, under the direction of head coach Fran Dunphy, have started the New Year off on the right foot with back-to-back wins over Mid-American Conference foes to snap a three-game losing streak. All-America candidate Dionte Christmas led the Owls in scoring in both games, and continues to top the A-10 with a 20.3 average. The 6-5 senior guard needs just six points to move past Aaron McKie ('91-94) and Mike Vreeswyk ('85-89) into 10th place on the TU all-time scoring list with 1,651 points.
Sophomore Lavoy Allen (9.1 ppg., 7.5 rpg.) matched his season-high with 14 points in the Owls' 67-45 win at Eastern Michigan Wednesday. Junior Ryan Brooks, who ranks second on the team in scoring (11.2 ppg.), also topped double figures (10 points) against the Eagles.
La Salle, under the direction of fifth-year head coach Dr. John Giannini, is led by junior guard Rodney Green (15.4 ppg.). Junior forwards Kimmani Barrett and Yves Mekongo Mbala also score in double figures, averaging 13.3 and 10.2 points, respectively. Junior forward Vernon Goodridge (7.6 ppg.), a transfer from Mississippi State, tops the team in rebounding with a 6.3 average.
Dunphy, a 1970 La Salle grad, has bested his alma mater in three of the four meetings since taking the Temple job and owns a 16-5 record all-time against the Explorers. Temple leads the series, 64-39, but La Salle has won two of the last three meetings at Gola Arena.
